BARTLESVILLE BRUINS HOST BRUIN BASEBALL CLASSIC LAST WEEK
Bartlesville High School’s Sterling Kroh (8) pitches during the Bruin Classic held last week at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium in downtown Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
April 1, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Clutch pitching and defense in the seventh inning elevated Bartlesville High School to victory last Friday against Holland Hall, 5-4, at the Bruin Classic.
But in the nightcap, Ponca City held off the Bruins, 4-2.
Bartlesville — which is coached by Cody Price — still finished with a winning record for the week (4-1) and evened its season mark at 8-8.
In the loss to Ponca City, Cy Rigdon recorded Bartlesville’s lone RBI while Braden Neill and Gavin Thomas registered the only hits.
Bryce Luelf added two stolen bases.
Kanin Romesburg and Wyatt Mathis each scored a run.
Sterling Kroh turned in five innings on the mound during a hard-luck outing that saw him saddled with two unearned runs.
He allowed only three hits, walked two and struck out four.
Starter Danny Thornton also didn’t allow an earned run but watched Ponca City score two unearned tallies.
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DUMPING THE DUTCH
In the win against Holland Hall, Bartlesville converted six hits and five walks into five runs.
Sam Marcella, Sam Hill and Thomas each drove home a run; Thomas also scored twice.
Luelf and Hill ripped two hits each and Mathis earned two walks.
Barrett Merciez and Hill both reached as hit batsmen.
Swaim checked in with one of Bartlesville’s best pitching efforts of the season.
With Neill as his batterymate, Swaim went the distance on a five-hitter with three walks and three K’s.
Only two of Holland Hall’s runs were earned.
Enid defeated the Bruins (8-10) on Monday and Tuesday, 9-5 and 6-3, respectively.
Their next home game won’t be until April 7 against Deer Creek.