South Orange, NJ — Last June, the Gloucester Lions’ (21-5) state final saw them down Ramsey in a thrilling 3-2 bout under the lights. This time around, they delivered another headline-worthy performance, edging out the Hanover Park Hornets (18-11) by the same score. With the win, Gloucester have now won six softball state championships, and are back-to-back champs for the first time since 2000 & 2001.

Hanover Park entered Ivy Hill Park on Friday on a mission to secure their first-ever state championship in softball. Coming off of a thrilling 5-4 walk-off win over Jefferson on Wednesday in nine innings, HP seemed to be a team of destiny, and nearly got there leading 1-0 after two innings.

The Lions then chipped away, tying things up in the forth inning thanks to a screaming base hit by third baseman Gabby Maldonado.

Gloucester struck again in the sixth with back-to-back RBI hits, a triple from Kaeylin Zearfoss, and a base knock from Lauren Parry, to secure all of the runs they’d end up needing to secure victory.

The Hornets gave it their all in the seventh, putting their first two batters aboard with singles from Sabrina Casola (the 100th hit of her career!), and Tara DeFazio. After a magnificent sac bunt from Fiona Wang, Gabby Carlucci laced a long fly ball to bring home Casola and bring the tying run to third base.

Lions’ hurler Emma Dick, locked in immediately after the rally threat, retiring the final batter of the contest with a fly out to left field.

Dick pitched brilliantly in the contest, scattering just two hits, allowing a single earned run, walking one, and striking out three in her complete game of action; while carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh.

Top Performances:

  • Emma Dick (Gloucester, Player of the Game): CG, 7 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
  • Kaeylin Zearfoss (Gloucester): 1-3, 3B, RBI, Run
  • Kloi Tighe (Gloucester): 2-3
  • Jules Piano (Hanover Park): CG, 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
  • Tara DeFazio (Hanover Park) 1-2, BB, Run, SB

What’s Next:

Hanover Park will return all of their players next season as their roster contained no seniors on their way to their fourth state finals appearance. Piano already has nearly 450 career strikeouts, and their offensive core of Grace Waldrum, Casola, and DeFazio should continue to rake. Expect them to make another run.

Gloucester will be in great shape to three-peat under Megan Mason. Though five key seniors will be lost to graduation. Dick returns in the circle, along with Maldonado, Alexis Ullman, and Bailey Schoenfeldt in the lineup. If they can pull off a title run in 2025, they’ll be just the second public school in state history to do so, after Steinert who did it in the game following their’s.