Baseball Recap: Hazleton Area Extends Home Winning Streak to Four

Hazleton Area had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 14-run drubbing they dealt Greater Nanticoke Area on Wednesday. The Cougars' pitchers stepped up to hand the Trojans a 14-0 shutout. The Cougars might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by six runs or more this season.

Gavin Perkosky looked comfortable as he struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits any time he's pitched this season.

Ryan Schmidt

Stolen Base (Career)

04/23/25 vs Greater Nanticoke Area	3
04/15/25 vs Dallas	2
04/09/25 vs Wyoming Valley West	2
04/03/25 vs Pittston	2
04/19/25 @ Emmaus	1

On the hitting side, Hazleton Area got a big performance out of Ryan Schmidt, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with three stolen bases and three runs. Those three stolen bases gave Schmidt a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Ryan Welch, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs and two RBI.

Hazleton Area hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Greater Nanticoke Area struck out 11 times.

Hazleton Area pushed their record up to 8-3 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Greater Nanticoke Area, they have been struggling recently as they've lost eight of their last nine matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 2-11 record this season.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Hazleton Area will challenge Dallas at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. The Cougars' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Mountaineers have averaged an impressive 8.1 runs per game this season. As for Greater Nanticoke Area, they will square off against Pittston at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. The Patriots will roll in looking for their 14th straight win, something the Trojans surely won't give up without a fight.