Agape Freedom Sports LLC

By Jeric Yurkanin – Agape Freedom Sports |Staff Writer

SCRANTON, PA — On a damp and electric night at the University of Scranton, softball fans packed the bleachers early, anticipating a high-stakes battle between two of the Lackawanna League’s finest: the Mid Valley Spartanettes and the Holy Cross Crusaders.

The weathermen had predicted more rain around 8 p.m., threatening delays or chaos. But instead, the skies cleared, and the sun broke through—setting the stage for a picture-perfect night of championship softball. As the field dried under golden light, the atmosphere shifted from cautious to electric.

But this wasn’t just a rivalry rubber match—this was the Lackawanna League Championship Game.

Both teams entered the diamond with nearly flawless resumes. Mid Valley came in at 18–2, with their only blemishes coming at the hands of state-ranked 4A powerhouse Tunkhannock in a 1–0 heartbreaker and, more recently, the Crusaders themselves in a thriller just ten days prior. That May 5 contest ended in walk-off fashion, thanks to a two-run single off the bat of Holy Cross sophomore Jules Galella—a birthday moment for the ages.

The first meeting of the season saw Mid Valley emerge victorious, 4–2. This was round three—with the title on the line.

The spotlight didn’t just draw hometown fans—it attracted softball enthusiasts from across Northeastern Pennsylvania. Bleachers were dotted with spectators from rival districts, coaches, and players from other top teams across District 2, all eager to witness the area’s premier pitching duel: Mid Valley’s Ava Hazleton vs. Holy Cross’s Ava Schmidt. Two elite arms. One massive stage.

By first pitch, fans had surrounded the entire fence line. Nearly every inch of viewing space was claimed—standing room only. It wasn’t just a game. It was the game.

Early Tension and Big-Time Plays:

In the top of the 2nd, Holy Cross slugger Peyton Graboske ignited the crowd with a towering solo home run to put the Crusaders up 1–0. As “Let’s go 99!” chants echoed through the Holy Cross section, their ace Ava Schmidt continued to silence Mid Valley’s powerful bats.

Mid Valley answered with pressure in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases behind Ava Hazleton and Jordan Carroll. But Schmidt and the Crusaders held firm.

In the 3rd, Schmidt crushed a ball to deep center that looked gone off the bat—but Carroll had other plans. She raced back and leaped at the wall, robbing Schmidt of extra bases with a sensational catch that left jaws dropped and cameras flashing. Mid Valley’s defense held strong, and both teams continued showcasing elite fundamentals—no errors through three.

The Fireworks Begin: 6th to 10th Inning:

In the top of the 6th, the Crusaders added insurance. After a walk from Graboske, first baseman Mia Galella blasted a homer to dead center, sending the Holy Cross dugout into a frenzy and giving them a 2–0 lead.

But Mid Valley had no intentions of letting the night end quietly.

In the bottom of the 7th, they loaded the bases behind bunt singles from Ava Mackey and Jordan Carroll. A walk brought in a run, and then—chaos. A wild pitch allowed Carroll to score the tying run. Just like that, the game was knotted at 2–2, and we were heading to extras.

“I definitely wasn’t throwing my best pitches tonight,” Schmidt admitted. “I knew I had to take one pitch at a time and couldn’t get frustrated because it wouldn’t have helped us anyway. So I just tried to stay focused on the next pitch and throw strikes.”

The 8th and 9th innings became a clinic in clutch pitching and defensive grit. Hazleton and Schmidt continued to trade zeroes, and every pitch felt like a pressure cooker. Fans held their breath on every contact.

Then came the 10th—and the Crusaders broke through.

Julia Galella singled, a walk followed, and Caleigh Helring ripped a clutch RBI single to give Holy Cross the lead. Then Graboske came through again—this time with a two-run double to left. Jules Galella added one more with an RBI single, capping a five-run outburst that had the Crusaders up 7–2.

“I was just looking for my pitch and trying not to get too stressed in such an intense game, especially with so many people there,” said Graboske, who delivered in the biggest moments.

“It felt so great,” Schmidt added. “It definitely was a lot more tense when the game was really close, and when we got those runs it really helped us feel better.”

Still, Mid Valley wasn’t finished.

In the bottom of the 10th, Mackey drove in a run, and Carroll smashed a two-RBI triple to slice the lead to 7–5. With tension peaking, Holy Cross secured the final out on a sharp line drive to shortstop—ending the game and sealing a championship win that will be remembered for years.

A Game for the Ages:

From jaw-dropping defensive plays to home-run heroics, from extra-inning drama to a packed house of die-hards, this game was more than a league championship.

It was a reminder of why we love sports. It was heart. It was rivalry. It was softball at its absolute finest.

And it was a dogfight—one that pushed past 10 p.m. as both teams battled deeper into the night. The air grew damper with each inning, moisture clinging to uniforms, bats, and even my clipboard tablet I felt the moisture on. It was damp.

Late in the game, during one of the most intense stretches, a fan tried to rally her team by shouting, “It’s peanut butter and jelly time!”—bringing laughter and light-hearted energy to an otherwise pressure-packed atmosphere.

The stands remained full into extra innings, with fans shoulder to shoulder through the 8th and 9th. Only midway through the 10th did a few spectators begin to trickle out, unable to withstand the emotional rollercoaster—or the late hour—any longer.

But for those who stayed, they witnessed something unforgettable.

For Holy Cross, it was a crown earned through grit, resilience, and timely firepower. For Mid Valley, it was a performance packed with heart, hustle, and never-quit attitude.

“It feels great to win the league championship tonight,” said Graboske. “We worked really hard for this game, and I’m happy we performed the way we were expected to.”

And for everyone in attendance, it was something greater than a game.

It was a memory.
It was a moment.
It was—a game for the ages.