By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
WOODBURY HEIGHTS — Coach Greg Galbraith’s message to the Gloucester High baseball players in the postgame huddle was simple.
“We’re at 15 wins right now, just as many as all of last year.”
Nothing but pride as his Lions defeated Gateway Regional, 11-5, in a Colonial Conference Patriot division tilt on Thursday.
“It was a good win,” coach Galbraith said. “They are extremely well coached and an extremely tough team. It’s definitely a unique game for me as well. I went here, I coached here. Their top two coaches, Mike and Dom, I coached them here. I know they’re going to be well prepared because those guys are great players and coaches. It’s always a fun game. It’s a good, competitive game between both sides, records aside. It’s going to be tough and tight.”
Gloucester was one-and-done in the playoffs last season, finishing with a 15-9 overall record. So far this season, the Lions are 15-6 with four regular-season games left on their schedule. Senior Joey MacDonald paced Gloucester’s offense, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored.
“Obviously, it was a big win,” MacDonald said. “It was the first win in four years for us at Gateway. We were looking forward to this week for sure, especially after the loss against Audubon (on Monday). We go hard in practice and before the game. Me being one of the older guys, I just preach ‘move onto the next at-bat, try to do the best that you can.’”
Junior Russell Medlar also performed well on his birthday. He went 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs in the win while also striking out four batters on the mound.
“We had a good game today,” said the newly 17-year-old Medlar. “Started on the mound, threw strikes, and trusted my defense. We hit the ball really well and put everything together.”
What may be the most exciting about Gloucester’s season is that three-time NJSIAA wrestling region champion Jake Zearfoss, who most recently placed fourth in the state at 157 pounds, has decided to play baseball his senior year. Zearfoss has never played baseball at the high school level prior to this season.
“I missed the opportunity (to play baseball) the last four years,” he said. “Honestly, I had to settle some things with wrestling.”
After ending his career as Gloucester’s all-time winningest wrestler, and becoming the first region champion in program history, he accomplished that goal. However, when you’re dominant in one sport and suddenly want to play another, it could raise some questions — especially at the family dinner table. Luckily for Jake, his father, Chad, has been his No. 1 fan throughout the transition.
“It means a lot for him to support me,” Zearfoss said. “It was my decision to come out here and I’m just glad he had my back. I also wasn’t sure how the coaches would feel with me joining late, but they took me on like I’ve been playing the last four.”
Zearfoss is set to continue his career at NCAA Division I Rider University for wrestling. First, though — a title is on the Lions’ mind. According to Zearfoss, Gloucester baseball hasn’t won a sectional title since 1974.
“The team wanted him,” coach Galbraith said of Zearfoss. “Jake is a great leader. He’s playing well, but more importantly he’s a great teammate. He comes every day, works hard, and does what he needs to do. We had him playing second base today, and he doesn’t usually play there. He stepped in and did a great job.”
WHAT’S NEXT: Gloucester (15-6, 2-2 Colonial Patriot) hosts Triton today at 3:45 p.m. Gateway (8-11, 1-4 Colonial Patriot) hosts Buena on Monday at 4 p.m.
