St. John Bosco senior first baseman Moises Razo strokes an 11th inning RBI single to give the Braves a 2-1 win over Cypress in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco senior first baseman Moises Razo tosses his helmet after driving in the winning run in the 11th inning giving the Braves a 2-1 win over Cypress in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco senior Jack Champlin, right, is greeted by teammates after the senior third baseman belted a fifth inning home run against Cypress in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco’s Moises Razo, left, celebrates with teammate James Clark after driving in the winning run in the 11th inning giving the Braves a 2-1 win over Cypress in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco’s Moises Razo, right, gets a hug from reliever Brayden Krakowski after defeating Cypress 2-1 in 11 innings in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco starter Julian Garcia reacts after getting the final out of the eighth inning against Cypress in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco starter Julian Garcia shows his disappointment after allowing Cypress to tie the game at 1-1 in the seventh inning of their Division 1 playoff opener on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco’s Brayden Krakowski picks up the win in relief against Cypress in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Cypress left-handed starter Drew Slevcove delivers a pitch against St. John Bosco in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Cypress left-handed starter Drew Slevcove delivers a pitch against St. John Bosco in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Cypress junior Tate Belfanti pitches in relief against St. John Bosco in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco starter Julian Garcia threw eighth innings without allowing a hit against Cypress in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
St. John Bosco senior Jack Champlin is greeted by teammates after the senior third baseman belted a fifth inning home run against Cypress in Division 1 playoff action on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
BELLFLOWER – The St. John Bosco baseball team defeated Cypress 2-1 in 11 innings Tuesday to start the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.
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Bosco second baseman Jaden Jackson drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of 11th inning and stole second base. With two outs, Moises Razo lined a single to left field that drove in Jackson with the winning run.
“It was a long game, but I was staying focused as hard as I could,” Razo said. “I was just trying to be on time and get that run in.”
The Braves (23-5), who won the Trinity League title for the second consecutive season, will play their second pool-play game of the Division 1 playoffs Friday. The Braves will be home against No. 3 seed Sierra Canyon.
Bosco starter Julian Garcia came within three outs of a perfect game. Garcia went eight innings, allowed no hits, one run, struck out 11 and walked one.
“I was just zoned in with my catcher,” Garcia said. “I didn’t really know that I was throwing a perfect game until after the game. Usually it’s just ‘go out compete, work hard and live with the outcome.’”
Braves reliever Brayden Krakowski earned the win. He pitched the final three innings, allowed one hit and one walk and struck out two.
St. John Bosco’s Jack Champlin broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with a solo home run off Cypress pitcher Drew Slevcove.
Garcia lost his perfect game in the seventh inning by walking the leadoff hitter, Jake De Laquil.
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Later in the inning, with the infield in, De Laquil at third and one out, Tyler Vladic hit a chopper that got past the mound and was fielded by Jackson. He threw to home, but the ball arrived after De Laquil scored the tying run.
Cypress coach John Weber was impressed with his team’s fortitude.
“These guys are believers for a young group,” Weber said. “For those young guys to feel like they’re still in it no matter what, they’ve done a great job with that. We’re never out of it with this group.”
De Laquil had the only hit for Cypress (21-8) and Vladic had the team’s only RBI.
Bosco coach Andy Rojo said his team committed an uncharacteristic pitching error on the play where Cypress scored the tying run.
“Their guy slapped one,” Rojo said. “We were trying to go pitchout there and obviously got too much of the plate.”
Slevcove went eight innings for Cypress, allowed a run on five hits, struck out six and walked two.
Tate Belfanti suffered the loss, going three innings, allowed a run on one hit and two walks and struck out three.
The season is not over for Cypress. The Centurions play their second pool-play Friday at home against Oaks Christian, which lost to Sierra Canyon 14-3 on Tuesday. The winner of Friday’s game will advance to a “knockout round” game Tuesday, May 19.
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