Holy Cross Dominates Fifth Inning to Capture District 2 Class 1A Softball Title
By: Matt Flanagan | Sportzwire | May 29, 2025 | Photo courtesy Justin Focus Photography
DUNMORE, Pa. — Holy Cross secured the District 2 Class 1A softball championship on Thursday with a decisive 8–1 victory over Old Forge, powered by a five-run explosion in the fifth inning.
The game, held at the University of Scranton’s Magis Field, saw both teams locked in a 2–1 contest until the bottom of the fifth. Holy Cross then broke the game open with a series of timely hits and aggressive base running.
Junior Peyton Graboske ignited the rally with a two-run triple, marking her first triple of the season. Sophomore Jules Galella followed with a double to left field, scoring Graboske. Sophomore Claire Helring added an RBI single, and senior Megan Hassaj contributed with a base hit, capping the five-run inning.
Holy Cross had initially tied the game in the first inning when senior Mia Galella’s groundout allowed junior Ava Schmidt to score. The Crusaders took a 2–1 lead in the third inning on a single by sophomore Lila Kolcharno, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a stolen base.
Schmidt delivered a standout performance both in the circle and at the plate. She pitched a complete game, allowing three hits and one unearned run while striking out eight and issuing no walks. Offensively, she went 2-for-3 with a triple, three runs scored, and three stolen bases, setting a new personal best.
Holy Cross’s aggressive base running resulted in five stolen bases, with Helring and Kolcharno each adding one to Schmidt’s three. The Crusaders’ offense tallied nine hits, with Graboske and Galella each driving in two runs.
Old Forge managed three hits in the game, with juniors Ava Arnold and Kate O’Hearn and sophomore Mia Fox each recording one. Freshman pitcher Kamryn Notari took the loss, allowing eight runs on nine hits over six innings, striking out five and walking four.
With this victory, Holy Cross improved to 20–1 on the season, extending their winning streak to 13 games. The Crusaders have averaged 10.9 runs per game during this stretch, showcasing their offensive prowess.
Holy Cross will now advance to the PIAA Class 1A state tournament, aiming to continue their impressive run.
