By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
@tortreports on Instagram
HADDON HEIGHTS — Starting the momentum early can often set the tone for the entirety of any given game.
On Saturday, Francesca Delquadro did just that.
The senior drove in a runner in the first inning to give West Deptford an early one-run lead on Haddon Heights, and the Eagles never looked back en route to a 5-2 Colonial Conference triumph.
“It was huge. We come in early, hit early. Good defense to back up our pitcher to keep the game going,” said Delquadro, who finished the day 3-for-4 with two RBIs. “I think our pitcher Jordyn (Ambrosius) did great. We backed her up and our lineup hit a lot. We worked really hard.”
Ambrosius went the distance and finished with 13 strikeouts, working her way out of three bases-loaded jams. She delivered a key RBI double in the third inning to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead that eventually expanded to 4-0 after three innings. She also brought a runner home on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning to help the Eagles jump out to a commanding 5-0 advantage.
“Jordyn is such a calm presence on the mound, and it means a lot to the inexperienced players we have on the field. She really holds it together out there as a pitcher and as just a presence,” said West Deptford coach Sydney Jakubowski. “Francesca, I just complimented, for hitting the crap out of the ball. She goes out there and just swings the bat hard. We’ve talked a lot about our approaches and what pitch we’re looking for, and she just found her pitch and knew to put a good swing on it.”
It was the third straight win to open the season for West Deptford, which is the Eagles’ best start since the 2018 season when they opened up 4-0. Through three games so far, the Eagles have outscored opponents 43-5.
The victory was particularly sweet after getting swept by Haddon Heights, a Colonial-Liberty divisional rival, last year. The Eagles’ last win over the Garnets came nearly two years ago, on May 16, 2024.
“We had two wins earlier in the week, and we kept telling the girls, ‘Heights is going to be different,’”said Jakubowski, whose squad scored big wins over Camden Academy Charter and Camden Tech on Tuesday and Wednesday. “We really tried to prepare them for this game against Heights, and they really showed up.”
Added Delquadro: “It’s huge. A lot of people expected us not to win. I’m glad we came out with the team we have this year and beat them.”
Haddon Heights, which was missing two starters who were attending a spring trip, dropped to 1-1 with the setback. Senior pitcher Sarah Cooley went the distance with 10 strikeouts for the Garnets.
“They got base runners and stayed in it. Obviously, with that many runners left on base, it’s a good thing that you have those opportunities, but we have to capitalize on it,” Garnets coach Michelle Hastings said. “It’s early, and we’re missing two starters that are on a spring trip. I think we played well defensively.”
WHAT’S NEXT: West Deptford hosts Timber Creek on Monday at 4 p.m. Haddon Heights hosts Haddon Township on Thursday at 4 p.m.
