GLEN WINGET MAGIC: DOENGES TOYOTA INDIANS TO PLAY IN FIRST SEMI-FINAL ON SUNDAY
Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians bat boy Tony Veit, center, reacts after Jaxon Zaun, left, scored during Saturday’s 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium in downtown Bartlesville. Eddie Rice, right, looks on. The Indians, who defeated Fort Smith (Ark.) 9-7, play Springfield Kickapoo Sunday at 2 p.m. in the first semi-final. If they win, the Indians play in the 6 p.m. championship game.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians first baseman Brenden Asher catches a foul ball in the Indians dugout as coaches John Pannell, left, and Chris Shaw look on during Saturday’s 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium in downtown Bartlesville. The Indians, who defeated Fort Smith (Ark.) 9-7, play Springfield Kickapoo Sunday at 2 p.m. in the first semi-final. If they win, the Indians play in the 6 p.m. championship game.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
July 6, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
As the old Jim Croce song warned, you don’t mess around with Superman’s cape or the Lone Ranger’s mask.
And if you’re playing the Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians you don’t take the top of their batting lineup too lightly.
Sparked by Kael Siemers leadoff fireworks, Jaxon Zaun’s fickle grounders, Brett Eaves creativity in making things happen and Brenden Asher’s clutch hitting, the Indians rallied past the Fort Smith (Ark.) Sportsman, 9-7, on Saturday, in the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament.
The win elevated the Indians to Sunday’s semifinals and a shot at the championship game at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium. Bartlesville will take on Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo in the 2 p.m. semi. The winner will advance to the final against the Bryant (Ark.) Blacksox or the Burkburnett (Texas) Black Sox.
The Indians crushed through the Winget pool games with a 3-0 record, upping their season mark to 17-21.
Saturday’s win provided a showcase for the Indians’ character, talent and determination.
In the bottom of the sixth, Eaves hit into an error that brought home Siemers and Zaun to tie the game, 7-7. On that play, head coach John Pannell signaled Zaun to hold up at third base rather than try to score.
“Zaun ran through the stop sign and he made a great headfirst slide safe into home”, Pannell said.
Following Fort Smith’s pitching change, Asher belted a single to plate Eaves for what would be the winning run. Asher scored an insurance run on Grant Clark’s two-out single to put the Indians ahead, 9-7.
In the top of the seventh, Indians relief pitcher Sam Marcella - who would be credited with the win - finished up a super 2.1 inning stint in which he slammed the door shut on Branson’s offense.
Veteran Indians’ head coach Pannell - who is just two wins from his second Winget crown as the skipper - credited the leadership of his “upper” classmen, Eaves, Asher and Siemers for leading the team back from the deficit.
He also singled out Marcella’s contribution.
“Sam got us back on the track on the mound,” Pannell said.
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Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Eli Winters delivers to a Fort Smith (Ark.) batter Saturday night during the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium in downtown Bartlesville. The Indians, who defeated Fort Smith 9-7, play Springfield Kickapoo Sunday at 2 p.m. in the first semi-final. If the Indians win, they’ll play in the 6 p.m. championship game.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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This story featured an odd storyline. Fort Smith spurted to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, forcing the Indians to play catchup.
They did just that, scoring five times in the bottom of the first. Siemers started it out with a leadoff double and scored on an error on a ball put in play by Zaun.
That set the table for the hard-swinging Hunter Shea. He shuttled home two runs with a single to put the Indians ahead, 3-2. Later in the inning, Asher scored on a wild pitch and Clark grounded out to score Shea for a 5-2 lead.
Fort Smith continued to claw back, however, and eventually flip-flopped the lead, 7-5, on the strength of a three-run double that persuaded Pannell to replace mound starter Grant Clark with reliever Eli Winters.
Winters worked into the top of the fifth, but got on the hot seat with two runners in scoring position and Fort Smith threatening to add to its 7-5 lead.
Pannell then called Marcella’s number. He shut down the rally by getting the third out of an unassisted fielder’s choice by Asher. Marcella then retired six of the seven batters he faced the last two innings.
That allowed the Indians to make their four-run comeback in the bottom of the sixth, fueled by Siemer’s leadoff single, followed by Zaun reaching base again on an error.
That set in motion the uprising, highlighted by Asher’s pressure-packed base hit to bring home Eaves and put the Indians ahead for good.
Shea also singled in the inning to push Asher into scoring position for Clark’s timely base hit.
The Indians are now set up to challenge for their first Winget since 2018 and their second for Pannell, the first being in 2003. (Pannell skippered the team from 2003-10, stepped away for a decade, and came back as head coach in 2020).
Bryant is in the driver’s seat going into the semifinals. The Arkansas squad outscored its pool opponents, 29-4.
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Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians Brett Eaves scores the Indians final run in their 9-7 win over Fort Smith (Ark.) Saturday night during the 66th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium in downtown Bartlesville. The Indians play Springfield Kickapoo Sunday at 2 p.m. in the first semi-final. If they win, the Indians play in the 6 p.m. championship game.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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FINAL 2025 WINGET POOL STANDINGS
(Note: Runs scored-allowed are in parentheses.)
1-Bryant (Ark) Blacksox - 3-0 (29-4)
2-Bartlesville Indians - 3-0 (24-10)
3-Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo - 3-0 (29-11)
4-Burkburnett (Texas) Black Sox - 2-1 (10-13)
5-Mountain Home (Ark.) Lockeroom - 2-1 (11-9)
6-Southern Elevation - 1-2 (7-22)
7-Elk City Mudcats - 1-2 (15-28)
8-Branson (Mo.) Pirates - 0-3 (5-14)
9-Springfield (Mo.) Hillcrest - 0-3 (2-17)
10-Fort Smith (Ark.) Sportsman - 0-3 (18-22)
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WINGET SUNDAY SCHEDULE
(First three matchups are tentative, all games subject to late changes.)
8 a.m.: 9th place - Springfield Hillcrest vs Fort Smith
10 a.m.: 7th place - Elk City vs Branson
Noon: 5th place - Mountain Home vs Southern Elevation
2 p.m.: Semifinal - Bartlesville vs Springfield Kickapoo
4 p.m.: Semifinal - Bryant vs Burkburnett
6 p.m.: Championship - Semifinal winners
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