doenges toyota Indians put it all together on defense, offense for Saturday sweet sweep of Ravages
Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians celebrate after sweeping the Dallas-Fort Worth (Texas) Ravages over the weekend.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Eddie Rice is safe at second base during action against Dallas-Fort Worth (Texas) Ravages. The Indians swept three games last weekend in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
June 24,2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Oh, Shea can you swing?
With one blast of his bat Hunter Shea composed a stirring anthem of victory Saturday afternoon for the Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians.
While the ball disappeared over the wall — redeemable for three runs and a lifetime memory — Shea gallantly streamed around the bases for his first homer of the season.
The Indians proceeded to defeat the Dallas-Fort Worth (Texas) Ravages, 6-3, in the first game of a twinbill at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
Bartlesville also won the second game, 3-1, to achieve its 10th season victory (10-14) and remain perfect (3-0) since Friday.
Ah, what a sweet weekend!
In more ways than one.
Prior to the visit of the DFW Renegades, the Indians had dropped five losses in a row.
They broke that sorrowful skein with a 8-4 win on Friday (see separate report), and followed up with Saturday’s sweep.
Beyond getting back on the winning track, the Indians had some unfinished business to settle with the Ravages.
When they had met a few weeks ago — also in Bartlesville — the Ravages had bounced Bartlesville, 12-6 and 12-3.
In this past weekend’s rematch, Bartlesville caught the Ravages square on the jaw.
“They came in here very confident, very arrogant,” Pannell said about DFW’s arrival on Friday. “They walked out of here with a different tone.”
The Indians eye a busy week, including KWON Night at the Ballpark on Wednesday (6 p.m.) and RE/MAX Night at the Ballpark on Friday (7 p.m.). They also will be on the road Tuesday (at Stroud), at home Thursday and at home Saturday afternoon.
The busy schedule continues through next week, including the annual Glenn Winget Memorial Tournament during the July Fourth Weekend.
It’s been a provocative and dramatic season for these resilient Indians.
After stumbling out of the gate at 1-5 — which had something do with a rugged schedule — the Indians have surged to a 9-9 record, including several close losses against high-quality teams.
And the momentum is headed in a positive direction.
“This team is our family,” Pannell said. “You can see it in the little things guys are doing for each other — Zane Stricklin catching in the bullpen for Zane Griggs knowing that he (Stricklin) got passed up to go in the game. … There are no big attitudes. The guys are looking out for each other and the older guys are taking care of the younger guys.”
Following are details for last Saturday’s two-bill against the DFW Ravages.
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Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Jaxon Zaun is in a rundown between first and second base, allowing Hunter Shea to score against Dallas-Fort Worth (Texas) Ravages. The Indians swept three games from the Ravages in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Hunter Shea scores after teammate Jaxon Zaun gets in a rundown between first and second base against Dallas-Fort Worth (Texas) Ravages. The Indians swept three games from the Ravages in Bartlesville.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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BARTLESVILLE INDIANS 6, DFW RAVAGES 3
The Indians did most their damage in the first two innings, highlighted by Shea’s first dinger of the season.
Adrian O’Dell and Owen Dum waited on base when Shea strolled to the plate. He fought back from an 0-and-2 count to launch his ozone-bursting rocket to push the Indians to a 5-0 lead.
That was more than enough padding for Indians’ starting pitcher Grant Clark and relievers Bryce Sickler and Zane Stricklin to win with.
Perhaps Shea’s bomb gave proof the Indians are maturing as a resourceful powerhouse complete with competitive red glare.
“Hunter is so big and strong,” Pannell said. “We’ve worked really hard with him. … When Hunter hits the ball he hits it with authority.”
Even though his batting average is just .162 — many of the Indians lack glowing hitting numbers — his on-base percentage is an impressive .412.
“Hunter was asked to jump into the leadoff spot and he responded well,” Pannell added.
One other monstrous hit Saturday can’t be ignored.
In the bottom of the sixth, Brett Eaves waved bye-bye to a solo shot to put an exclamation point on the perilous fight. This was Eaves’ second circuit clout of the season.
Scoring more runs has been a theme of the Indians’ coaches to the players.
“We’ve told them, ‘If you don’t score any runs, you don’t scare any opponents,’” he said.
The Indians responded by averaging seven runs the first two weekend contests.
Meanwhile, the Indians’ pitching and defense kept the Ravages’ potent offensive threat under wraps.
Clark carried a shutout into the fifth inning before DFW batters put together a spurt of hits and walks into a three-run rally. Pannell called on Sickler to take Clark’s place and finish off the inning. Sickler got the final batter out to preserve Bartlesville’s lead, 5-3.
Eaves’ round-tripper in the sixth added a crucial insurance run.
“Grant just got tired,” Pannell said. “He came out with 102 pitches. … He just attacked the hitters. He had 10 appearances last spring in college ball and he brings back that experience to us. His goal this summer is putting on 20 or 30 pounds, trying to gain more velocity and becoming a more dominant pitcher.”
The Ravages made one final uprising in the top of the seventh by loading the bases on Sickler, on three free passes. Pannell then summoned closer Stricklin to the mound. He zipped up the win — and the save — when the next batter flew out to Shea in right field.
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BARTLESVILLE INDIANS 3, DFW RAVAGES 1
Even with the heat index soaring past 100 degrees, the DFW batters ran into an arctic chill known as Eli Winters.
The veteran Indians’ hurdler shelved the Ravages sticks in the deep freeze in route to one of the Indians’ most breath-taking mound performances of the season, including pushing his shutout through five innings.
The Indians’ offense found it rough sledding most of the way, as well. But in the top of the fourth, They finally strung together a rally. It began with Jaxon Zaun reaching base on an error and Eaves collecting a walk. That set the table for Sam Marcella. He belted a double to drive in both runners to put the Indians ahead, 2-0.
Eddie Rice then singled to try to keep the attack going. But Marcella and Rice would be left stranded at third and second, respectively. However the two runs scored would be enough.
Bartlesville added an insurance run in the sixth inning when Marcella singled home Zaun.
In the bottom of the fifth Winters retired the side in order, including a line drive to Dum, ground-out to Marcella and a strikeout. But the Ravages offense experienced a mini-thaw in the bottom of the sixth to scratch one run off Winters.
But in the bottom of the seventh, Indians’ relief pitcher Zane Griggs harvested the save by striking out the final two batters.
“Going into the sixth inning Eli had thrown only 55 pitches,” Pannell noted. “Through six innings, he threw 74 pitches with 52 of them strikes, gave up seven hits and one run (earned) and had five strikeouts. What Eli can do is spot the ball up where he wants to.”