By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
WEST DEPTFORD — Coming off a historic Group 2 state title run last season, the Gloucester High softball team knows it has a big target on its back in search of a repeat.
“We already had a big bullseye on our back before we won it last year,” Lions coach Megan Mason said. “This year, we’re going to get the best of everybody. They’re ready and willing to put the work in, so we definitely have what it takes to hopefully get back there.”
Gloucester, currently ranked No. 17 in the state by nj.com, continued its strong start to its title defense on Tuesday as the Lions narrowly defeated West Deptford, 7-6, in a Colonial Conference Liberty Division matchup to improve to 4-0.
“The last two years we’ve played here, we lost. It’s just a tough conference game,” Mason said. “It was good to win a game like that. To be behind and to do the things we needed to do, when we needed to do it, to get the win.”
The Lions (4-0, 3-0 Colonial Liberty) found themselves in unfamiliar territory, needing a spark trailing 3-1 in the fifth inning. In danger of leaving two runners on base with two outs, Lauren Parry doubled to left field, bringing a runner home, and Kaelyn Zearfoss hit an RBI single on a bunt to tie the game, 3-3.
Parry, a senior, rotates games behind the plate at catcher with Gabbie Maldonado — but with today not being her day behind the plate, her presence was felt handling the bat instead.
“She’s unbelievable,” Mason said. “Senior, four-year starter. Does whatever it takes for us out there. She doesn’t catch every day. Her and (Gabbie) Maldonado flip flop because they’re both so good back there. She keeps her head in it. Mentally, she stays in it when she knows she’s just batting. She came through big for us today.”
Parry’s hit came on an outside pitch from West Deptford pitcher Jordyn Ambrosius, one Parry said she was waiting for and expected.
“I just lock in on the hitting and get ready to hit,” Parry said. “She threw the first one inside, and I was just waiting for the outside pitch.”
The big inning didn’t stop there.
Alexis Ullman, a junior, hit a bomb across center field to fully open the floodgates for Gloucester. The three-run homer — the first of her career — put the Lions up 6-3 to end the fifth.
Said Mason, “last year, Lex earned a spot in the lineup and had two hits in the state championship game, so she kept that momentum going into this year. We just tell her, ‘you’re going to come up with runners in scoring position. Do you want to be the hero? Who wants to be the hero today?’ She’s put the work in and it’s showing.”
Parry started it and Ullman finished the job as both played the hero’s role to perfection.
“It was very exciting. I was very happy going around (the bases) and seeing it go over,” Ullman said.
Ambrosius had a big day at the plate for West Deptford (1-3, 0-3 Colonial Liberty) with a pair of home runs, including a solo shot in the third inning and a two-run dinger in the fifth to narrow Gloucester’s lead to 6-5. Zearfoss recorded another RBI to add an insurance run for Gloucester in the sixth. West Deptford added a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh, but couldn’t find the tying run.
“I think we do, our dynamic stays the same,” Ullman said when asked if the Lions have what it takes to repeat as state champions. “We’re still very hype, we’re still lunatics no matter what. We can go back, I believe that we can.”
GAME NOTES: Emma Dick tallied 11 strikeouts and Haylee Zuccarelli recorded three hits for Gloucester. Joelle Kulnis had a pair of hits and a run scored for the Eagles, while Macey Harrold had a double and scored twice.
WHAT’S NEXT: Gloucester travels to Haddon Heights on Thursday at 4 p.m. West Deptford travels to Sterling on Thursday at 3:45 p.m.
Link to postgame video:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIe8ju6TiUA/?igsh=aHhzbmF5ZGE3dGk0
