Sparta is 0-10 against Red Bud since March of 2017 but things could change on Tuesday. The Bulldogs will be playing at home against the Musketeers at 4:30 p.m. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Sparta sitting on four straight wins and Red Bud on seven.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Sparta and DuQuoin, and Sparta kept the tradition alive. The Bulldogs came out on top against the Indians by a score of 10-6 on Monday.
| 05/04/26 vs DuQuoin | 3 |
| 04/07/26 vs Wesclin | 2 |
| 03/26/26 @ Dupo | 2 |
| 03/21/26 vs New Athens | 2 |
| 04/15/25 vs Carlyle | 2 |
Carly Gerlach was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three runs and one double. Those three runs gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kaylynn French, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2025.
Meanwhile, while Red Bud put up some runs on Monday, the same can't be said for Marissa/Coulterville. The Musketeers walked away with a 4-0 victory over the Meteors. The game was the first time the Musketeers have beaten the Meteors on their field since March 15, 2018.
The result came thanks to Julia Ohlau's shutout, as she gave up just a hit and racked up 13 Ks.
On the hitting side, Peyton Kreher was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Red Bud hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in five consecutive games.
Sparta's win bumped their record up to 16-5. As for Red Bud, their victory bumped their record up to 19-7.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Sparta hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Red Bud struggles in that department as they've averaged .352. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sparta suffered a grim 6-0 defeat to Red Bud in their previous meeting back in May of 2025. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.