BARTLESVILLE-ORU CONNECTION: Asher named Pitcher of the Week; Hall sees plenty of action for Twins’ farm club
Former Bartlesville High School Bruin Brenden Asher is finding success at Oral Roberts University. Another former Bruin, Jakob Hall has seen action with the Mighty Mussels, Minnesota’s ‘A’ team in Fort Myers, Fla.
By Mike Tupa
May 23, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Brendan Asher is perfect proof that the old adage “first impressions never have a second chance,” is a bunch of dragon dung.
His pitching debut on Feb. 25 for Oral Roberts University was anything but pretty — two-thirds of an inning, two walks, two hit batsmen, four earned runs.
Coming out of that game against Missouri State the earned run average of the Bartlesville High School graduate loomed at an ominous 54.00.
His second outing (March 5) against Illinois State was a bare improvement — two innings, two home runs given up, two earned runs and, on the plus side, three strikeouts.
The bottom line was that through his first pitching appearance for ORU, Asher’s numbers were 2.2 innings, six earned runs, two walks, two hit batsmen and a 20.25 ERA.
Hardly the stuff of a roaring start.
But that was then.
Asher has turned that first impression into the smoke of yesterday’s struggles.
Earlier this week, Asher earned the Kwik Star Summit League Baseball Pitcher of the Week honor, due to his superb effort against South Dakota State (see more below on this game).
Since mid-March, Asher’s numbers have consistently improved. During his last nine appearances — one of them against Arkansas — Asher has pitched 37.1 innings, allowed 16 earned runs, only one three doubles, two triples and one home run, hit only two batters with a pitch, given up only eight walks and rang up 20 strikeouts.
His ERA has shrunken more than 10 times — from 54.0 to 5.1.
There’s a deeper reality here. Take away a disastrous outing on April 13 against North Carolina (0.2 innings, eight hits, nine earned runs, one hit batsman) and Asher’s numbers in eight of his last nine showings are 36.2 innings and only seven earned runs — an ERA of 1.74!
In his most recent appearance (May 17), Asher (6-0, 175, RHP) snapped off six innings against South Dakota State, allowed five hits and one earned run, walked two and struck out four. ORU won, 9-2.
This victory secured at least a share of the Summit League championship for ORU (34-20, 21-9).
His season record is 2-2 and he recorded a save in three shutout innings against South Dakota State (April 6).
As mentioned Asher came up with a quality display (March 18) against a very good Arkansas team — four innings, four hits, one earned runs, two walks, one hit batsman, no extra base hits and one strikeout.
Asher is part of the recent Bartlesville-ORU quality connection.
Bruin graduate A.J. Archambo began the Bartlesville-ORU pipeline in the late 2010s, finishing up an outstanding college career in 2022. During Archambo’s final season, Bruin graduate Jakob Hall arrived on the scene.
As a Golden Eagle sophomore pitcher (2023) he helped power ORU to a College World Series appearance.
Following the 2024 season, Hall was drafted by the Minnesota Twins (see a report below).
Asher came on board with ORU in 2025 and is putting the finishing touches on a memorable freshman campaign.
ORU opened Summit League tournament play this week.
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JAKOB HALL
The 22-year-old Hall (6-2, 195) continues to see plenty of action for the Mighty Mussels, Minnesota’s ‘A’ team in Fort Myers, Fla.
He has made eight pitching performances, including three starts, and turned in 26.1 innings. His other numbers include 22 strikeouts, 10 walks, three hit batsmen, given up only three homers and fashioned a 7.18 earned run average.
In his most recent four appearances (two starts), Hall has worked 16.0 innings, struck out 16 batters, walked only five and dropped his ERA to less than 5.00.
Against Tampa Bay he gave up only four hits and one earned run and struck out three in 4.2 innings.
The Twins selected Hall on the eighth round (248th overall) of the 2024 draft.