LADY BRUINS WRAP UP SEASON at STATE AS MINTON TRANSITIONS TO ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE
Bartlesville High School’s Kelsie Yales (18) is congratulated by teammate Josie Childers (10) after scoring a run during an earlier season game. The Lady Bruins’ season ended in an opening-round loss in the Class 6A state tournament earlier this month.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
Jazmyne Campbell (44) watches a hit go deep during an earlier season game. The Lady Bruins’ season ended in an opening-round loss in the Class 6A state tournament earlier this month.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
By Becky Burch
May 15, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
The Bartlesville Lady Bruins (26-14) slow-pitch softball team wrapped up its season at the Class 6A state championship on May 5, falling in extra innings to Southmoore 11-10 in the first round. This was the third consecutive year that head coach Kyle Minton has taken the team to the state tournament.
Tied 3-3 after the first, Southmoore built an 8-3 advantage through the fifth inning. However, the Bruins came roaring back in the final frames behind clutch home runs by Savannah Alden and Lola Reddington.
The comeback was sparked in the top of the sixth with a four-run rally. Maddie Czaja singled to left, and Kenzie Denny reached on an error to put two runners aboard. Maddie Nachbor followed with a single to right field to load the bases. Erin Bridendolph hit a sacrifice fly to score Czaja, setting the stage for Alden.
The power hitter delivered a clutch three-run homer to center, plating Denny and Nachbor to pull the Bruins within one at 8-7 after six innings. Reddington smacked a solo homer in the seventh to tie the game at 8-8, which sent the game into extra innings.
“Once we hit extra innings it became every out being a big out,” Minton said.
With one out in the top of the eighth, Bridendolph singled and Alden was intentionally walked. Jazmyne Campbell then reached on an error to load the bases. With two outs, Karmandy Marsheck delivered a clutch single to center field, driving in two runs to put the Lady Bruins up 10-8 heading into the bottom of the frame.
Southmoore, turning over the best part of its lineup, was able to tie the game again at 10-10. Bartlesville was unable to score in the top of the 9th inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Bartlesville was able to get two outs following a double play from third baseman Campbell to first base. The Bruins intentionally walked one of Southmoore’s strongest hitters, but that was followed by a game-ending double to score the run from first.
“Even on the final play we put together one of the best relays we did all year with two spot-on throws to get it into home, but their lead off was just too fast for us to be able to make the play,” Minton said.
Despite the early exit from the state tournament, Minton was pleased with the game.
“We played extremely well against a good team,” he said. “It was one of the most evenly matched games we have had all year.”
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Bartlesville High School’s Erin Bridendolph fields a ball during an earlier season game. The Lady Bruins’ season ended in an opening-round loss in the Class 6A state tournament earlier this month.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
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Rather than the extra-inning defeat, Minton wants the season defined by his team's refusal to quit. He emphasized that the Bruins will be remembered for how they battled adversity all year, overcoming a slow start with a near-perfect three-week run to secure their ranking.
After putting themselves "in a hole in game one" of the regional tournament, the team answered with "two dominant performances to win it," setting the stage for a state tournament battle where they fiercely fought back to push Southmoore to the limit.
Bartlesville will graduate only three seniors this year: Kelsie Yales, Denny and Czaja. All three have been instrumental in both the fast-pitch and slow-pitch teams, making five state tournament appearances. Putting a final cap on their standout high school careers, both Czaja and Denny were selected to the 2026 slow-pitch all-state team. Yales heads for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to continue her softball career.
Minton praised Czaja for her pitching down the stretch, Denny for her leadership and Yales for her offense.
Yales hit .571 with nine home runs, 49 RBIs and 22 runs. Denny hit .500 with eight home runs, 35 RBIs and 45 runs.
Standout sophomore Erin Bridendolph had one of the best years in the state, hitting .687 with 16 doubles, 35 home runs, 89 RBIs, 90 runs and a 97% fielding rate at shortstop.
Other main players included Alden, who hit .604 with 27 home runs, 80 RBIs and 54 runs, and Campbell, who batted .500 with 15 doubles, 13 home runs, 56 RBIs and 45 runs.
The state tournament loss also marked the end of an era for the program, as Minton steps away from the dugout to become Bartlesville's new assistant athletic director. While excited for the promotion, leaving the field is a heavy farewell for the longtime coach.
"With my new position I will no longer be able to coach unfortunately, which is definitely the downside," Minton said.
Reflecting on his years leading the Lady Bruins, he noted the deep personal impact of the transition: "Leaving the players and the relationships built over the years on a day-to-day basis will be one of the harder things to do in my life."
Bartlesville High School’s Maddie Czaja pitches during an earlier season game. The Lady Bruins’ season ended in an opening-round loss in the Class 6A state tournament earlier this month.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report