St. John Bosco Edges Out Victory in Division 1 Playoff Opener with 11th Inning Walk-Off Hit
St. John Bosco Edges Cypress in Thrilling Extra-Inning Playoff Showdown
In a highly anticipated first-round clash of the Southern Section Division 1 baseball playoffs, St. John Bosco triumphed over Cypress in a nail-biting 2-1 victory that extended into the 11th inning. The matchup showcased two elite pitchers, leaving spectators captivated from the first pitch.
St. John Bosco’s Julian Garcia displayed remarkable prowess, achieving a perfect game through six innings and not allowing any hits until the eighth. His counterpart, Drew Slevcove from Cypress, kept pace until Jack Champlin’s fifth-inning home run broke the scoreless tie. Tension rose as Cypress tied the game in the seventh when Jake De Laquil orchestrated a base-running masterclass, walking, stealing second, advancing to third on a ground out, and ultimately scoring on a ground ball despite tight infield coverage.
Brayden Krakowski took over pitching duties for St. John Bosco, delivering three consecutive scoreless innings. Cypress’s Tate Belfanti matched him with equally impressive performance. However, a pivotal walk to Jaden Jackson, coupled with a stolen base, paved the way for Moises Razo’s game-winning single to left field, sealing the victory for the Braves.
“That was one of the better played games in high school baseball,” remarked St. John Bosco coach Andy Rojo. “John Weber knows how to coach. Their guy went toe to toe with Julian.”
Garcia, who missed last year’s title run due to arm surgery, expressed his excitement about returning to the mound. “I woke up super pumped,” he said. “I was nervous last night.” His recent form has been stellar, boasting an impressive 14 consecutive innings without allowing a hit, though he did not receive credit for a no-hitter due to being pulled from a prior game.
The offensive output for Cypress was limited to just two infield singles throughout the game. St. John Bosco’s catcher, Aaron Garcia, made a crucial defensive play, preventing a key stolen base and contributing two hits at the plate.
With this victory, St. John Bosco advances in pool C and will host Sierra Canyon on Friday. The implications are significant, as the winner of this matchup moves on to the Division 1 quarterfinals, while the losing team will face the victor of the Oaks Christian versus Cypress game to remain in the tournament.
Other notable results from the playoffs included Sierra Canyon’s narrow 6-5 win over Oaks Christian, a comeback victory for Norco against Maranatha, and a commanding performance by Harvard-Westlake, which defeated La Mirada 3-0.
