The Holy Cross Crusaders will head out to face off against the Old Forge Blue Devils at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Holy Cross comes in on four and Old Forge on nine.
Holy Cross came out on top against Riverside on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive eight-run fourth inning. The Crusaders were the clear victors by a 10-1 margin over the Vikings. The Crusaders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matchups by six runs or more this season.
AVA SCHMIDT
| 04/28/26 vs Riverside | 5 |
| 04/23/26 @ Lakeland | 7 |
| 04/22/26 @ Dunmore | 15 |
| 04/17/26 vs Honesdale | 12 |
| 04/13/26 vs Mid Valley | 11 |
| + 7 more games |
AVA SCHMIDT was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI.
In other batting news, JULES GALELLA was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and one stolen base. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. PEACH MYERS also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.
Holy Cross was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .536. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Old Forge made easy work of Western Wayne on Tuesday and carried off a 14-3 win. The Blue Devils might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight contests by seven runs or more this season.
Kamryn Notari spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Ariana Davitt, who got on base in all five of her plate appearances with five runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI. Lilianna Lenceski was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Holy Cross' record now sits at 11-2. As for Old Forge, their record is now 10-3.
Old Forge's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Friday. Holy Cross has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.4 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Old Forge, though, as they've been averaging only 3.7 strikeouts. Will Holy Cross keep running through batters, or will the Blue Devils buck the trend?
Holy Cross came out on top in a nail-biter against Old Forge when the teams last played on April 8th, sneaking past 6-5. 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.
