Rehoboth Christian advances behind Zylstra’s no-hitter

By Truman Begaye
Special to the Times

GALLUP

Rehoboth Christian wasted little time moving into the quarterfinals of the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union State Baseball Championships.

Behind a dominant pitching performance from senior Jonathan Zylstra and a relentless offensive display, the Lynx rolled past McCurdy 15-0 on Wednesday afternoon. Zylstra threw a no-hitter through five innings of work while helping lead the offense with three RBIs. Seniors Trajen West and Kodah Chapman added two hits each in the victory.

Rehoboth head coach Ken Zylstra said the performance continues a growing postseason tradition for the program.

“That’s our third no-hitter in a quarterfinal game in the past seven years,” Zylstra said. “Raeden (West) did it in 2024, and Johnny’s big brother Jacob did it as well against Desert Academy a while back.”

Even against a younger McCurdy squad, the Lynx approached the opening round with urgency.

“We definitely kept the gas pedal down because it’s a state game,” Zylstra said. “We want to make sure it’s all business now and get the wins to move on.”

Rehoboth took control immediately in the opening inning. West singled on a ground ball and later stole home as the Lynx quickly jumped ahead. Freshman Elliot Kass and senior Jude Christensen also scored during the inning as Rehoboth capitalized on passed balls and defensive miscues to build a 5-0 advantage.

The Lynx continued to pile on in the second inning. Zylstra delivered an RBI single to score junior Sam Newell before Christensen drove in two more runs with another ground ball into the outfield. Rehoboth pushed the lead to 9-0 before the third inning.

After a quiet third, the Lynx effectively ended the game in the fourth. A passed ball allowed Zylstra to score before senior Josiah Becksvoort drove in two runs with a triple to left field. Sophomore Isaiah Tenorio later added another RBI single, and sophomore Brighten Thompson capped the scoring sequence as Rehoboth extended the lead to 15-0.

While the offense stayed productive throughout the afternoon, the focus remained on Zylstra’s work from the mound. The senior kept McCurdy off balance through the entire game, never allowing a hit while working efficiently through the lineup. The Lynx defense backed him throughout the contest, preserving the no-hitter and keeping momentum firmly on Rehoboth’s side.

Now 17-5 on the season, Rehoboth advances to face fourth-seeded Mesilla Valley Christian in the quarterfinal round on Thursday at the Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex in Albuquerque. Zylstra said the coaching staff will evaluate its pitching options heading into the next round, though Jonathan Zylstra remains a likely choice.

“We’ve got a couple of good options and he’s one of them,” Zylstra said. “Mesilla Valley is a good team, so we have to make sure we’re doing what makes the most sense.”

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