PMA baseball, softball build winning culture with youth movement
Softball Head Coach Phillip Alvarez, left, and Baseball Head Coach Scott Sovern, right, with their teams at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in Downey on Wednesday. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
DOWNEY – A winning culture has come to both the baseball and softball programs recently at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy.
It begins with both programs qualifying for the CIF-SS Playoffs together for the first time in 34 years.
Baseball, which will compete in the CIF playoffs for the second consecutive season, played in its first post season game last year for the first time in 30 years.
A big reason for the success is second-year baseball coach Scott Sovern and first-year softball coach Phillip Alvarez.
“I’m excited with the direction of both programs are going,” PMA Athletic Director James Covell said. “This is baseballs second straight year in the playoffs and softball returns after not qualifying last year. Both programs start a majority of freshmen.”
Sovern, who is assisted by Ed Oxley, said of his team, “It’s a good step in the right direction,” he said. “Last year we had the first time to get in the playoffs in over 30 years.
“We went back-to-back in the playoffs and we’re super young this year. We have seven freshmen that we start and are just building the culture from the bottom to the top. Having the freshmen kind of lead has been a good experience for our team to get ready for the future.”
Alvarez was actually on the baseball staff last season under Sovern and stepped across to the diamond to softball this year.
“We also have a good relationship with Mr. Covell and coach Sovern,” Alvarez said. “Coach is a good friend and we share the field, communicate, get along and it’s just like one big family out here on the dirt.”
Baseball, which has 14 wins will finish over the .500 mark overall for the first time after many years of only single digit wins in a season or even going winless.
They have two nonleague road games remaining to finish out the regular season before the playoffs (May 4 at Serra of Gardena and May 5 at Centennial of Compton).
Their first playoff game in years last season resulted in a close, 7-6 loss to ACE.
After starting this season with a 19-0 loss to Nogales, the Warriors won 12 of the next 16 games.
In those 12 wins, PMA averaged over 11 runs a game, which included games with, 19, 18, 17 and 15 runs scored.
Leading the way for the Warriors (as of 4-29) is freshman Mason Sovern with a .512 average (44 for 86), 34 runs, 33 RBIs, 12 doubles and a triple. Second to Sovern is freshman Aidan Do with a .380 avg. (35-92), 32 runs, 11 RBIs, Dbl and two triples.
Other top hitters are – senior Salvador Rodriguez (.347), 17-49, 15 RBIs, 7 Runs, 2 Dbls.; senior Nathan Jimenez (.333), 7-21, 6 RBs, 4 runs, 2 Dbls.; freshman Diego Ramirez (.312), 26-84, 20 runs, 19 RBIs, 3 Dbls., Tpl., HR; freshman Michael Buckingham (.300), 18-60, 25 Runs, 14 RBIs, 7 Dbls. and freshman Jason Maciel (.300), 18-60, 16 Runs, 13 RBIs and 5 Dbls.
“We have a really good class coming in,” said Sovern, of the youth movement. “I’ve put together a decent schedule (28-games) this year.
“Nathan (Jimenez), who is our captain, has been a real good leader for us this year.”
Perhaps, the biggest game to date was the 19-2 win against St. Genevieve (April 21). That win clinched a playoff spot for the Warriors.
“They came out flying in that game and it only lasted 3 ½ innings,” Sovern said. “We have another huge game for us next week (May 4) against Serra of Gardena.”
As for the two Santa Fe League games this week, PMA dropped both games to Salesian by 10-5 (Tuesday April 28) and 5-4 (Wednesday April 29) scores.
In the first game, the Mustangs took a 3-0 lead by the second inning, but PMA answered with a run in the bottom half of the second on an RBI double by junior Adam Gates (2 RBIs in the game) scoring Sovern (2-3, 2 Runs) to trail, 3-1. The Warriors tied the game, 3-3, in the next inning on an RBI double by Sovern, scoring Do, who singled. Sovern came home on a Salesian error for the third run.
Sovern held the Mustangs through the sixth inning. With two outs, both by strikeouts, Sovern, who started and has six wins on the season, had the Salesian batter with a 1-2 count, but he walked and four batters later they took a 6-3 lead, scoring three runs.
In the top of the seventh, they added another four runs to take a commanding, 10-4 lead.
The Warriors added two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomore Sebastian Perez singled to right center and eventually came home after Do reached on a fielders choice. Do then came home with the final run on an infield error.
Leading the way in the game with two hits each was Buckingham (2-4), Sovern (2-3, 2 Runs, RBI) and Gates (2-3, RBI). Sovern suffered the loss.
Wednesday (April 29) was a closer game against Sacred Heart, as the Warriors led the whole game until a walk-off sacrifice fly by the Mustangs in the bottom of the seventh.
After one out in the first inning, Buckingham walked, went to second on a ground out, advanced to third on a single by Ramirez and came home on a RBI ground out by Gates for the 1-0 lead.
PMA took a 4-0 lead in the third inning.
Buckingham walked and stole second to open the inning and scored on a single by Gates to lead, 2-0. After Maciel walked, Gates moved over to third on a wild pitch and they both came home on a single by Rodriguez to lead 4-0.
Meanwhile, PMA pitcher Abel Hurtado scattered four singles through the first five innings, allowing two runs before giving up a third run in the sixth, as Salesian trailed, 4-3.
They scored two in the seventh inning to take a second win in two days.
Hurtado pitched the whole game (6.2 innings) for the Warriors, while allowing only two earned runs.
What they said:
Nathan Jimenez, senior: “For coach Sovern to turn it around, he showed us how to play the game better.
Going from playing 10 games a season to 28 is a big jump.
(Sovern) has made the team better in many ways – physically, mentally and he has helped us with our skills to be able to compete.
Mason Sovern, freshman: “Every out counts, every batter, especially when we get in the playoffs. All the props to my dad. He takes time and goes and scouts and watches (opponents).
It’s experience for the upcoming three years with us freshmen. We’ll have the playoff atmosphere in the coming years.
I just try to be a role model as a freshman. It’s weird to say and you have to be the guy sometime.”
Michael Buckingham, freshman: “I know we have a bright future with all of us freshmen. We get hyped off of coach.
It shows that we have a lot of talent here with us freshmen. We’re all still freshmen and we’re still learning.
It’s cool knowing that the culture is changing.
I’m very excited going to the playoffs and are trying to make history.”
Softball
Alvarez, who is in his first year as coach, had goals for his young team.
“First, getting the girls to buy in with me coming from a baseball background and since it was my first year as a softball coach, just getting the girls to believe in the process,” Alvarez said. “I had a lot of freshmen and only a handful of seniors.”
The Warriors have five freshmen, one junior, six sophomores and five freshmen.
Softball had a tough start to the 2026 season, losing the first five games, before coming back and winning the next six of seven games, while scoring 110 runs (17 runs/game avg.). In five of those games, the Warriors scored 31, 23, 21, 18 and 17 runs.
“We didn’t get a win until the second week of the season, but that was due to a harder schedule to see where the girls were at,” Avarez said. “Once the league started, we started winning by 10 or 15 runs. We started to hit the ball well.
“Once the winning started, the girls started having more fun and believing and trusting each other.”
After a couple of forfeit wins at the end of March, PMA won four of five games scoring 75 runs (15 runs/game), before dropping a couple games this week.
One of those losses, (5-4 to Sacred Heart of Jesus) on Tuesday convinced Alvarez the team is ready for the postseason.
“I think the last time you guys (The Downey Patriot – March 2026 Issue) were here, we got blown out by Sacred Heart (12-1) and it was an ugly game,” Alvarez said.
“(Tuesday April 28) we played them again and we were an out away from winning the game. We lost, 5-4. We’re starting to make good jumps at the right time.
“That was probably the quickest 7-inning game I’ve been a part of and we’re one of a few schools to hold them to five runs.”
Sacred Heart is 10-1 in league and in first place.
That game, even though it was a loss, no doubt convinced Alvarez that the team is ready for the playoffs.
The Warriors are currently 12-11 overall and 7-5 in league and are a lock for fourth place in the eight-team Santa Fe League
The Warriors have three games remaining in the regular season before the playoffs begin the week of May 11.
They played a game Thursday April 30 against Pomona Catholic. (Results were not available due to the press deadline).
Their last two games are a nonleague contest against Animo City of Champions on Monday (May 4) and the last league of the season at San Gabriel Mission Tuesday (May 5).
On CIF, Alvarez said, “It’s still a little crazy, but coming so close last year (to make the playoffs) and with them missing it last year, our main goal was to finish in the top four and make the playoffs. As long as we’re in, we have a chance.”
What they said:
Karla Arevalo, freshman, (P, 2B, OF, SS):
“This season is going really good, better than I expected. I’m excited to play in the CIF Playoffs.
We finally made a bit of history and we won 10 games (in a season) since 2012.
I knew we had a few freshman we’re really good, so I was hoping we would make the playoffs.
We’re ready to keep playing and seeing what’s coming up for next year.”
Kaylee Garcia, freshman, (2B, SS): “Coming into the season I felt good and there was a lot of chemistry with each other. I knew we were going to have a good season with all of the hard work that we put into practice.
It makes me feel good that we are making history for the school and the team.
It gives me adrenalin to keep pushing and playing harder and to continue to make history. It feels amazing and I feel like I’m in a happy place because we’re doing so well right now.”