_____________________
_____________________
June 3, 2026
By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X
Nothing has come easy for La Mirada High in the program’s fourth game ever in the CIF-Southern California Division 1 Baseball Regionals. In the three previous games, all coming in 2024, the Matadores won a pair of road games by two runs before falling to host Orange Lutheran High 7-6 in the championship games.
Playing on the road again, senior catcher Justin Torres broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh inning and the fifth-seeded Matadores survived a furious comeback by fourth-seeded Liberty High to escape with a 7-6 victory this past Tuesday under hot playing conditions in Bakersfield. La Mirada moves on to the semifinals where it will host eighth-seeded Cathedral Catholic High on Friday. The Dons upset top-seeded St. John Bosco High 4-2 this past Tuesday.
“When you think about it, it’s a blessing; the season continues with the guys who don’t want it to end,” said La Mirada head coach Jimmy Zurn. “When we were asked to be in [the regionals], we accepted just like last time. We were in the [CIF-Southern Section] quarterfinals last time. [Today] was a tough atmosphere to go into. They’re very gracious host, but it’s a small town feel in Bakersfield. We didn’t have a huge, huge crowd like we normally would at home.”
Zurn went on to add that because of travel ball obligations, the Matadores were without the services of senior Jesse Colon and freshmen Blake Barberena and A.J. Montes, thus he had to move players around and seldom-used players got the opportunity to play in a high stakes postseason game.
The top of the seventh inning began with senior right fielder Phillip Webb and senior center fielder Noah Rodriguez each getting hit by a Brogan Witcher pitch. Following a sacrifice bunt from junior shortstop Michael Burgueno, Torres launched his first home run of the season and the team’s third in the contest on a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence.
“Let’s put it this way; number one, they were massive,” said Zurn of the home runs that were hit. “We play at the field we play at. But looking at Liberty, they had [62] home runs as a team on the year to our nine. So I was a little bit concerned. But being at their field…we’re sitting at 4,000 [feet] elevation, and the wind blows out and the balls fly. We took batting practice before the game and guys who don’t hit home runs for us are hitting home runs at their place. The ball was flying.”
But in the bottom of the frame, Gavin Williams led off with a base hit off senior pitcher Kaden Corns and a batter later, Cash Gerecke doubled to right field. Then on a 0-2 count, Braden Turman grounded out to Burgueno to make it 7-5. After Jason Guevara reached on the only error of the game, Gerecke came around to score. However, the Patriots weren’t done as Corns walked Brody Berry, then he and Guevara each advanced on a wild pitch before Corns struck out Brodie Snow to end the game.
The Matadores (25-8), who haven’t played since falling to St. John Bosco in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 semifinals on May 23, trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the first as Witcher and Williams had back to back doubles. Two batters later, Gerecke had a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 and following a pitching change-senior Jacob Oropeza for sophomore Jeremiah Gomez-Berry’s single brought in Turman. This was the first start of the season for Gomez, who was making his 12th appearance and has three saves under his belt. But he has pitched 13 innings in 2026.
“He’s going to be one of the best arms in the area going forward,” said Zurn of Gomez. “He’s a sophomore, he [throws] 88-89 [miles per hour]; a lefty whose body looks like a Greek god. We’re going into this as…house money. He had a big close against Gahr, so it’s not like he hasn’t pitched in any big games.”
La Mirada bounced back in the next inning as Oropeza was hit by a pitch, then senior first baseman Jaeden Estevez hit a two-run home run. Two innings later with two outs and Estevez standing on first base via a walk, junior Joshua Angulo put the Matadores in front with a home run. Angulo entered the game having less than 20 at-bats throughout the season.
“That’s the fun part about doing this; it’s more of a good ending for the seniors, but also a chance to get some guys going on into next year who we think are going to be key pieces for us an opportunity, and Josh stepped up,” said Zurn.
The Patriots tied the game in the sixth when Guevara led off with a double, was replaced by Trenton Rickel who came home on a base hit from Berry. While the Matadores were stymied with Liberty’s pitching in the hitting department, they were still getting on the base in other ways as four batters were hit by a pitch and three others were walked.
The other semifinal game pits third-seeded Corona High against seventh-seeded Huntington Beach High with the winners to play for the Southern California Regional championship on Saturday. Because of the extra day between games, Zurn said all his pitchers are available for the Cathedral Catholic game but has not listed a starter yet.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
