Warren High snaps La Mirada’s 21-game league winning steak
Warren pitcher Vivi Navarrete (1) makes a pitch against La Mirada in their Gateway League softball game at Warren High School on Tuesday April 14, 2026. Warren defeated La Mirada 5-1. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
DOWNEY – With only three softball games played in the five-team Gateway League this season, it’s a wide open battle as four teams (Warren, La Mirada, Gahr and Downey) all have 2-1 records and tied for first. Mayfair remains at the bottom with an 0-4 record.
Between the top four teams, they have won 60 games combined.
With the 5-1 win at Warren Tuesday (April 14), the Bears improved to 14-9 overall and La Mirada is 18-3.
Leading the way for the Bears was sophomore pitcher Vivi Navarrete as she allowed only one hit, while striking out three and collecting two big RBIs in the fifth inning.
“It’s a really good feeling knowing that I competed with (La Mirada’s) top batters and I knew I had to be mentally strong to trust my teammates and myself and know that I got it,” Navarrete said.
“I’m just telling myself to spin the ball. This was a very big game.”
Six of the nine starters for the Bears all had a hit with four of those scoring a run.
“This sure gives the girls confidence,” said Warren coach Mary Starksen, of the big win. “They can compete with anybody and they can put their best on the field. I just told them just play with abandon.”
Starksen said of her sophomore pitcher, “She’s got a lot of experience both in high school and on the outside,” she said. “Last year our two pitchers carried us all the way to the (CIF) finals. Being in that arena is not as much pressure as being in the finals. She can always draw on that. She’s very mature for her age.”
Navarrete pitched in the championship game for the Bears.
Warren, which made a big playoff run last year en route to the CIF Division 4 Finals, is a defending league champion and moved up to the higher Gateway league this year.
The Bears lost to Long Beach Poly in the finals last season.
“We just didn’t hit (Tuesday),” said La Mirada coach Brent Tuttle, of the loss. “Our four, five and six batters went 0 for 9. We just couldn’t get anything done. We hit shots all over the place. They were just right to gloves. We’re fine. It’s the first league game we’ve loss in four years. Things happen.”
The La Mirada lineup features two players with .600 plus averages (Reese Hilliard - .609) and her sister Riley Hilliard (.607), along with three others hitting near or over a .400 average – Elizabeth Biado (.442), Alanna Adams (.431) and Fatima Serna (393).
Junior shortstop Reese Hilliard leads all La Mirada hitters with 39 hits.
Tuesday, however, they were all held hitless except for Reese Hilliard’s solo home run in the first inning.
The Matadores had won 21 consecutive games dating back to the 2023 season.
In fact, their last loss was a 3-1 setback to Warren April 6 of 2023.
La Mirada has dominated both the old Suburban League and lately the new Gateway League these past few years.
The Matadores have won 12 league titles since 2005, including the last four years in a row.
Sophomore center fielder Julissa Gradilla (.509 avg.) leads the Bears with 28 hits, while junior third baseman Bella Gonzalez (.414) has 24 hits, sophomore first baseman Kaylee Rangel (.328) has 20 hits and Navarrete (.413) and senior shortstop Lexi Cortez have 19 each.
After La Mirada took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, Warren answered back with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
After freshman second baseman Jaylah Rodriguez was hit by the pitch to open the inning, Rangel sacrificed her to second and Rodriguez came home on an RBI single to right center by Gradilla to tie the game, 1-1.
“If they believe in themselves, if they can do whatever we ask them to do, that’s all I want,” said Starksen, of the big sacrifice by Rangel.
Meanwhile, Navarrete had retired five La Mirada batters after the home run in the first and the Bears took the lead in the bottom of the second
With two outs in the inning, Warren junior right fielder Abby Garcia singled to left field, followed by an RBI single up the middle by Rodriguez, scoring Garcia to take a 2-1 lead.
Tuttle then relieved starting pitcher Liliana Larios and junior pitcher Alison Ortega got the third out to end the inning. Ortega, who took the loss, is their top pitcher with a 12-2 record.
The third inning could have been the biggest inning for La Mirada, as Navarrete loaded the bases with three walks. The second walk was intentional to Reese Hilliard, who hit the home run in the first inning.
The third out came on a great running catch by Warren junior left fielder Adrianna Jimenez to end the threat.
La Mirada had one last chance to score in the fifth inning as they left a runner on third. Freshman third baseman Rylee Thurmond opened with a walk was sacrificed to second by freshman designated player Milani Cruz and Thurmond went to third on a ground out. A fly out to center ended their only other threat of the game.
The bottom of the fifth gave the Bears a 5-1 lead as they scored three runs.
Cortez reached on an error to open the inning, was sacrificed to second by Rodriguez and came home with the third run for the Bears on a single to right field by Rangel for the 3-1 lead.
Gonzalez then singled moving Rangel to second.
“I knew I had to do my job and put it down right there in that moment,” said Rodriguez of the sacrifice bunt. “I knew the situation and its small ball.
“I feel amazing and feel like we’re doing our job and I’m excited for what is to come.”
After an out, Navarrete hit a two-run single up the middle to score both Rangel and Gonzalez for the 5-1 lead.
“I was just thinking do your job, help your team out and it was a good feeling after getting those two RBIs and helping out my team defensively and offensively,” added Navarrete, who improved to 8-3 overall.
Navarrete retired the Matadores in order in the seventh to preserve the win.
What they said:
Kaylee Rangel, sophomore first baseman: “That RBI single (fifth inning) was really big for me. It just felt it was something that needed to be done. We work on this every day.
(This win) set the tone for us saying that we can do it and just set the standards. Vivi (Navarrete) was amazing with her arm and the bat.”
Bella Gonzalez, junior third baseman: “It’s pretty exciting to go against good competition, coming from a lesser league from last year to a competitive league. It’s definitely good for us to be exposed to that kind of softball. Its fun and a higher level and we’re ready for it.”
