Claire Helring Drives 4 Runners Home In Holy Cross Victory Over Hazleton Area
By: Brad Loff | Sportzwire | May 1, 2025 | Photo courtesy Bob Gaetano
Claire Helring delivered a standout performance at the plate, driving in four runs on three hits to power Holy Cross past Hazleton Area, 16-7, on Thursday, May 1. Helring launched a two-run homer to left in the seventh, tripled in the third to score one, and singled in the first to drive in another, capping off a dominant offensive showing.
Holy Cross came out swinging, putting up five runs in the top of the first inning. Lila Kolcharno opened the scoring with an RBI double, followed by a two-run double from Peyton Graboske. Megan Hassaj drove in another on a groundout, and Helring capped the inning with an RBI single.
The offense continued in the second with a Graboske groundout scoring one, and in the third, with Helring’s triple, Chloe Mendicino’s RBI double down the left field line, and Ava Schmidt’s RBI double to center—all contributing to a 9-2 advantage.
Four more runs came in the seventh for Holy Cross. Hassaj ripped a two-run double, and Helring capped her monster day with a two-run blast to left, pushing the final score to 16-7.
Schmidt went the distance for Holy Cross, tossing all seven innings. She gave up nine hits and seven runs (only three earned), struck out six, and walked just one to earn the win. At the plate, Schmidt was also a force, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs.
Photographer Bab Gaetano
Holy Cross racked up 19 hits total. Along with Schmidt and Helring, Megan Hassaj, Jules Galella, Grace Rogers, Peyton Graboske, and Chloe Mendicino all recorded multiple hits in the win.
Hazleton was led by Nanci Major (3-for-3, RBI), Olivia Williams, Kayla Lagowy, and Emme Zanolini, who each tallied two hits. Saige Klesh, Williams, and Hannah Matyas each drove in a run for the Cougars.
Top Stats Breakdown – Holy Cross:
Claire Helring: 3-for-4, HR, 3B, 1B, 4 RBI, 2 R
Ava Schmidt: 4-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI, 1 R | 7.0 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 6 K, 1 BB (Win)
Megan Hassaj: 2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI
Peyton Graboske: 2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI
Chloe Mendicino: 2-for-2, 2B, RBI
Jules Galella: 2-for-2
Grace Rogers: 2-for-4
Final: Holy Cross 16, Hazleton Area 7
