Sparks softball finds win column

Sparks built an early 10-3 lead at Spring Creek on Friday afternoon and hung on for a 12-9 win, snapping a seven-game losing streak.

Despite struggles this season, the Railroaders (6-16-1, 3-15) are just 2.5 games out of the 3A North’s sixth and final playoff spot with six games left. The Sparks tumbled to 6-14, 4-12.

Sparks outhit Spring Creek 18-9 and saw their lead trimmed to 11-9 after the Spartans pushed six runs across in the home half of the sixth. The Railroaders added an insurance tally in the top of the seventh before closing the door.

Sparks and Spring Creek will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 11 a.m.

Baseball: Railroaders’ skid reaches 11 games

Friday’s contest between second-place Spring Creek and last-place Sparks did not wield any surprises.

The Spartans (17-7, 14-5) handed the Railroaders (5-17, 2-16) their 11th straight loss, 12-2, in six innings.

Sparks was outhit by the same score, 12-2, and committed five errors.

The two teams conclude their series on Saturday with a doubleheader.