Diaz throws no-hitter as Sparta baseball tops Livingston

Senior Jacob Diaz pitched a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts and two walks, Branden Woletz homered and Kayden Daly drove in two runs and scored once to power the Sparta High baseball team to a 6-1 victory over Livingston on Saturday afternoon in Sparta.

Diaz, who also singled twice, totaled 108 pitches and, didn’t allow an earned run.

Livingston scored without a hit in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead before the Spartans struck for five runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Adam Krok went 2-for-3 with a run, Grady Myhren was 1-for-1 with a walk and a run and Brody Halliday walked twice and scored to aid the decision.

In Sparta’s season-opener on Monday, March 30, Diaz pitched five innings of two-hit ball with nine strikeouts and three walks and also went 2-for-5 with a double, three RBI and three runs to help key an 11-1 victory at Morris Hills in Rockaway.

Shane Hoover went 2-for-2 with a home run, two walks, a stolen base, five RBI and also pitched the final two innings, allowing one hit with three strikeouts and no walks. Myhren added three singles, four stolen bases, an RBI and two runs and Logan Jennings singled in a run and scored to aid the Spartans’ 12-hit attack.

On Friday afternoon, Hoover went 3-for-3 with a walk, three stolen bases and three runs and also threw 5.1 innings of one-hit ball, striking out five and walking four as Sparta shutout Newton, 7-0, in Newton Township.

Finn Kowalski pitched the final 1.2 innings in relief allowing no hits and one walk.

Woletz and Myhren each keyed the offense with two RBI.

Sparta (3-1) is slated to play host to West Essex on Saturday, April 11, at 4 p.m.

Sparta Girls Lacrosse

The Lady Spartans remained undefeated this spring with a dominant 17-6 victory over Mount Olive on Saturday morning in Sparta.

Moira Sweeney (four goals, one assist, six draw controls, two ground balls), Sophie Ku (four goals, one assist), Reagan Cina (two goals, two assists, three draw controls), Kaitlyn Peters (two goals, two assists, four ground balls), Isabella Van Winkle (two goals, four assists) and Emma Muller (two goals) and Grace Johnson (one goal, one assist, 12 draw controls) keyed the offense while Callie Maines (seven saves) anchored the defense.

Sweeney, who had 63 goals a year ago, has now totaled 11 goals and five assists this spring.

Uma Kowalski, last year’s New Jersey State Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year, graduated Sparta last year with 401 career goals and 538 career points. She is currently playing at Notre Dame and has two goals, one assist and 99 draw controls in 12 games.

Sparta hasn’t missed a beat thus far this season and took a 3-0 mark into play this wee, including a game at No. 12 Morristown on Saturday, April 11 at 10 a.m.

Sparta Boys Lacrosse

Eddie Brown connected for three goals and Jace Stiansen, Ethan Intorella and Luke Spelman each added a score as Sparta earned its first victory of the season - a 6-5 decision over Caldwell - on Thursday, April 2, in West Caldwell.

Jake Alliegro made six saves in net for the Spartans, which improved to 1-1.

Sparta had opened its season with a 9-3 loss to No. 16 Mountain Lakes on March 28 in Sparta.

Spelman and Marco Aquino each had a goal and an assist and Brown added a goal in the defeat.

Sparta will play host to Bernards on Thursday, April 9 at 10 a.m.

Sparta Boys Tennis

Ian Yip (first singles), Graham Mahoney (second singles), George Miller (third singles) and Christopher Louie and Alexander Rosario (second doubles) each won their respective matches in straight sets as Sparta defeated Mount Olive, 4-1, on Wednesday, April 1, at home.

Sparta (2-0) will next play on Tuesday, April 14, at home against Pope John at 4 p.m.