HIGH VOLTAGE FINISH: INDIANS STORM WINGET TITLE
Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians celebrate after winning the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament championship on Sunday. The Indians defeated Bryant (Ark.), 3-2 at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
The Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians won the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament on Sunday.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
July 7, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
A sports miracle is the residue of absolute determination, absolute effort, absolute preparation, absolute focus and that intangible known as absolute faith in one's ability to crash through the ceiling of improbability.
In other words, what the Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians achieved Sunday evening was absolutely wonderful.
Boosted in the final inning by the clutch pitching of Kael Siemers and the heads-up heroics of the defense, the Indians muscled to victory in the championship game of the 66th Annual Glen Winget Memorial Baseball Tournament, 3-2.
Hundreds of energized Indian fans at Rigdon Field in Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium screamed their approbation of ecstasy when Siemers struck out the final batter of the Bryant (Ark.) Black Sox to leave the bases loaded.
That whiff landed the Indians their first Winget title since 2018, their fourth in the past 25 years and their 19th since the Winget tourney started in 1959.
The Indians also improved to 12-10 at home and 19-21 overall. Earlier on Sunday the Indians knocked off Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo, 7-2, in the semifinal.
Bartlesville manager/head coach John Pannell - who is closing in on 400 career victories - also made team history with the most years by one coach between Winget titles.
Next up, the Indians start play in the DBAT League Tournament for college-age teams.
Following are summaries of Bartlesville's games Sunday:
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Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Hunter Shea hustles to third base during the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament on Sunday. The Indians defeated Bryant (Ark.), 3-2 at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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SEMIFINALS: Bartlesville Indians 7, Springfield Kickapoo 2
This was a prototypical drag-out battle closer than the final margin suggested. Bartlesville scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull away late.
Bartlesville opened the scoring in the game when Brenden Asher singled home Siemers in the bottom of the first. Putting Siemers into scoring position were Jaxon Zaun with a single and Brett Eaves with a sacrifice bunt.
Kickapoo tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the third.
But the Indians answered with two runs in the bottom of the third. Siemers again started off the rally with a leadoff base hit. Two batters later Eaves ripped a double to plate Siemers. Hunter Shea followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Eaves and put the Indians ahead 3-1. Kickapoo got a run back in the top of the fourth. Bartlesville's 3-2 lead held up through the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Indians erupted for four more runs after Asher lashed a single and Shea followed with a sacrifice bunt. After Grant Clark walked and Eddie Rice was hit with a pitch to load the bases it was Bryce Luelf's turn.
He rapped an infield grounder that led to an error to score both Asher and Clark. Siemers followed with a two-run base hit to stretch the Indians lead to 7-2.
Kickapoo tried to make an end run in the top of the seventh by earning two walks and putting runners on third and second.
But relief pitcher Zane Griggs got the next batter to ground out to Marcella at second base to wrap up the victory.
Shea started on the bump for Bartlesville and threw four strong innings. He was helped out in the fourth by a double play to defuse the comeback.
Griggs then tossed three shutout innings after striking out the first two batters he faced.
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Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Brenden Asher gets an out a second base during the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament championship game on Sunday. The Indians defeated Bryant (Ark.), 3-2 at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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WINGET FINALS: Bartlesville Indians 3, Bryant 2
There was no doubt Bryant was the favorite sailing through pool play with a 3-0 mark and outscoring opponents, 29-4. In its semifinal, Bryant had to hold on late against Burkburnett (Texas), 6-3.
The Indians also finished 3-0 in pool play but allowed 10 runs.
Pannell called on Marcella as his starting pitcher against Bryant.
Marcella and his defense responded like lions. Marcella carried a perfect game into the bottom of the fourth. Bryant's offense found a spurt of life that inning to score two runs.
But that's the only scoring Marcella gave up. He continued to scrap and rely on his defense to do its job.
The Indians' offense did all its major damage in the top of the first by scoring three runs.
And that was a true two-out rally.
Three-hole batter Eaves lashed a single, followed by Asher's base hit to set up Shea.
Shea cashed in, pounding a double that drove in Eaves for a 1-0 lead.
Clark stepped up next and walloped a single to plate both Asher and Shea to stretch the Indians' lead to 3-0.
That's all the runs they would produce (or need) for the game.
The Indians' offense staged other mini-threats but couldn't score any more runs off Bryant pitcher Blake Brower or his defense.
Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Grant Clark gets an out at first base during the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament championship game on Sunday. The Indians defeated Bryant (Ark.), 3-2 at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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As mentioned, the Bryant offense began making more noise in the latter innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, a Bryant batter was thrown out trying to steal second. Bryant still put the potential tying run on second - but Marcella got the inning's final batter to line out to Zaun.
In the bottom of the sixth, Bryant made another spirited spurt, putting runners on first and second with no outs. But, the Indians escaped on a fielder's choice and doubleplay.
The decision finally came down to the bottom of the seventh with the Indians clinging to a 3-2 lead. The inning couldn't have started more gloomy for the Indians - the first three Bryant batters reached base on three consecutive singles. That put the potential tying run on third and winning run just 90 feet behind that.
That's when Pannell called on Siemers to pitch in relief.
Siemers answered like a champ.
He got the first batter to ground into a double play - with an out at home plate and the second at first base - to lessen the danger.
But the threat was still imminent - Bryant had runners on third and second. Siemers bore down to strike out the next batter -- after falling behind in the count 2-and-0 and seal the championship.
Then it was time for Indian players, coaches and fans to celebrate.
An absolutely perfect celebration.
Siemers was awarded the Belva Hively Most Valuable Player award, which was presented by her family. Hively spent over 30 years playing the organ at the tourney, giving fans a true traditional baseball atmosphere.
Dale Francka All Tournament team members for the Indians included Shea, Siemers, Asher, Marcella and Clark.
(Becky Burch contributed to this article.)
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Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Kael Siemers receives the Belva Hively Most Valuable Player award during the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament championship game on Sunday. Hively’s family presented the award.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports