BASEBALL & SOFTBALL: Sparta handles Elverado
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Sparta visited Elverado in both softball and baseball on Wednesday and came away with lopsided victories in both affairs in windy conditions.
In Elkville, the Lady Bulldogs scored four runs in the top of the first and tacked on from there, defeating the Lady Falcons 12-1 and holding them to just three hits.
Chelsea Cochran drove in the only Elverado run with a two-out double in the third inning that scored Sami Hicks, who had also doubled with two down. Kelsi Teague had the only other hit for the Lady Falcons, a single in the first.
"We really played better than the final score showed," said Falcons head softball coach Donette Wheatley. "Playing bigger and better teams will only make us better."
Corrine Wilson took the loss, throwing all six innings for Elverado (1-1).
Meanwhile in Dowell, the Bulldogs were busy dismissing the Falcons in baseball 20-1 after a messy third inning by the Elverado defense. Three errors in the frame led to a twelve-run third for Sparta, after the game had been tied at 1-1 after two.
Collin Hester drove in the Falcons' only run with a two-out double to score Matt Miller who had singled to lead off the second inning. Bryce Mathis (2-for-3, 2B) had the other two hits for Elverado.
Both the baseball and softball Falcons are at home again on Thursday against Dongola (4:30 p.m.) and Friday against Marissa (4:30 p.m.).