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Cypress baseball rallies in the late innings to beat Foothill

March 28, 2026

The throw from the catcher bounces over Foothill second baseman Patrick Petrossi allowing Cypress’ Tyler Vladic to steal second base in a Crestview League baseball game in Santa Ana on Friday, March 27, 2026. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

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SANTA ANA — Cypress starting pitcher Tate Belfanti acknowledged not having his best stuff in the Centurions’ Crestview League game against Foothill on Friday at Foothill High School.

But the left-hander still had a fine outing, minimizing damage and keeping his team in the game.

And thanks to a perfect two innings of relief from Drew Slevcove, the Centurions were able to come from behind for a 5-3 victory over the Knights.

Cypress (9-3, 2-0), the No. 4 team in the Orange County rankings, trailed by a pair of runs after five innings. After scoring two runs in the sixth to tie the score, Tyler Vladic delivered a two-run single in the seventh to give the Centurions the lead for good.

Slevcove, who entered the game in the sixth, retired all six batters he faced, including four by strikeouts to earn the victory over the No. 6 Foothill (10-5, 1-2).

Cypress shortstop Jake De Laquil also made an outstanding leaping catch for the first out in the sixth.

“Fastball velocity wasn’t there,” said Belfanti, who allowed three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts. “I just kind of mixed in my off-speed stuff and try to work through it.”

After Evrett Rycroft doubled to lead off the first for Foothill, Belfanti retired the next three hitters, stranding Rycroft at third.

Brayden Bianchi singled to lead off the second for the Knights, but was caught trying to steal second. Belfanti then struck out the next two hitters.

“He is so good that he kept us in the ballgame,” Cypress coach John Weber said.

Foothill’s Presley Gaborno had a pair of two-out hits, driving in all three of the runs for the Knights.

Gaborno doubled in two runs in the third and singled home a run in the fifth to give the Knights a 3-1 lead.

But the Knights had a runner thrown out at home for the final out of the inning, which proved costly after the Centurions came back.

Gary Hennessey reached on an error to start the sixth for the Centurions, who followed with three hits in a row.

Dylan Keliiholokai singled home a run and then Ivan Ortiz hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly, allowing Vladic to score from third with the tying run and setting the stage for the Centurions’ go-ahead runs in the seventh.

“It was those couple of little things,” Foothill coach Chris Price said. “You just watch it develop … a three-hopper (over) the first baseman’s head, another one (over) the shortstop’s head. It is just the way that inning went.”

Cypress baseball rallies in the late innings to beat Foothill Orange County Register

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Cypress baseball rallies in the late innings to beat Foothill

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