For the first time this season, Upland will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will face off against the Rancho Cucamonga Cougars at 3:15 p.m. on Monday. Upland will aim to continue their four-game streak of scoring more runs each matchup than the last.
Upland is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. Everything went their way against Claremont on Thursday as they made off with a 12-6 win.
Joe Aguilar looked comfortable as he pitched 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits.
At the plate, Jaedan Quemada was a standout: he scored four runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-5. Those two stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Carson Kinnick also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Rancho Cucamonga, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Riverside Prep with a sharp 13-2 victory on Friday. Considering the Cougars have won five games by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Jacob Peyton was a major factor no matter where he played. He struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent : he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Ethan Diaz was excellent, scoring a run while going 3-for-3. Aiden Bravo was another key player, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
Rancho Cucamonga always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .553. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Rancho Cucamonga pushed their record up to 10-3 with the win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.1 runs over those games. As for Upland, their record is now 4-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Upland has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Rancho Cucamonga struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Upland came out on top in a nail-biter against Rancho Cucamonga in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, sneaking past 5-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Highlanders/Scots since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
