Tyler Osgood tried to hold it together as he rounded the bases.
With his parents’ message echoing over the loudspeaker and his teammates lined up watching, the Claremore senior took in every step. It was a moment that had nothing to do with the scoreboard and everything to do with the journey.
Claremore [22-11] honored its senior class — Osgood, Lucas Dupont, Gavin Bittle, Ryder Garrison, Saxton Pickup, Luke Roberts, Drew Dipboye and Gage Graham — following the game with the now-traditional base-run ceremony, where each player circles the bases while listening to messages from their parents over the PA system.
“It was bittersweet,” Osgood said. “They’ve been a part of your baseball journey since you were a little kid, and to see it all come to a close on your high school field is very bittersweet. Their love and support for me [stood out]. I don’t tell them enough how much I appreciate them and them showing up every single day, and it was nice to hear it [from them].
“That started last year with our senior class,” he added. “It’s a message because us players, we always tell our parents how much we appreciate them, but it was a way for parents to really give them one last go-around and write a speech for us.”
Those emotions came after a 7-1 nondistrict loss to Bartlesville on Thursday night at Legendary Legion Field, a game defined by one decisive inning.
Osgood and fellow senior Drew Dipboye accounted for 2 of Claremore’s 3 hits, while Xyler Reeder drove in the Zebras’ lone run.
On the field, Bartlesville took control early and never let go.
Saxton Pickup got the start for the Zebras and worked a clean first inning with 2 strikeouts, but the Bruins broke through in the second. After a walk and a single put runners in scoring position, a wild pitch allowed the game’s first run to score, giving Bartlesville a 1-0 lead.
The Bruins [19-15] threatened again in the third, loading the bases with two outs, but Pickup escaped the jam to keep the deficit at one.
Bartlesville broke the game open in the fourth, though.
After a leadoff single and a pair of wild pitches moved the runner to third, a sacrifice bunt by Bryce Luelf brought in a run to make it 2-0. The Bruins then loaded the bases with a string of walks, and Sam Hill drew another walk to force in a run.
Moments later, Sam Marcella grounded out to score another run, and Luke Massey delivered the biggest hit of the inning — a 2-run single to center field — capping a 5-run frame and pushing the lead to 6-0.
Pickup was charged with 5 runs over 3 1/3 innings, while Bittle came on in relief during the fourth. Garrison and Dupont also saw time on the mound, combining to hold Bartlesville to 1 run over the final 3 innings.
Claremore answered in the bottom of the fifth.
Osgood sparked the rally with a double to left field, and courtesy runner Bo Wolf later came around to score on Reeder’s RBI single, cutting the deficit to 6-1.
But that was all the Zebras could muster against Bruins starter Cooper Swaim, who went the distance, allowing just 3 hits and 1 run while striking out 3 and not issuing a walk.
Bartlesville added its final run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Luelf to make it 7-1.
Claremore had one last baserunner in the bottom of the seventh when Roberts reached on an error, but the Bruins closed it out from there.
In the end, the final score took a backseat.
For Claremore’s seniors, especially Osgood, the lasting image wasn’t the loss. It was that slow, meaningful trip around the bases, soaking in one last moment at home.
Well, sort of.
While Thursday marked Senior Night, it won’t be the Zebras’ final time at home this season. Claremore tied for first in District 5A-3 with Pryor and ultimately finished second on tiebreakers, earning the right to host a regional next week.
“A lot of them have been here all four years, which was really neat,” Claremore coach Jonathan Gelnar said. “It’s a good group of kids. Regardless of baseball, they’re going to go do great things in life, and that’s a big part of our program, and we wanted to make sure we celebrated them today.
“I wish the outcome would have been better, but we’re glad to be hosting regionals. For them to go out being able to have that opportunity is a big deal. It was a big goal for them.”
The bracket hasn’t been officially released, but Claremore is expected to host McAlester, Booker T. Washington and Memorial, with the Zebras opening against the Chargers at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Claremore has already seen two of those potential opponents this season, sweeping Booker T. Washington 9-0 and 19-1 in district play while falling to McAlester 5-3 at the McAlester 5A Shootout Festival on April 18. Meanwhile, Memorial is 1-18 on the season.
“Booker T’s got an arm that’s pretty good, and they’ll probably throw him against McAlester,” Gelnar said. “McAlester’s got a guy that’s been 88-92 [mph], and I assume they’ll throw him Game 2 [against us]. They’re good, and it’s going to be a battle.”
So while the seniors took one last lap under the lights Thursday, they’ll have more chances to make new memories on their home field.
“I think we’re in a great spot,” Osgood said. “Depth wise, arm wise, team camaraderie and everything like that — we’re in a great spot to go make a run. We have a tough team in McAlester, but it is not something we’re not prepared for. We’re gonna come out firing and continue that at state.”