Baseball: bruins improve to 17-11
Bartlesville High School’s Sam Marcella (12) dives for a ball during action against Coweta last Friday. The Bruins are 17-11 on the season.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
April 22, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Last week added another chapter of grittiness — a composite of sometimes excellence, sometimes struggle, always scrappy — to the Bruins’ odd-but-successful diamond odyssey of 2025.
One of the best things was that Bartlesville continued its string of non-losing weeks going back to the season start.
The Bruins (17-11) opened up last week by shocking Stillwater, 4-0, at Stillwater — the Pioneers’ first loss in district play. But in the rematch the next night at Bartlesville, Stillwater won 10-0.
Toward week’s end Bartlesville pounced on Ponca City, 7-2, but then came out with an unusually non-charismatic effort in a 12-2 loss to Coweta.
Bartlesville’s next home game will be Thursday, when it hosts Collinsville at 5:30 p.m. The Bruins are closing in on a 20-win season for the fourth time in five seasons during head coach Cody Price’s tenure.
Prior to Price’s arrival, Bartlesville had boasted only three 20-win campaigns in the previous 13 seasons (20-15, 2005 25-14-1, 2006; 22-11, 2009).
Price’s season-by-season records are:
— 2020: 3-5 (season cut short by statewide virus lockdown)
—2021: 24-14
— 2022: 25-14
—2023: 23-15
—2024: 13-22
—2025: 17-11 (season still ongoing)
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Bartlesville High School’s Hunter Shea pitches to a Coweta batter last Friday. The Bruins are 17-11 on the season.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Following is a closer look at last week’s action.
BARTLESVILLE 4, STILLWATER 0 — Stillwater carried an 8-0 district record into this game.
But the Pioneers couldn’t solve the pitching of Bruin veteran starter Kaden Romesburg and closer Sam Marcella. The combined with catcher Jaxon Zaun — as well as with an outstanding defensive effort — to spin the shutout.
It’s not that Romesburg zeroed in with pinpoint precision. In fact he walked six batters.
But he also displayed that intangible essence known as tenacity under pressure to keep Stillwater from crossing home plate.
“Kaden pitched out of numerous jams,” noted Price.
In addition, the Bruin defense produced a win-clinching doubleplay.
On the offensive side, Cooper Swaim drove in one of Bartlesville’s runs.
STILLWATER 10, BARTLESVILLE 0 — Stillwater snapped back. But the result didn’t accurately reflect the Bruins’ effort. The Pioneers scored seven unearned runs in the second inning — after the Bruins made an error on what could have been the final out.
Price praised the effort of Bruin pitcher Barrett Merciez, who allowed only two earned runs. Marcella finished up the final 1.1 innings.
BARTLESVILLE 7, PONCA CITY 2 — The Bruins surged to a 7-0 lead and carried the shutout into the final inning before Ponca City scored two unearned runs.
Swaim snapped off the quality pitching start, working 4.1 innings of three-hit ball with only one walk allowed.
Marcella finished up the final 2.2 innings on the bump.
Bartlesville’s offense, meanwhile, got back some of its swagger — spearheaded by Romesburg with three hits.
Damien Niko, Swaim, Hunter Shea and Carson Silva each contributed one hit — with Silva just returning from injury.
COWETA 12, BARTLESVILLE 2 — Coweta revved up its offense early to set the game’s tone.
Zaun and Marcella each drove in a Bruin run.
Merciez contributed two hits, followed by Zaun, Romes burg, Marcella and Silva with one apiece.