In a game that saw early nerves, big momentum swings, and a statement fourth inning, Gloucester Catholic captured its third straight Non-Public B state title on Wednesday with a 7-4 win over Pope John at Veterans Park. The Rams, now winners of 22 state championships overall, continue to set the bar in New Jersey high school baseball. 

Pope John jumped out quickly–scoring one in the first and another in the second to take a 2-0 lead. But Gloucester Catholic, as they’ve done all postseason, settled in.

Braeden Lipoff sparked the offense in the third with an RBI single to cut the deficit in half. Then came the turning point: a five-run explosion in the fourth inning. The Rams sent ten hitters to the plate and took a 6-2 lead that held the rest of the way.

Senior right-hander Jackson Smallets got the ball and delivered a gritty start. He tossed 6.1 innings, allowing four runs (3 earned) on eight hits, striking out three and walking none. He kept the Rams in it early, then cruised after getting the lead.

Sal Marziani came on in the seventh and shut the door, getting the final two outs with the tying run on deck.

Final Line:

Gloucester Catholic (24-3)

– 7 runs | 7 hits | 2 errors

– Lipoff: 2-for-3, 2 RBI

– Ryan Ruggieri: 1-for-3, two runs

– Smallets: 6.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 K, 0 BB

– Marziani: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K

Pope John (12-12)

– 4 runs | 8 hits | 3 errors

– Will Ryan: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R

– Joe Sheeran: 2-for-3, run

Gloucester Catholic’s postseason run was a clean sweep this year: four straight wins, 35 runs scored, and just eight allowed. The Rams have now won the Non-Public B crown in 2023, 2024, and 2025, solidifying their spot atop the state’s all-time leaderboard.

Player Spotlights

Jackson Smallets | RHP | Senior

Gloucester Catholic’s playoff run doesn’t happen without Jackson Smallets. In his final start wearing a Rams uniform, Smallets delivered a classic senior-day performance. He went 6.1 innings, scattering eight hits, and allowed just three earned runs, keeping Pope John off balance with his usual mix of tempo, location, and calm under pressure. This was nothing new–Smallets has been the Rams’ go-to arm all season, and in the biggest game of the year, he made his pitches, worked efficiently, and gave his team every chance to win.

The Rams ace exited to a loud ovation with one out in the 7th, having thrown 101 pitches, struck out three, and walked none. For a kid who’s worn that “GC” hat for years, it was the kind of sendoff you dream about.

Braeden Lipoff | INF | Junior

Every championship team needs that guy who gets the rally started–enter Braeden Lipoff.

Down 2-0 in the third, with the offense searching for a spark, Lipoff delivered an RBI single that put the Rams on the board and flipped the energy in the dugout. That moment set the tone for what became a five-run avalanche in the fourth.