Lynbrook is 2-8 against Santa Clara since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Vikings will head out on the road to challenge the Bruins at 4:00 p.m. Lynbrook has given up an average of 10.4 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Lynbrook is headed into Thursday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their eighth straight game on Tuesday. They lost 18-3 to Saratoga.
Lynbrook saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jaden Yung, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with two stolen bases and one run.
Meanwhile, Santa Clara came tearing into Tuesday's match with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.5 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Pioneers with a sharp 15-6 victory. The result was nothing new for the Bruins, who have now won 11 contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Drew Diffenderfer made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two runs.
In other batting news, Charles Conley and Connor Houle did most of the damage at the plate: Conley got on base in all four of his plate appearances with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run, while Houle went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Houle is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Zach Gallegos was another key player, going 1-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Santa Clara kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in seven consecutive games.
Santa Clara pushed their record up to 16-3 with the win, which was their tenth 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 13.8 runs over those games. As for Lynbrook, their loss dropped their record down to 4-14.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Lynbrook has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Santa Clara struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Lynbrook couldn't quite get it done against Santa Clara in their previous meeting on April 1st as they fell 5-0. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
