INDIANS EXPLODE IN THIRD TO WIN WINGET OPENER; BRAVES EDGED BY HILLCREST
Doenges Toyota Indian pitcher Kamen Sprague tries to field a ball hit up the middle Thursday night during the Indians’ 7-1 win over Mountain Home during the opening day of the 67th Glen Winget Memorial Tournament at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
Doenges Ford Indian Bryce Luelf (44) is safe at second following a pick-off attempt by the Mountain Home shortstop Thursday evening at Bill Doenges Memorial. The Indians won their opening game 7-1 in the historic 67th Glen Winget Memorial Baseball Tournament.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
By Becky Burch
July 3, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Day one of the 67th annual Glen Winget Memorial Tournament is in the books, capped by a dominant performance from the host squad as the Doenges Toyota Indians defeated Mountain Home 7-1 in the final game of Thursday night.
Earlier in the day, the AA Bartlesville Braves gave an older Hillcrest team a tough battle, but the Merchants ultimately held on for a 6-5 victory.
Thursday’s tournament scores:
Springfield Hillcrest 6, Bartlesville Braves 5
Elk City 9, Branson 4
Southern Elevation 10, Burkburnett 0
Kickapoo 6, Ft. Smith 4
Doenges Toyota Indians 7, Mountain Home 1
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Mountain Home manager Lester White walks back to the dugout during opening day of the 67th annual Glen Winget Memorial Tournament on Thursday. White, an Arkansas American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, has spent more than 40 seasons at the helm of the program.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
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BARTLESVILLE INDIANS 7, Mountain Home 1
The Doenges Toyota Indians exploded for six runs in the third inning to defeat Mountain Home 7-1 in the final game of the night. Mountain Home struck first with a run in the first inning, but could never recover from the Indians’ explosive third-inning rally. Bartlesville later added an insurance run in the fifth to officially close the book on Mountain Home.
The victory came against a highly respected program led by legendary Mountain Home manager Lester White. White, an Arkansas American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, brings a historic resume to town, boasting more than 40 seasons at the helm and well over 1,000 career victories.
Former Dewey Bulldogger Parker Garrison, playing third base for the Indians, sparked the massive third-inning frame by leading off with a hit-by-pitch—the first of his two hit-by-pitches on the night. His former Dewey teammate Easton Davis followed up with a double to left field, moving Garrison to third. Garrison then raced home on a wild pitch to tie the game 1-1 after a walk drawn by another Dewey alumnus, Nate Sloan.
With runners on, Rhett Leu ripped an RBI single on a hard grounder to shortstop, scoring Davis and sending Sloan to third. Leu advanced to second on the throw. Grant Goldman then broke the game wide open, crushing a line-drive double to drive in two runs and push the Indians ahead 4-1.
The scoring kept mounting as Coen Miller was hit by a pitch, advancing Goldman to third. Joel Perez then drove a sacrifice fly to deep outfield, scoring Goldman and pushing Miller to third. Miller eventually crossed the plate on another wild pitch to cap the frame with the Indians commanding a 6-1 cushion.
Despite committing a few defensive errors late in the contest, Bartlesville rode its early run support to secure the 7-1 victory.
Kamen Sprague turned in a dominant performance on the mound for the Indians to earn the win. Sprague tossed six stellar innings, racking up nine strikeouts while allowing only three walks. Goldman handled the catching duties behind the plate before Jaxon Zaun entered in relief to pitch a scoreless seventh inning.
Offensively, the Indians combined for seven runs on six hits and five RBIs. Davis and Goldman each finished with a double, while Goldman paced the team with three RBIs. Leu and Perez each added an RBI, while Garrison and Leu both recorded a stolen base.
Next up, the Indians take on Elk City at 7:15 p.m. Friday, following Elk City's Thursday victory over Branson. A postgame fireworks display will follow the conclusion of the matchup.
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Doenges Ford Indian Owen Dum (11) gets an out at first base during Thursday’s game against Mountain Home. The Indians won their opening game 7-1 in the historic 67th Glen Winget Memorial Baseball Tournament.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report
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HILLCREST 6, Bartlesville Braves 5
The Bartlesville Braves nearly pulled off a day-one comeback but fell 6-5 to Hillcrest in a thrilling opening game of the 67th annual Glen Winget Memorial Tournament.
Hillcrest led 4-2 after five innings before the Braves, an AA squad matching up against an older roster, stormed back with three runs in the top of the sixth to snatch a brief 5-4 lead.
The sixth-inning rally began when Braden Neill was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a Ryan Reece single to center field. Ayden Sheline followed with an RBI single to right field, scoring Neill to cut the deficit to 4-3. After Mason Snellgrove advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, Cole Martin bunted for a single, driving in Reece to tie the game. Mason Johnston then delivered the go-ahead blow, ripping a line-drive single to left field to score Sheline and secure the 5-4 advantage.
However, the lead was short-lived. Hillcrest answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead, 6-5.
The Braves mounted one final threat in the top of the seventh inning when Luke Massey and Neill both reached base to put the tying run in scoring position. Hillcrest pitcher Colton O’Neil managed to escape the jam, leaving the runners stranded and shutting out the Braves in the final frame to lock down the complete-game victory. O’Neil allowed 12 hits and five earned runs while striking out four and walking two over seven innings.
The Braves out-hit Hillcrest 12-8 in the contest, led by a perfect 3-for-3 performance from Johnston, who also scored two runs and drove in one. Neill helped his own cause by going 2-for-2 at the plate with a run scored and a stolen base. Massey finished the day with two hits, one RBI, and a stolen base, while Boswell added a 2-for-3 performance. Sheline collected a hit, a run scored, and an RBI, while Martin contributed a hit and an RBI. Hunter Cales also picked up an RBI for the Braves, and Kayden Harjo, Neill and Massey all swiped bases to round out the offensive effort.
Dewey Bulldogger Jackson Fox started on the mound for the Braves, giving up four hits and four earned runs over 2 2/3 innings while striking out one and walking two. Fox’s Bulldogger teammate Jay Murgia tossed the remaining 3 1/3 innings in relief, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out four and walking two.
Next up, the Braves face Kickapoo at 12:15 p.m. Friday. Kickapoo defeated Ft Smith 6-4 on Thursday.