Softball Recap: Sparta Takes a Loss

Sparta had lost three straight on the road, but on Tuesday they dropped their record down to 8-14 to make it four. They took a 6-3 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Red Bud Musketeers. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Bulldogs of the 20-1 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in May of 2024.

Sparta saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Carly Gerlach, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.

As for Red Bud, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games.

On Red Bud's side, Olivia Geralds spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on seven hits and racked up seven Ks. Geralds has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 15 consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Julia Whelan, who went 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Lilly Minemann, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Sparta will square off against Steeleville at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. As for Red Bud, they will challenge DuQuoin at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Indians have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed 11.45 runs per game on average), something the Musketeers will no doubt try to take advantage of.