The Downey Vikings will hit the road for the first time this season to square off against the California Condors at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Downey is headed out to face California after opening their season at home and giving their fans just what they were looking for. Everything went the Vikings' way against Sunny Hills on Tuesday as they made off with a 12-2 win. The Vikings have beaten the Lancers the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Lancers has come to flipping the script.
Gianna Castillo-Flores spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on four hits and racked up nine Ks.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Juliet Gonzalez, who went 3-for-4 with four runs and three doubles. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2025. Another player making a difference was Delilah Navarro, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run.
Downey hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 13 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, California beat Brea Olinda 7-4 on Tuesday. That's two games straight that the Condors have won by exactly three runs.
Alexis Salas looked comfortable as she tossed four innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits.
At the plate, Hailey Chavolla and Olivia Soto did most of the damage at the plate: Chavolla went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI, while Soto went 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Sophia Castro, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI.
Downey came out on top in a nail-biter against California when the teams last played back in March of 2025, sneaking past 2-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
