vs
| 03/19/25 - Away | 8-7 W |
| 04/30/24 - Away | 16-14 W |
| 03/26/24 - Home | 9-8 W |
| 05/08/23 - Home | 5-15 L |
| 04/28/23 - Away | 4-14 L |
| + 5 more games |
Palo Alto is 8-2 against Santa Clara since April of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Vikings will be playing at home against the Bruins at 4:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
On Wednesday, Palo Alto made easy work of Lynbrook and carried off a 19-3 victory. Considering Palo Alto has won seven matches by more than eight runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Kira Tzeng made a splash while hitting and pitching. She tossed five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Tzeng was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two triples, two stolen bases, and three runs. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kendall Butler, who got on base in all five of her plate appearances with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. Riannah Soliman was another key player, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with three stolen bases, four runs, and one RBI.
Palo Alto always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .644. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lynbrook only posted an OBP of .375.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Santa Clara, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They had just enough and edged out Fremont 11-9. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Bruins have posted since March 7th.
Jasmine (Jazzy) Ramirez was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Averie Lopez, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Palo Alto's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 11-8. As for Santa Clara, the win got them back to even at 11-11.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Palo Alto has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .464. However, it's not like Santa Clara struggles in that department as they've averaged .441. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Palo Alto skirted past Santa Clara 8-7 when the teams last played back in March. Will the Vikings repeat their success, or do the Bruins have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
