PLAY BALL! BARTLESVILLE BRUINS BASEBALL SEASON BEGINS MARCH 2

Bartlesville High School’s Sam Marcella is one of the Bruins’ seniors returning this season, which begins March 2.

BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports

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By Mike Tupa

Feb. 27, 2026

BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT

Like a flying bulldog with an overbite, a lack of quality depth and varsity bit the Bartlesville High School baseball team in the backside last season.

Even so, veteran head coach Cody Price still guided the Bruins to 20 wins (in what might have been his finest coaching performance so far at Bartlesville).

Going into this season, Price should be able to focus more on strategy and piece-swapping rather than just trying to plug holes in the lineup and figure out creative ways to win.

He welcomed a slew of seniors (10) and numerous juniors to the mix, along with some underclassmen that might be playing starring roles.

The season odyssey is set to begin March 2 at Lincoln Christian as Price (108-86) will try to guide the Bruins to their fifth 20-win season in six seasons and their first deep playoff run since the mid-2000s.

Among his more experienced veteran seniors are Barrett Merciez, Sam Marcella, Carson Silva, Liam Buchanan and Pierce Hindman. Sterling Kroh and Hayden Brown also are back with some varsity innings under their belts.

Three senior newcomers include a variety of transfers or move-ins — Sam Hill (Oklahoma Union), Tyler Neeley (Tacoma, Wash.) and Hudson Baker (Tulsa NOAH/Wesleyan Christian).

Juniors vying for major roles include Cy Rigdon, Kanin Romesburg, Cooper Swaim, Bryce Luelf and Wyatt Mathis, a transfer from Oologah.

A returning sophomore that played in last year’s regional is Braden Neill.

Going into the season Price’s likely starting pitching rotation will include Romesburg, Neeley, Hill, Baker and Marcella. Merciez also is a proven commodity on the hill but due to a healing issue could be brought along slowly, Price said. Merciez is lined up to play college baseball at Cowley (Kan.) College, Price noted.

“We have a really good group of kids,” Price summarized. “They get along well. I feel like the culture is really good.”

Price is beginning his seventh season at the Bruin helm.

In his first season (2020) the Bruins finished 3-5 due to the virus-shortened seasons.

Since then, Price’s record is 105-81 since 2021 — including 20-win seasons in 2021(24-14), 2022 (25-13), 2023 23-15) and 2025 (20-17).

But the Bruins have struggled to break out of the regional playoffs. Bartlesville’s most recent appearance at state was in 2006.

Bartlesville High School’s Cy Rigdon is expected to make a big impact on the Bruins season, which begins March 2.

BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports