Previewing SJ Groups 2 and 4 in Softball

by Marc Narducci | May 26, 2026

Last week we previewed the South Jersey Group 1 and 3 softball state tournament teams. Sixteen teams have qualified in each section. The tournament begins on Tuesday. Here is a look at South Jersey Group 2 and Group 4.

Group 2

Defending champion: Gloucester beat Cinnaminson, 5-4 in the SJ Group 2 final. The Lions then beat Johnson, 5-4 in the state semifinal and Hanover Park, 3-2, to win their second straight state Group 2 title.

Outlook: Once against Gloucester is the team to beat in SJ Group 2. The Lions are the No. 1 seed and entered the tournament with an 18-2 record. Both losses were to Group 4 teams, top seeded Kingsway, 10-4, and (11) Egg Harbor Township, 4-3. Senior Emma Dick is the No. 1 pitcher for the second straight season. (As a sophomore she saw plenty of action, with a 1.45 ERA in 43.1 innings). Last year she had a 2.03 ERA in 127.2 innings. This season she is 14-2 with a 0.80 ERA and has struck out 153 in 122.1 innings. Dick has pitched in so many big games and has been a proven winner on the mound. The Lions can also hit, evidenced by a .330 team batting average entering the tournament. Leading the way is junior Bailey Schoenfeldt, who enters the tournament batting .580.

The Lions as mentioned have played a tough schedule in preparing for the tournament. They went 10-0 in winning the Colonial Conference Liberty Division. That is a division that includes defending South Jersey Group 1 champion and current No. 1 seed Audubon, along with two Group 2 contenders West Deptford and Haddon Heights.

No. 2 seed Barnegat will be a major threat, heading into the tournament with a 19-2 record after competing in the difficult Shore Conference.

Junior Gianna Gomez is 18-2 with a 0.34 ERA. Don’t be surprised if the top seeds meet in the championship.

Two Colonial Liberty teams, (3) Haddon Heights and (5) West Deptford bear watching. Both have standouts pitchers. Senior Haddon Heights senior Sarah Cooley (11-7, 3.47) and junior Erin Lewandowski (4-0, 1.47) are a strong duo and West Deptford junior Jordyn Ambrosius (13-6, 1.73) has enjoyed an outstanding season for the Eagles.

(4) Cedar Creek should be another contender, but the top two seeds will be tough to beat.

Group 4

Defending champion: Kingsway beat Rancocas Valley, 8-2 the sectional championship. During the state semifinal, Kingsway lost to Hunterdon Central, 5-2.

Outlook: Kingsway is the top seed and will be among the favorites. The Dragons enter the tournament 16-5 and went 8-0 in winning the competitive Tri-County Royal Division, which includes Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) and Clearview.

Kingsway has a deep pitching staff with senior Ava Snyder (4-3, 2.75) and freshman sensation Sydney Schiavone (11-2, 2.17). Snyder (.413), 7 home runs, 27 RBIs) also leads a strong offense. One other note – Kingsway hasn’t lost to a Group 4 school this season.

(2) Cherokee and (5) Rancocas Valley tied for the Olympic Conference American Division title and will be threats.

(3) Vineland lost its opening game of the season to Kingsway, 14-0, but the Fighting Clan played a tough schedule and improved significantly since then.

A potential dark horse is GCIT. The Cheetahs lost twice to Kingsway, both times by one run. GCIT tuned up for the state tournament by beating Bergen Tech, 10-0 in the NJ Tech School tournament for Groups 3 and 4 schools. The Cheetahs have an explosive offense with a .341 team batting average. The top two batting average leaders are freshmen Riley Cohen (.444) and Madison Kroupa (.437).

Sarah Cooley Haddon Heights / Marc Narducci

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Author: Marc Narducci

Previewing SJ Groups 2 and 4 in Softball

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