Holy Cross is 6-1 against Western Wayne since April of 2022 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Crusaders will head out on the road to take on the Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. Holy Cross will be looking to extend their current seven-game winning streak.
On Thursday, Holy Cross made easy work of Hazleton Area and carried off a 16-7 victory. Considering the Crusaders have won 13 matchups by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
AVA SCHMIDT made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and four unearned) runs off nine hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, going 4-for-5 with three runs, three doubles, and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April.
CLAIRE HELRING
| 05/01/25 @ Hazleton Area | 3 |
| 04/29/25 @ Lakeland | 2 |
| 04/21/25 @ Old Forge | 2 |
| 04/16/25 @ Honesdale | 2 |
| 03/28/25 vs West Scranton | 2 |
In other batting news, CLAIRE HELRING was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. MEGAN HASSAJ was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double.
Holy Cross kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Western Wayne fell victim to Mid Valley and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They lost 15-0 to the Spartans. The contest marked the first time this year in which the Wildcats were not able to get on the board.
Western Wayne saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Sophia Ochlan, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base.
Holy Cross' win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-1. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.6 runs over those games. As for Western Wayne, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 4-9.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Holy Cross hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .426. However, it's not like Western Wayne struggles in that department as they've averaged .333. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Holy Cross took their win against Western Wayne in their previous matchup back in April by a conclusive 9-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Crusaders since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
