The Academy for Academic Excellence Knights will take on the Santiago Cavaliers at 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Academy for Academic Excellence will be looking to extend their current nine-game winning streak.
Academy for Academic Excellence is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. Everything went their way against Bethel Christian as they made off with a 14-4 win. The Knights' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Nathan Rudd
| 05/15/25 vs Bethel Christian | 2 |
| 04/29/25 vs Silver Valley | 2 |
| 04/25/25 vs Victor Valley Christian | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ Academy of Careers & Exploration | 2 |
| 04/11/25 vs Lucerne Valley | 2 |
| + 6 more games |
Nathan Rudd was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and not a single walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Academy for Academic Excellence is undefeated when Rudd posts two or more runs, but 8-9 otherwise.
In other batting news, Keegan Layton was excellent, going 1-for-2 with three runs and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Garrett Narasky, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Academy for Academic Excellence kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Santiago made easy work of Public Safety Academy on Thursday and carried off a 14-2 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Cavaliers.
Like Academy for Academic Excellence, Santiago also got a great game from a two-way player: Matthew Rubin. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over four innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts Rubin has posted since back in March. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one double.
In other batting news, Isaiah Cortez was a standout: he went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. Chris Gallegos also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Academy for Academic Excellence's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-9. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.6 runs over those games. As for Santiago, their record is now 8-14.
