Cody Price and his Bruin baseball players had multiple reasons to smile following Thursday’s 16-0 shellacking of the Oologah High Mustangs.
First, Oologah is a worthy foe. The Mustangs had surged to a 3-1 record prior to this game, including a sweep of Jay, 15-1 and 2-0.
“We saw their best arm,” Price noted. “It was actually a pretty good win. … We didn’t make a lot of mistakes.”
Second, the Bruins administered some payback for a 6-5 loss last season suffered at the hands of Oologah.
Third, Bartlesville (3-3) sprang up from the ashes of an 8-0 loss Tuesday against Tulsa Union to splatter the ball for 14 hits and splurge on a razor-sharp pitcher performance by Nik Johnson.
Eleven different Bruins — including all nine starters — contributed to the hit total, including a homer and three RBI’s by Mason Moody.
“It always makes winning nicer,” Price said about his team’s hitting storm.
Luke Fox also fired up the attack by smacking two doubles plating two runs.
Eric Olenberger and Aiden Silva both contributed one double and two RBI’s each.
Five Bruins battered two hits each — Fox, Harrison Clark, Bradee Rigdon, Johnson and Brendan Asher.
Knocking in two runs apiece were Fox, Olenberger, Clark, Johnson and Silva.
Zeb Henry set the table as leadoff hitter with a hit, walk, two runs scored and a RBI.
Davis Chancellor contributed two runs scored, Carson Leach recorded an RBI and Brett Eaves scored two runs from his nine-hole spot.
“There’s definitely some bright spots,” Price said. “We had scored seven runs by the fourth inning and had been issued only one walk. We really swing it.”
Johnson toyed with Mustang batters with meticulous precision.
He scattered four hits, walked one and whiffed four during his six-inning outing.
“Nik Johnson was really working ahead and throwing strikes,” Price said. “We were pretty good defensively. That’s really something we focus on.”
Adding an extra layer of sweetness to Thursday’s victory was the stage on which it took place in Tulsa.
“Playing at ONEOK Field was a neat experience,” Price said. “It was neat for the boys to be able to play in that stadium and the result makes it a better feeling.”
The Bruins’ next scheduled game is next Monday at the Gulf Shores Coast Classic tournament in Alabama. The Bruins will play at 9 am Monday against a team from Maryville, Tenn., and at 4:30 pm on Tuesday against Christian Academy (Knoxville, Tenn.).
Bartlesville eyes a doubleheader on Wednesday, with possible championship bracket play on Thursday.