GATEWAY LEAGUE BASEBALL: Ourique gives up two hits against Downey as Gahr continues dominance over Vikings

April 29, 2026 

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

Since 2005 when Gerardo Perez took over as the head coach of Gahr High’s prestigious baseball program, the one team that has had the most difficulty against the Gladiators has been Downey High. That trend continued this past Tuesday as senior pitcher Jake Ourique threw five solid innings, allowing two hits, walked one and had another reach on an error as Gahr posted a 4-0 win, locking up at least second place in the Gateway League.

Ourique also struck out half a dozen in his fourth victory over the Vikings since he was a sophomore. In his four high school starts against Downey, the University of Oregon commit has pitched 20 innings, allowed 16 hits, four earned runs, walked five and struck out 23. In addition, Ourique was ahead in the count to 13 of the 18 hitters he faced as he improved to 3-0 in nine starts this season.

“I had a little bit of body discomfort today, so my goal was to get strikes early; get contact whenever I can and strikeouts whenever I can,” said Ourique. “I actually wanted to get up there, throw strikes and hopefully we would score some runs.”

“I think he’s in complete control of what he’s throwing and where he’s throwing,” said Gahr head coach Gerardo Perez. “He’s had an amazing year. Let’s just call it what it is; he’s been dominant no matter what. I’d have to be hard pressed; I don’t think he’s given up more than one earned run in a game, and he’s got the strikeout totals matching. His strikeout to walk [ratio] is pretty ridiculous right now. But all the credit goes to him, and he gives us a chance to win every time out.”

In his last five games, Ourique has an earned run average of 1.16, has allowed 16 hits, struck out 41 and walked three.

Ourique was hit in the first inning in which he said it messed with his back and his shoulder a little bit. That was why he was lifted for senior Anthony Ward after five innings, but you wouldn’t have known. After walking Roel Mercedes to begin the game, Ourique struck out Morise Robinson, got Eddie Causley to ground out and struck out Chris Palacios.

Ourique retired the next five batters until Mercedes singled to left and Causley reached on an error. Palacios led off the fourth with a double to deep center but was thrown out at third. Ourique then struck out three of the next five batters while inducing Nathan Carrasco and Sebastian Cortez into groundouts. Mercedes was the only Viking to get to third off Ourique.

The only run Ourique needed came in the bottom of the first inning when Max Bailon walked senior catcher Nathan Guangorena, a California State University, Northridge commit, who scored two batters later on a double from senior shortstop Andres Gonzalez, who will be going to the University of Southern California.

Two innings later, senior first baseman Bryce Morrison, another USC commit, reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice fly from Ourique and came home on the next pitch when freshman second baseman Mark Redaja singled to center. The other two runs were scored in the with when Morrison, Gonzalez and Ourique all singled with one out on a combined six pitches. After a fielder’s choice from Redaja, Gonzalez completed the scoring on a throwing error.

“Obviously, my role in the lineup is just to kind of …I’m not a home run guy; I just kind of get guys over when I have to,” said Ourique. “I just have to understand my role and do what I have to for the team.”

“That’s why he’s in [there]; he can do a multitude of things,” said Perez of Ourique. “He’s an old school, West Coast four-hitter as they call it…when the Dirtbags could have some versality in the middle of the order.”

Gahr edged the Vikings 4-3 in nine innings the next day to improve to 15-9-1, 8-3 and remains in second place in the league, a game behind La Mirada High. Since the Matadores swept all three games against the Gladiators in late March, Gahr has won 10 of its last 12 games, losing to Orange Lutheran High 2-1 in eight innings and to Ayala High 6-4. Both those games came in the Boras Baseball Classic. The Gladiators host Downey on Friday, then close out the regular season with games at Huntington Beach High on Tuesday and Aquinas High on Wednesday.

“I think that was a big punch in the mouth,” said Ourique of the sweep to La Mirada. “So, our goal was to forget about it, get back in the win column and I think we’ve done well with that, especially in league.”

“We’re starting to show of semblances of being able to win ugly; is what I call it,” said Perez. “I think there’s a certain grind and fortitude you have to have. It’s easy to be great when it’s 8-0 or 10-0. Now we’re starting to be a little more consistent regardless of who is on the mound.”

Gahr has now won 44 games against Downey since 2004, most against any opponent in the past two-plus decades, 13 straight and 19 of the last 20 against the Vikings and since 2013, the Gladiators are now 28-3 against Downey.

“I think they’re pretty athletic,” said Perez of Downey. “The shortstop, third baseman and center fielder made a diving catch. The shortstop had some good range; they almost turned some double plays. The third baseman has some athleticism.”