The Santa Clara Bruins will venture away from home to square off against the Monta Vista Matadors at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Santa Clara will be looking to extend their current nine-game winning streak.
Santa Clara took a ten-run loss the last time they faced off against Leigh, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Bruins sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 9-8 win over the Longhorns on Saturday.
The team relied heavily on Zach Gallegos, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024. Connor Houle was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Santa Clara kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in nine consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Monta Vista ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They had just enough and edged out Saratoga 5-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Matadors have posted since April 18, 2024.
Monta Vista also got a great performance from Aiden Koppes as he tossed six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Koppes has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Monta Vista saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Tim Yin, who went 1-for-3 with one run. Another was Sravik Sajja, who earned one RBI, one run, and two stolen bases.
Santa Clara pushed their record up to 18-3 with the win, which was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.3 runs over those games. As for Monta Vista, their record is now 13-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Santa Clara has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Monta Vista struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Santa Clara's way against Monta Vista when the teams last played on April 3rd, as Santa Clara made off with a 14-3 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bruins since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
