Hope Christian is 1-9 against Albuquerque Academy since April of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Huskies will square off against the Chargers at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hope Christian barely beat Bernalillo the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Huskies were the clear victors by a 10-3 margin over the Spartans on Friday. The win was nothing new for the Huskies as they're now sitting on four straight.
Jacob Gergen spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks. He has been consistent: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances.
Keegan Johnson
| 04/18/25 vs Bernalillo | 2 |
| 03/13/25 @ Belen | 1 |
| 03/04/25 vs East Mountain | 1 |
| 04/16/24 @ Del Norte | 1 |
| 04/11/24 @ St. Michael's | 1 |
At the plate, Keegan Johnson was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Luciano Gabaldon, who went 3-for-4 with one run and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Hope Christian kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in four consecutive matches.
Albuquerque Academy came out on top against Valley on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive seven-run sixth inning. The Chargers put the hurt on the Vikings with a sharp 12-1 victory. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since April 14, 2023, but that streak is no more.
Albuquerque Academy also let their pitcher toss all six innings played and he was also dialed-in: Matthew Delaney gave up only one earned run on four hits and racked up ten Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Ryan Williams, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Albuquerque Academy is undefeated when Williams posts two or more runs, but 7-9 otherwise. EJ Gallardo was another key player, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Hope Christian's record now sits at 14-6. As for Albuquerque Academy, their record is now 13-9.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hope Christian has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .440. However, it's not like Albuquerque Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .442. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hope Christian couldn't quite finish off Albuquerque Academy in their previous meeting two weeks ago and fell 2-0. Can the Huskies avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
