Santa Clara is 2-8 against Gunn since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Bruins will square off against the Titans at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Santa Clara took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Fremont as they made off with an 11-4 win.
Gisele Valdez (2026) spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and three unearned) runs on three hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
Victoria Calvillo (2027)
| 04/28/26 vs Fremont | 1 |
| 04/27/26 @ Menlo-Atherton | 2 |
| 04/20/26 @ North Salinas | 1 |
| 04/08/26 vs Cupertino | 4 |
At the plate, Santa Clara got a massive performance out of Victoria Calvillo (2027), who went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. Calvillo (2027) has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Analisa (Cita) Chavez (2026), who went 2-for-4 with four RBI, one run, and one double.
Santa Clara hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least four batters in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Gunn waltzed into their game on Tuesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They blew past the Pioneers 11-5. That's two games straight that the Titans have won by exactly six runs.
Violet Hayes was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over seven innings pitched. Hayes was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Makena Smith was a standout: she got on base in all five of her plate appearances with two stolen bases and three runs. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in March. Allison Novick was another key player, going 2-for-5 with four RBI, two doubles, and one run.
Santa Clara's record now sits at 11-9. As for Gunn, their record is now 11-5.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Santa Clara hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .342. However, it's not like Gunn struggles in that department as they've averaged .323. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Santa Clara skirted past Gunn 9-7 when the teams last played back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bruins since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
