Cypress was led by (from left) Jake Laquil, Ben Martinez, Drew Slevcove, Tyler Vladic and Landon Smith. (PHOTOS: Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone).
Tuesday’s Crestview League baseball game between La Habra and Cypress went 13 innings, took more than three and a half hours to complete and a combined 96 batters came to the plate before the contest was settled with host Cypress pulling off a 2-1 victory.
First place Cypress (13-4, 3-0) put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the 13th inning to notch its ninth victory in its last 10 games to remain undefeated in league.
“I’m sitting here realizing just how lucky we are to have won that game,” said Cypress Coach John Weber, following the game. “La Habra outplayed us in every aspect of the game, with the exception of pitching. I think both teams had excellent pitching. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we won but we got complacent and you cannot take this game for granted.”
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The Centurions had multiple opportunities to win the game in extra innings but base running gaffes and failure to get a bunt down nearly cost Cypress the game.
With the score tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the 13th inning, Highlanders senior left-handed pitcher Patrick Castaneda, working in his fourth inning of relief, retired the first two Cypress hitters for La Habra (8-9-1, 1-3).
Jake De Laquil then drew a two-out walk and moved to second on Gary Hennessy’s single.
Tyler Vladic then hit a ball behind second base bag that Bobby Fierro hustled to get to, preventing it from going into center field. Laquil never stopped running on the play and slid across home plate head-first safely with the winning run ahead of Fierro’s throw.
“I made up my mind I was running all the way; I got on it and I was going as fast as I could,” said Laquil.
Vladic said he was glad to come through for his team.
“I started slow at the plate today,” said Vladic, a junior outfielder. “It was a long game and we battled and it feels great to come through it the clutch for the team. This is an once-in-a-lifetime type of game. I’ll never forget this game.”
The game was dominated by outstanding pitching by both teams.
Centurions starter Drew Slevcove went eight innings, threw 105 pitches and struck out 11 batters. He did not issue a walk.
Slevcove gave up a lead off double to Fierro in the first inning, then struck out the next two hitters before yielding a RBI double to Nico DeCorte that gave the Highlanders a 1-0 lead. He was in control throughout the game, pitching out of jams in the fifth and eight innings.
“After the first hitter got a double, we concentrated on working the middle of the plate with fastballs, curveballs and sliders and that worked well,” said Slevcove. “I think we fell a little asleep at the plate during the game, but I know we’ll pick it up.”
“Drew has been phenomenal for us this season,” said Centurions catcher Ben Martinez. “This was a team effort and this win gives us momentum.”
Landon Smith came on in the ninth inning and pitched five innings and was also outstanding for Cypress, retiring 15 of the 17 hitters he faced. He struck out eight batters, including striking out the side in the 10th inning. He eventually earned the win.
“I was a little nervous but I was ready to go when I was called on,” said Smith. “This win really means a lot to us.”
La Habra starter Angel Acuna was also brillant on the mound.
The senior right-hander allowed one unearned run, gave up five hits and struck out seven. He also did not walk a batter.
Bobby Brooks came on in relief with one out in the ninth inning and a runner at second. Brooks promptly picked off the runner at second for the second out. He then gave up two singles before striking out Dylan Keliiholokai to end the inning. Castaneda came in to pitch in the 10th inning and pitched the rest of the way for La Habra.
“I felt like I had good command of my fastball and curveball today,” said Acuna. “We’ll forget about this loss and come back hard at these guys tomorrow.”
Highlanders Coach Jack Brooks was pleased with his team’s effort.
“Cypress is one of the top teams in California and we were right there with them and we had a chance to win this game,” said Brooks. “I’m really proud of these guys. Our pitching was outstanding. I’m disappointed we lost but it’s not life and death. We’ll be back at it tomorrow.”
Hennessey singled in the first inning, stole second, went to third on an infield ground out and scored on a passed ball to tie the score at 1-1. it would be another 12 innings until another run was scored in the game. Hennessey had three hits in the game.
Notes:
—Cypress has won 19 league championships since 2003, including the National Championship in 2019.
—-The Centurions starting catcher Noah Johnson broke his hand in a recent game and is out for the season. Johnson has committed to play at Cal State Fullerton next season. He was planning on playing in Alaska this summer but he indicated those plans are off due to his injury.
—Cypress coach John Weber said that he has six players committed to play college baseball next year: Johnson/Cal State Fullerton, Jake Laquil/Air Force Academy, Drew Slevcove/UC Santa Barbara, Tyler Vladic/University of Oergon, Tate Belfanti/TCU, and Tyler Kaufman/Cal Baptist.
—Highlanders right fielder Angelo Patino made a spectacular throw from right field to home plate to cut down a Cypress runner, the potential winning run, for the final out of the eighth inning, thus extending the game.
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