St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy second baseman Mya Ugalde (21) forces out the runner at second base and tries for the double play against Sacred Heart of Jesus in their league softball game on Tuesday. Sacred Heart of Jesus defeated PMA 12-1. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

DOWNEY – After starting the season with five consecutive losses, allowing 54 runs, the St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy Softball team turned things around winning six of the next seven games to even its record at 6-6.

In that streak, the Warriors exploded on the base paths with 92 runs scored in the six wins, while allowing 20.

Unfortunately, that streak came to an end in a Santa Fe League game Tuesday (March 24) with a 12-1 loss to visiting Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Sacred Heart took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but scored four runs in the third and six in the fourth inning to take a resounding, 11-0 lead.

The Warriors finally broke through with their only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth.

With the win, Sacred Heart improves to 3-0 in league and 5-2 overall to remain atop the standings.

The Warriors aim to even their overall record with a league game Friday (March 27) at Pomona Catholic (5-2-1, 2-1-1).

First-year coach Phil Alvarez, who had previously been with the PMA baseball program, has high hopes for his team saying ”It’s definitely rebuilding, but we are definitely pushing for playoff contention,” he said. “They (CIF) take four in our (league), so we have a good shot, at least getting a three or four seed.

As for the loss to Sacred Heart, Alvarez simply said, “Yes, (Tuesday) was a bad game, but Friday we have another league game and we should get back in the win column,” he added. “We’re 3-2 in league and we should be fine. We’ve beat up on some good teams in league. We’ve just got to put some wins together.

“This game doesn’t reflect how they usually play. It happens. You run into those teams in league that are the powerhouse and you take your licks.”

The Warriors currently sit in fourth in league with a 3-2 record and 6-7 overall

“We just need more competiveness,” Alvarez added. “It’s been lost in this program and when I took over in the summer we were re-learning everything from the basics. It was kind of a slow start with some Fall games with a lot of the girls playing multiple sports.”

Alvarez has a young team with lots of promise with five seniors and 12 underclassmen (six sophomores, five freshmen and one junior).

“Now, with everyone back they have to compete,” he added. “They lost a lot of games last year. They got to get used to winning. We’ve had some big wins and some big losses and been on both sides, but they just got to learn how to win as a team and compete.”

It’s been a roller coaster ride to begin the season for the Warriors, but during their winning streak, the team and some players have had stand out numbers.

As a team, PMA has a .376 batting average, scored 143 runs (11/gm.) and had 132 hits.

In addition, they have banged out 17 hits three times, 12 twice and 23 once in a game. They have scored a high of 31 runs once, along with games of 23, 21, 18 and 17.

Sophomore Aaliyah Medina and freshman Karla Arevalo are the offensive leaders for the Warriors.

Medina leads with a .587 avg. (team-leading 27 hits for 46 ABs) with 25 runs scored, 22 RBIs, eight doubles and three home runs, while Arevalo has a .537 avg. (22 for 41) 25 runs scored, 5 SBs,18 RBIs and a double, triple and a home run.

Four other players are in double figures for hits – freshman Kaylee Garcia (.400 avg., 16 for 40, 15 runs scored, 10 RBIs, 8 Dbls.), freshman Valerie Lopez (.389 avg., 14 for 36, 15 runs, team-leading 23 RBIs, 2 Dbls., 2 Tpls.), Ashley Valencia (.478 avg., 11 for 23, 10 runs, 6 RBIs, 2 Dbls.) and junior Jeanette Sepulveda (.324 avg. 11 for 34, 11 RBIs, 4 Dbls.).

Arevalo started the game in the circle for the Warriors against Sacred Heart, allowing a lone run in the first inning and retired the side in order in the second.

“I like to encourage my teammates when I see them down,” said Arevalo, who pitches, plays shortstop and is in the outfield. “When I see a mistake I just say ‘Let’s go and forget about that play and wait for the next play because it already happened and you can’t do (anything) about it’.

“I feel like we just need little improvement and I think we’re playing good. We just missed a few players (Tuesday) that are currently out. Once they come in we’ll be solid.”

After 10 runs came across in the third and fourth innings for the Comets, PMA broke through with a run in the bottom of the fourth as Valencia scored. With one out, Valencia reached on an error by the Sacred Heart second baseman and ended up at third on the overthrow at first. She came home as sophomore Grace Hernandez reached on an error, scoring Valencia.

Hernandez advanced to second on a single by junior Sepulveda. The inning eventually ended when Hernandez was caught stealing at third.

“I think the game started off well, however we did miss a couple of girls, so that led to the dynamic being off in the beginning.” Valencia said. “In the beginning we were ready to play, however, it didn’t connect with our fielding with a couple of errors. And batting, we just weren’t bringing the runners home.”

Sacred Heart added a solo run in the fifth inning.

“This being my first year here at Pius, I had some softball experience as I was able to get back on the field again,” Valencia added. “I think our team is very good and we’re set up and have a young team. In the next seasons we will be very good and will be bringing in more girls.

“As the games go on we’ll be winning more and more as a team and we’ll be stronger once we hit playoffs.”

Valencia also mentioned how Alvarez has done as a first-year softball coach saying, “He’s doing good and coming off of being a baseball coach and transitioning into softball.” She said. “It’s kind of different for him, but he’s been able to adapt to us girls and allow us mentally and physically to build ourselves and just start working on the nitty, gritty things.”

Medina led the team with two hits (single, double), along with Sepulveda and Garcia.

“So far in the beginning of the season, it was a little rough coming back, but when league started I hit a grand slam (against Beverly Hills),” Medina said. “That was amazing.

“(Tuesday) it was a little but I’m proud of our team, but we battled,” she added. “I think there’s a lot of room for improvement, but each one of us has something special to bring to the team and we all have a real good bond.

“Coach is doing good and preps us with speeches that brings us up and practices are very organized and brings us up when we have down games.

“Hopefully we will go to the CIF playoffs and us winning.”

Alvarez ended with a nice saying about the two sports he has coached – baseball and softball – “My old coach once told me, ‘the boys have to play good to feel good and the girls have to feel good to play good.’

“I enjoy coaching and anywhere I could help out and teach the game, I’m going to jump on board and take over.”

PMA softball turning around with new coach