The Cupertino Pioneers will take on the Santa Clara Bruins at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Cupertino took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 14-4 margin over MacDonald.
Talitha Vaughn
| 04/23/25 vs MacDonald | 3 |
| 04/09/25 @ Lynbrook | 1 |
| 04/02/25 @ Palo Alto | 1 |
| 03/21/25 @ South San Francisco | 1 |
| 03/04/25 @ Evergreen Valley | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
Talitha Vaughn and Shelby Apostolo did most of the damage at the plate: Vaughn went 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one double, while Apostolo went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. That's the most RBI Vaughn has posted since back in April of 2024. Purani Muthuvedi was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Cupertino always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .590. They are 4-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Santa Clara never got on the board in their matchup on Tuesday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Fremont on Wednesday. They blew past the Firebirds 13-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory the Bruins have posted against the Firebirds since February 28, 2018.
Rylan Morales spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on four hits.
At the plate, Jasmine (Jazzy) Ramirez was incredible, going 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, four runs, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Averie Lopez, who got on base in two of her five plate appearances with four runs and two stolen bases.
Cupertino has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 7-6 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Santa Clara, they now have a winning record of 7-6.
Santa Clara's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Cupertino has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .440. It's a different story for Santa Clara, though, as they've only averaged .342. Will they be able to contain Cupertino's hitters?
Cupertino took their victory against Santa Clara when the teams last played two weeks ago by a conclusive 14-6 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Pioneers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
