PBA MOURNS TWO LOSSES

PBA Mourns Losses of Hall of Famer Mike McGrath, Founding Member Bill Lillard

PETALUMA, Calif. – Mike McGrath, who stunned the Professional Bowlers Association when he won the 1965 Portland Open, the first PBA tournament he entered at age 19, died late Sunday in California. His death, at age 71, was confirmed by his daughter Jennifer. Details were not immediately available.

McGrath, a lanky left-hander, was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1988 and the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame in 1993 after a career that included back-to-back PBA National Championships in 1969 and 1970, when he was the tour’s leading money winner. He recorded another major victory when he defeated fellow Hall of Famer Earl Anthony, 234-222, to become the first left-hander to win the U.S. Open in 1973 in Madison Square Garden in New York.

McGrath finished his career with 10 Tour titles and $238,305 in career earnings. During the PBA’s 50th anniversary gala in 2009, he was ranked 39th on list of the PBA’s 50 greatest players.

“Anyone who won 10 titles in that era had some ability,” said PBA Hall of Famer Dick Ritger about McGrath’s selection to the all-time top 50 list. “He was one of the top three or four left-handers alongside Bill Allen, Dave Davis and Earl Anthony.”

“Today I lost one of my best friends, said close friend and fellow hall of famer Barry Asher. “Mike McGrath has passed.

“For those of you who didn't really know and understand him, you really missed something special. He was a Hall of Fame bowler as we all know. But in life he was a Hall of Fame person, friend and especially a father. I will miss him as long as I draw breath.”

Details regarding memorial services will be published when they are available.

The PBA also has learned of the death Sunday of PBA pioneer Bill Lillard, one of the 33 founding members of the organization in 1958. A former member of the famous Budweisers of St. Louis, among other noted “beer teams” of the 1950s, Lillard won his only PBA Tour title in the 1966 Miller High Life Open. The Houston native would have celebrated his 90th birthday in October.

Lillard had his most visible success in the USBC Open Championships where he won eight titles and set the all-time pinfall list with 124,087 total pins throughout his career. Lillard also was owner of Bowl on Bellaire, the center that hosted the PBA-PWBA Xtra Frame Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles event for several years before he told the center last year.

LAGARES TO REHAB IN BINGHAMTON

Lagares to Rehab with Rumble Ponies on Tuesday

BINGHAMTON, NY – Juan Lagares, a member of the Binghamton Mets in 2011 and 2012, will start a Major League rehab assignment with the Rumble Ponies at NYSEG Stadium on Tuesday night at 6:35 PM. Lagares is returning to action following a left thumb fracture he suffered on June 15.

Lagares, 28, has played in 506 games across five seasons in the Major Leagues with the Mets. He made his MLB debut in 2013 and won a Gold Glove for his defensive work in the outfield in 2014. Lagares was hitting .269 in 47 games this season with the Mets.

Lagares hit .304 and logged 138 games as a B-Met in his first two seasons in the Southern Tier. He also spent time with the team during Major League rehab assignments in 2014 and 2016.

Tickets for Tuesday’s game can be purchased at any time at the Rumble Ponies’ website (www.bingrp.com). The NYSEG Stadium box office is open from 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays. Fans can also call (607) 722-FUNN to purchase tickets for Tuesday's game.

##RUMBLE PONIES##

LEE IS THE NEW COMEBACK KID

Mi Hyang Lee is the new comeback kid.

The Korean entered the weekend at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open at four-over par, in a tie for 39th and nine-strokes back of 36-hole leader Cristie Kerr. She posted the low round of the day on both Saturday and Sunday with rounds of 68 – 66 to win by one at six-under par.

Lee took moving day quite literally as she began the weekend at Dundonald Links nine-strokes back of the lead and in a tie for 39th with opening rounds of 73- 75. After her round Sunday, Lee revealed her clubs hadn’t arrived in Scotland until Wednesday, so she played with a rented set for her Tuesday practice round and it took her a few days to adjust.

“I think the first and second round was, I hit it really good, but just I missed a lot of putts. So I tried to practice my putting with the wind. I made a lot of putts yesterday, so I took a lot of confidence from yesterday,” Lee said.

She leaped into contention during Saturday’s extreme weather with a four-under par, 68 to climb back to Even par and six-strokes back of Webb.

Sunday, she picked up exactly where she left off with a 31 on her outward nine that put her in a tie at the top with Webb. But Lee cooled on the back, with eight consecutive pars and was unaware of what was happening behind her with Webb. She went on to make a well-timed birdie at the 72nd hole, which proved to be the one-stroke difference that earned her a second career win on Sunday.

“It was a really surprise for me, and then just my front nine is amazing, and then I think I got a good start from my first hole,” Lee said about her victory. “Then just my back nine is a little up-and-down, but I made a lot of putts. I made a lot of good putts and then a good chip shot, too. Just I think hole-by-hole, simple.”

To read Amy Roger’s complete recap please visit - http://www.lpga.com/news/2017-quick-recap-final-round-ladies-scottish-open

WEBB COMES UP JUST SHY

Karrie Webb came up just shy in her quest for her 42nd win on the LPGA Tour finishing a shot out of a playoff with Mi Hyang Lee.

“Yeah, I played really well,” Webb said. “I drove the ball great and hit my irons really well, and the creative shots I played really nicely and actually trusted my feel and creativity rather than being so technical about it. So I felt really good about how I played this week and I actually felt good about how calm I was today, considering it’s been a while since I’ve been in contention. Hopefully that bodes well for next week.”

Webb chipped in for eagle at the par five, 14th to take a two-stroke lead and looked in command of her game as she nearly holed out at the next hole.

But then at the 16th, she missed a short putt to save par and her round continued to unravel from there. Now leading by one with three to play, Webb hit what she thought was a solid drive at the 17th, but it took an awkward kick into the fairway bunker at the par four, the first bunker Webb found this week.

“Yeah, very gutted,”  Webb said. “Obviously like you said, I was on a high, making the eagle, and then I had a very nice up-and-down on the next. Obviously there were nerves there, but there was a good calmness there. Even on 17 tee, I hit -- like I said, the exact tee shot I wanted to get it down around those bunkers, and I’m not quite sure what happened to it, how it ended up where it did.

But even the last two, decent swings. I just had an in-between number unfortunately. I would have liked to have just hit a hard 8-iron but I couldn’t count on it carrying that front. But no leaderboard on the last, so I didn’t know I had to make that.”

OF NOTE

Mi Hyang Lee went 75 starts between her victory in Japan and today

Her six shot comeback is the largest comeback on the LPGA Tour this season

Becomes the 20th different winner this year on the LPGA

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Actually my bag doesn’t come this week until Wednesday. First time I practice with my golf club on Wednesday. Just I rented clubs from the pro shop for the practice round on Tuesday. So yeah, it was a really good experience for me.”

-Mi Hyang Lee on not having her clubs earlier in the week

PARKER BOHN III TAKES EARLY LEAD

Slow Start Doesn’t Stop Parker Bohn III From Taking

PBA50 Dave Small’s Championship Lanes Classic First Round Lead

ANDERSON, Ind. (July 30, 2017) – Overcoming a slow start and going through four bowling balls in the first two games, Parker Bohn III of Jackson, N.J., averaged 234.8 Sunday to lead the first round of the PBA50 Dave Small’s Championship Lanes Classic presented by Roto Grip.

Starting with games of 179 and 186, the 54-year-old PBA Hall of Famer bounced back with games of 257, 215, 268, 279, 217 and 278 to lead the field of 112 players 50 and older with a 1,879 eight-game pinfall total.

“It wasn’t looking good there for a while,” said Bohn. “After finally getting the right ball in my hand, then I had to work on pin carry because I was leaving a lot of corner pins.

“Pocket control is everything,” Bohn added. “Once I had the right ball, I made a hand position change and a speed adjustment and the results speak for themselves.”

Bohn, a 35-time PBA Tour titlist and three-time winner on the PBA50 Tour, has two top-five finishes this season which include second in the PBA50 Players Championship and third in the UnitedHealthcare Sun Bowl In the Villages.

“You just have to keep trying and hopefully everything comes together,” Bohn said. “I’ve started the job, now I just have to finish it.”

Bohn holds a 104-pin lead over three-time PBA50 Tour titlist Bob Learn Jr. of Erie, Pa., in second, who finished the round with 1,775. Learn finished second to Ron Mohr of Las Vegas in last week’s PBA50 South Shore Open. PBA Hall of Famer Doug Kent of Newark, N.Y., is in third with 1,764.

Defending champion PBA Hall of Famer Brian Voss of Centennial, Colo., finished the first round in fourth with a 1,752 pinfall and Brian LeClair of Delmar, N.Y., the season’s only two-time winner, finished fifth with 1,738.

After Monday’s second round, the top 24 players will advance to Tuesday’s match play rounds with eight additional players advancing to match play after a cashers round Tuesday morning. After match play, the top five players will advance to the stepladder finals at 7 p.m. EDT.

Bowling fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame.  For subscription and schedule information visit www.xtraframe.tv. In addition to following the action on pba.com, Apple users can download the new PBA app, available through the Apple App store, to access live scoring.

PBA50 DAVE SMALL’S CHAMPIONSHIP LANES CLASSIC

Presented by Roto Grip

Dave Small’s Championship Lanes, Anderson Ind., Sunday

First Round (After eight games)

1, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 1,879.
2, Bob Learn Jr., Erie, Pa., 1,775.
3, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 1,764.
4, Brian Voss, Centennial, Colo., 1,752.
5, Brian LeClair, Delmar, N.Y., 1,738.
6, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 1,727.
7, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 1,720.
8, ss-Tom Baker, King, N.C., 1,708.
9, Danny Clark, New Palestine, Ind., 1,702.
10, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 1,700.
11, Scott Merritt, Iowa City, Iowa, 1,693.
12, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 1,689.
13, Scott Greiner, Platte City, Mo., 1,685.
13, Greg McDaniel, Kimball, Neb., 1,685.
15, Gary Schluchter, Femont, Ohio, 1,683.
15, Mike Scroggins, Amarillo, Texas, 1,683.
17, Eddie Graham, Centerville, Ohio, 1,677.
18, John Brockland, St. Charles, Mo., 1,673.
19, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 1,654.
20, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 1,653.
21, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 1,652.
22, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 1,645.
23, Don Herrington, Ballston Lake, N.Y., 1,641.
24, Jeff Zaffino, Warren, Pa., 1,640.
25, ss-Nile Konicek, Gilbert, Ariz., 1,628.
26, Billy Froberg, St Joseph, Mich., 1,624.
27, ss-Ron Profitt, Brookville, Ohio, 1,620.
28, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 1,617.
29, ss-Warren Nelson, Hemet, Calif., 1,614.
30, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 1,610.
31, ss-Paul McCordic, Sugar Land, Texas, 1,602.
32, Tommy Martin, Millington, Tenn., 1,600.
33, Sammy Ventura, Syracuse, N.Y., 1,589.
34, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 1,588.
35, Neil Kassel, Beavercreek, Ohio, 1,584.
36, Marty Berke, Allentown, Pa., 1,583.
37, (tie) Todd Haney, Boiling Springs, S.C., Gary Alstott, Washington, Ill., and Keith Lesko, Chicago, 1,571.
40, ss-Ted Staikoff, Black Hawk, S.D., 1,563.
41, (tie) ss-Gary Kammes, Winfield, Ill., and Brian Cooper, Henderson, Nev., 1,556.
43, Warren Burr, Wilmington, Del., 1,555.
44, ss-Steve Stein, Staten Island, N.Y., 1,553.
45, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 1,551.
46, (tie) ss-John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., and ss-Kenny Parks, Hammond, Ind., 1,547.
48, (tie) ss-Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., and ss-James Storts, Westfield, Ind., 1,546.
50, ss-Sam Maccarone, Blackwood, N.J., 1,543.
51, ss-Vince Honeycutt, Franklin, N.C., 1,541.
52, ss-Tom Carter, Columbus, Ohio, 1,536.
53, Kevin Foley, Reno, Nev., 1,534.
54, ss-Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 1,533.
55, Todd Kjell, Roscoe, Ill., 1,532.
56, ss-Dale Csuhta, Wadsworth, Ohio, 1,524.
57, ss-Don Blatchford, Santa Monica, Calif., 1,519.
58, Terry Rohrer, Ft. Wayne, Ind., 1,515.
59, ss-David Goldenberg, Holtsville, N.Y., 1,506.
60, n-Ron Nelson Jr, Bridgeview, Ill., 1,505.
61, ss-Emilio Mora Sr., Defiance, Ohio, 1,500.
62, Rick Woloszyn, Griffith, Ind., 1,497.
63, ss-Bill Nichols, Bella Vista, Ark., 1,495.
64, Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 1,493.
65, (tie) Larry Verble, Mason, Mich., and Paul LeMond, Jasper, Ind., 1,492.
67, ss-Dave Bernhardt, Romeo, Mich., 1,491.
68, Dana Wright, St. Paul, Minn., 1,483.
69, Kevin Anderson, Mt. Juliet, Tenn., 1,482.
70, (tie) Chris Gentry, Anderson, Ind., and ss-Steven Jansson, Barnes, Wis., 1,481.
72, (tie) ss-Lee Brosius, Ashburn, Va., and Rick Zakrajsek, Lorain, Ohio, 1,472.
74, Pete Thomas, Oklahoma City, Okla., 1,468.
75, Ernie Segura Jr., Taylor, Mich., 1,466.
76, Brad Sipes, Bloomington, Ill., 1,461.
77, ss-Brian Miller, Springfield, Ohio, 1,460.
78, ss-Patrick King, Yankton, S.D., 1,458.
79, (tie) ss-Brendan Bierch, Grafton, Mass., and David Rosengarten, Gardendale, Ala., 1,456.
81, ss-Paul Mielens, Menomonie, Wis., 1,453.
82, ss-Marc Lineberry, Camanche, Iowa, 1,447.
83, ss-William Banks, Laurel Hill, N.C., 1,443.
84, ss-Michael Chrzanowski, Shepherd, Mich., 1,441.
85, ss-Tim Pierce, Portland, Ore., 1,436.
86, Jim Pitts, Elmira, N.Y., 1,430.
87, Tony Majcher, Rolling Meadows, Ill., 1,428.
88, Timothy Regan, East Northport, N.Y., 1,425.
89, Raymond Scrivens, Jr., Athens, Pa., 1,420.
90, Patrick Shipley, Spring Valley, Calif., 1,418.
91, ss-Bill Hewlett, Las Vegas, 1,412.
92, Glenn Morgan, Carson City, Nev., 1,411.
93, Tony Johnson, Canton, Ohio, 1,403.
94, (tie) Jeffery Johnson, Freeport, Ill., and ss-Fred Ferreira, Kings Park, N.Y., 1,396.
96, ss-Daniel Twomey, Teaneck, NJ, 1,395.
97, Bill Sparks III, Canton, Ohio, 1,387.
98, Rick Francis, Linden, Calif., 1,384.
99, ss-Edward Silva, Manteca, Calif., 1,383.
100, Allen Snyder, Huber Heights, Ohio, 1,372.
101, ss-Tom Howison, Chillicothe, Ohio, 1,371.
102, ss-James Knoblauch, Waukesha, Wis., 1,365.
103, n-John Thompson, Sarasota, Fla., 1,364.
104, Steve Easterday, Strasburg, Ohio, 1,355.
105, ss-Allen Meskan, Addison, Ill., 1,310.
106, ss-n-Peter Minaudo, Chesterfield, Mich., 1,307.
107, John Kidwell, Indianapolis, Ind., 1,301.
108, ss-Dowell Milliken, Lake Grove, N.Y., 1,263.
109, Mike Watson, Grass Valley, Calif., 1,259.
110, ss-Robert Teeters, Lapel, Ind., 1,110.
111, n-Mark Drinkut, Anderson, Ind., 1,087.
112, Doug O'Bryant, Ball Ground, Ga., 773.

n-non-member

ss-PBA60 player ages 60 and older

CORTES PERFECT IN VICTORY

Cortes Perfect in RailRiders’ Victory

SWB Earns First Sweep in Charlotte Since 2013

Charlotte, N.C. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) held off the Charlotte Knights to win 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at BB&T Ballpark. The RailRiders (68-39) finished their road trip 5-2 and earned the franchise’s first sweep in Charlotte since 2013. SWB also wraps up a 5-2 record against the Knights (45-62).

Left-hander Nestor Cortes was called up from Double-A Trenton to make the evening start and finished just shy of five perfect innings. Cortes no-hit the Knights for 4.2 frames and struck out seven. His outing concluded with five consecutive strikeouts.

The RailRiders struck for three runs off Lucas Giolito (4-10). Cito Culver smashed his 10th homer of the year out to left in the fifth and scored Ji-Man Choi for a 2-0 lead. Jake Cave stroked a triple to left-center in the sixth and came across on a sacrifice fly by Mike Ford and a 3-0 advantage. Giolito hurled seven innings in all, allowing five hits, three walks and struck out two.

Joe Mantiply (5-4) held the Knights to an unearned run on two hits over two innings in relief for the win. Giovanny Gallegos needed only nine pitches to strikeout the side in the ninth for his third save.

OFF THE RAILS:

-Billy McKinney doubled as part of a 1-for-4 night. He finished the three-game series 8-for-13 (.615) with two doubles, two triples, two homers, eight RBI and seven runs scored.

-Jake Cave went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.

-Cito Culver’s fifth-inning home run was his 10th of the year. The RailRiders now have five hitters with 10+ round-trippers on the year: Choi (10), Frazier (12), Cave (12) and Fowler (13)

-Four SWB pitchers combined to strikeout 12 nights. The RailRiders’ staff finished with 85 strikeouts on the seven-game road trip, or 12.1 strikeouts per game.

The 2016 Gildan Triple-A National Champion RailRiders return home on Tuesday, August 1, for a series opener against the Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Every Tuesday home game at PNC Field is Two-Dollar Tuesday, with $2 lawn seats and $2 tallboys, presented by La Tolteca. For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

LEE DOES IT AGAIN IN MICHIGAN

BATTLE CREEK, Michigan, July 30, 2017 - Erynne Lee (Silverdale, Washington) has done it again. She carded a 5-under, 67 on Sunday at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship to win her second tournament in a three-week stretch. Lee finished with a three-day total of 12-under, 204 to win by two shots over Benyapa Niphatsophon (Bangkok, Thailand), who held a two-stroke lead into the final-round. Mia Piccio (Bacolod City, Philippines) finished third at 7-under, 209. 

Lee, 24, pockets the $15,000 first-place payout and moves from fourth to third on the Volvik Race for the Card money list with $70,998 earned in 15 starts. While Lee has not guaranteed a spot in the final top 10, she has put herself in fantastic position with seven events remaining in the season. For perspective, tenth on the money list in 2016 earned $67,577. 

“This is a really great cushion (to earn my LPGA card), but I’m obviously not going to let my guard down,” said Lee. “We have seven events left and anything could happen. Anyone could have a good week and a good stretch so I just want to keep this momentum going.”

Lee started the day with a bogey and then began to find the range with the flatstick. She hit a 20-foot birdie on two, a 17-foot birdie on four and closed the front nine with birdies on six, seven and nine. Her birdie on the par-5 ninth came from the fringe.

“I didn’t really feel a lot of pressure going into today,” said Lee. “It was really neck-and-neck with Benyapa the entire day. She got on fire on the back nine when I had the three-stroke cushion.”

Niphatsophon found her game on the back. It started with a birdie on the par-5 tenth to trim the deficit to two shots. After a bogey on 12, the Lee lead grew back to three shots with six to play. Niphatsophon made birdies on 13 and 14 to trim the gap to one. Lee watched her drive on 15 hit a tree limb and she settled for a bogey and the score was level with three to play.

On hole 16, Lee hit her tee shot to the middle of the green on the par-3. She drilled a 27-foot birdie putt to regain a one-stroke lead.

“It is never easy coming off a three-putt on a par-5, but I regrouped on the tee and hit a good shot,” said Lee. “I wanted to make sure I got the putt to the hole and it kind of snuck in on the side and I was really pumped about it.”

Lee then stuck her approach on 17 to a foot. Niphatsophon made a 10-footer on 17 for birdie and then Lee tapped in to hold the one-shot lead to 18. 

“I just had a three-quarter wedge shot on 17 and it was a tight pin and fortunately it just stuck right next to the pin,” explained Lee. “It was a really exciting shot for me and all the spectators watching.”

Lee made a 5-foot par putt on 18 to seal the win. Niphatsophon made bogey so the outcome wasn’t in question. 

Over the first seven events of the season, Lee had zero top 10 finishes and ranked 78th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list with just $2,940 earned. In her last eight starts, she has five top 10 finishes, seven top 20 results and has earned $68,058.

“My performance has been at an all-time high the last eight weeks,” said Lee. “The consistency at which I’m playing right now is really, really exciting and that is what is keeping me going.”

Lee now has three career wins on the Symetra Tour in just a year and a half on Tour. She won the IOA Championship in her debut last year and won the Donald Ross Centennial Classic in French Lick, Indiana two weeks ago. 

Lee will play next at the PHC Classic in Milwaukee. A third win would give her a “Battlefield Promotion” to the LPGA through category 13. A win or a second place finish next week also would get her a spot in the 2017 Evian Championship, the final major on the LPGA schedule. 

THANAPOLBOONYARAS CARDS A 65 ON FINAL DAY: Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras (Rio-Et, Thailand) started her round exactly three hours before the leaders even tee’d off. She made some noise early in the day with a 7-under, 65 and moved all the way up to a tie for fourth. 

“My wedge shots were working really good today,” said Thanapolboonyaras. “I had about 90-100 yards a lot and I hit a lot of close shots for birdie.”

The highlight of her round was a near hole-in-one on the fourth.

“I had about 170 yards and I hit a 5-iron,” explained Thanapolboonyaras. “It landed about five feet below the pin and then rolled right next to it.”

Thanapolboonyaras, 19, has made 12 starts on the LPGA Tour this year and plays mostly on the big tour. She played the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship because she didn’t get into the two events on the LPGA in Scotland. Last week on the LPGA, she finished T27 at the Marathon Classic. Her best finish on the LPGA is a T18 at the Kingsmill Championship.

Thanapolboonyaras will play on the Symetra Tour again next week at the PHC Classic with a chance to qualify for The Evian Championship.

“It would be nice because I really want to play in a major,” said Thanapolboonyaras. “Last year, I tried but didn’t qualify so hopefully I can next week.”

LEE EARNS 500 POTAWATOMI CUP POINTS TO HAVE CHANCE TO WIN CUP: Erynne Lee earned 500 Potawatomi Cup points for her victory at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship. The PHC Classic next week is the fourth and final event that is part of the Potawatomi Cup, a series created by the four events sponsored by Potawatomi nation tribes. 

Lee now has 643.5 points, which is second in the Potawatomi Cup standings. Niphatsophon earned 300 points for her second place finish and has 667.5 points to lead the standings. The player with the most points at the end of the PHC Classic will earn a $6,000 bonus, which doesn’t count towards the money list. 

The Potawatomi Cup has given players a $40,000 pool to compete for over the course of the four tournaments. There is $8,500 available at each tournament. 

STERNER-POPPLER WIN PWBA XTRA FRAME EVENT

Florida’s Jason Sterner, Germany’s Birgit Poppler Win PBA-PWBA Xtra Frame

Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles Title

Final match victory against Diandra Asbaty and Jason Belmonte decides title

HOUSTON, Texas (July 30, 2017) – Jason Sterner of Cocoa, Fla., and “replacement” partner Birgit Poppler of Germany defeated Australia’s Jason Belmonte and Diandra Asbaty of Chicago in the final game to win the 18th PBA-PWBA Xtra Frame Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles title at Copperfield Bowl Sunday.

Sterner, who won his only Professional Bowlers Association Tour title in the 2013 Don Carter Classic in Detroit, teamed up with Poppler, who was in the United States as a Professional Women’s Bowling Association competitor, after his original partner was forced to cancel due to an injury. Trailing Asbaty and Belmonte by 10 pins heading into the final position round match, Sterner threw a 258 game and Poppler a 204 for 462 total pins, topping Asbatay’s 178 and Belmonte’s 254 by 30 pins to overcome the deficit.

The winners, who won five consecutive matches earlier in the round to dig out from a 238-pin deficit, split $16,000 in prize money. Poppler, a veteran member of Germany’s national bowling team, also earned her first PWBA Tour title.

“Before we started, I told her I needed to impress her, so hopefully I did,” Sterner said. “Everyone knows how much work I put it in, so it’s nice to get a little reward.”

“I’m just happy,” Poppler said. “I didn’t expect to bowl this tournament so it couldn’t be a better outcome.”

Four-time past winners Shannon Pluhowsky and Tommy Jones, and three-time winners Shannon O’Keefe and Bill O’Neill failed to qualify for the match play finals. Pluhowsky and Jones finished in 12th place while two-time defending champions O’Keefe and O’Neill finished 36th.

PWBA players now head to Plano, Texas, for the U.S. Women’s Open Tuesday through Sunday, PBA Tour players will begin the final three weeks of PBA Xtra Frame Storm Cup series competition in the Xtra Frame Chesapeake Open from AMF Western Branch in Chesapeake, Va., Aug. 12-13. Immediately following will be the Xtra Frame Gene Carter’s Pro Shop Classic from Mid-County Bowling and Entertainment in Middletown, Del., Aug. 19-20, and the Storm Cup series finale, the Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Group Classic from Pla-Mor Lanes in Coldwater, Ohio, Aug. 26-27.

All preliminary rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open and start-to-finish coverage of all three Storm Cup events will air live on PBA’s online live streaming channel, Xtra Frame. For subscription information, visit xtraframe.tv.

PBA/PWBA XTRA FRAME STRIKING AGAINST BREAST CANCER MIXED DOUBLES

presented by Storm
Copperfield Bowl, Houston, Texas, Sunday

Final Standings (after 20 team games, including match play bonus pins)

1, Birgit Poppler, Germany/Jason Sterner, Cocoa, Fla., 6-2, 8,799, $16,000.

2, Diandra Asbaty, Chicago/Jason Belmonte, Australia, 4-3-1, 8,749, $8,000.

3, Natalie Cortese, Hoffman Estates, Ill./Brad Miller, Raytown, Mo., 6-2, 8,677, $5,000.

4, Jenny Wegner, Sweden/Connor Pickford, Plano, Texas, 5-3, 8,663, $4,000.

5, Lynda Barnes, Double Oak, Texas/Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 1-7, 8,639, $3,000.

6, Bryanna Caldwell Cote, Red Rock, Ariz./Stuart Williams, England, 3-4-1, 8,602, $2,500.

7, Erin McCarthy, Omaha, Neb./AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 3-5, 8,494, $2,350.

8, Maria Rodriguez, Colombia/Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 3-5, 8,484, $2,250.

Other Cashers (after 12 team games):

9, Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah/Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 5,097, $2,180.

10, Clara Guerrero, Colombia/Andres Gomez, Colombia, 5,078, $2,100.

11, Holly Harris, Wichita, Kan./Devin Bidwell, Wichita, Kan., 5,055, $2,050.

12, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio/Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 5,049, $2,000.

13, T'nia Moore, Greensburg, Pa./BJ Moore, Greensburg, Pa., 5,016, $1,950.

14, Liz Kuhlkin, Schenectady, N.Y./Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 5,011, $1,900.

15, Rocio Restrepo, Colombia/Joe Hostetler, Louisville, Ohio, 5,009, $1,850.

16, Jamie Martin, Omaha, Neb./Sean Rangel, Omaha, Neb., 5,005, $1,800.

17, Amanda Greene, Romney, W.Va./Kyle Sherman, O'Fallon, Mo., 4,989, $1,750.

18, Josie Earnest-Barnes, Nashville, Tenn./Kyle Barnes, Smyrna, Tenn., 4,986, $1,700.

19, Daria Kovalova, Ukraine/AJ Chapman, Manchester, Iowa, 4,980, $1,650.

20, Liz Johnson, Chicago/Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 4,979, $1,600.

21, Shannon Sellens, Copiague, N.Y./Anthony Pepe, East Elmhurst, N.Y., 4,968, $1,550.

22, Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Keller, Texas/Michael Tang, San Francisco, 4,960, $1,500.

23, Jasmine Coleman, Manteca, Calif./Vernon Peterson, Winter Haven, Fla., 4,957, $1,450.

24, Allie Ijams, Wichita, Kan./Kevin Tatrow, Wichita, Kan., 4,952, $1,400.

25, Brittany Smith, Des Moines, Iowa/Nick Pate, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., 4,943, $1,350.

26, Natalie Goodman, O'Fallon, Ill./EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 4,938, $1,300.

27, Christina Kinney, Las Vegas/Robert Lawrence, Del Valle, Texas, 4,935, $1,225.

27, Karen Boyd, Fort Lauderdale, Fla./John Janawicz, Winter Haven, Fla., 4,935, $1,225.

29, Brittni Hamilton, Nashville, Tenn./Rob Gotchall, Clarksville, Tenn., 4,934, $1,150.

30, Tannya Lopez, Laredo, Texas/Matt Cabanski, Cibolo, Texas, 4,910, $1,100.

31, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif./Dave Wodka, Beavercreek, Ohio, 4,901, $1,050.

32 (tie), Anne Marie Duggan, Edmond, Okla./Steven Badovinac, Monument, Colo.; Kayla Johnson, Washington, Ill./DJ Archer, Houston, Texas, 4,887, and Anggie Ramirez, Austin, Texas/Anthony Simonsen, Austin, Texas, 4,887, $960.

35, Cajsa Wegner, Sweden/Mike Austin, Houston, Texas, 4,875, $870.

36, Shannon O'Keefe, O'Fallon, Ill./Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 4,867, $840.

37, Laura Plazas, Colombia/Clint Land, Houston, Texas, 4,858, $780.

38, Katie Garcia, Wichita, Kan./Geoffrey Young, Keller, Texas, 4,856, $740.

39, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas/Chris Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 4,802, $720.

40, Keli Callahan, Las Vegas/Sam Cooley, Australia, 4,676, $700.

PONIES LOSE 3-2

“Alford One and One for All” Burns Ponies, 3-2

BINGHAMTON, NY – Anthony Alford blasted a game-tying home run in the ninth inning and scored every run for New Hampshire to lead the Fisher Cats past the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 3-2, in eleven innings on Sunday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium. The one-run defeat snapped the Ponies’ five-game winning streak. Tommy Milone tossed three scoreless innings in his first Major League rehab appearance with Binghamton.

With the Fisher Cats down by two in the seventh inning, Alford opened the comeback by doubling against Marcos Molina and scoring on a single by Harold Ramirez. With the Fisher Cats down to their final two outs in the ninth, he drilled a 1-0 pitch from Molina over the wall in right-center field to tie the game.

The game-tying blast erased a lead the Rumble Ponies compiled thanks to a shaky defensive afternoon for the Fisher Cats. David Thompson scampered home with the game’s first run when Alford bobbled Kevin Kaczmarski’s single to right. In the sixth, Lourdes Gurriel uncorked a wild throw from second on a potential double play that allowed Tomas Nido to cross the plate with Binghamton’s second run.

In the eleventh, Alford singled against Drew Smith and took third when Gustavo Nunez tossed wildly to second on a potential force out. Lourdes Gurriel capped a ten-pitch battle by lifting a go-ahead sacrifice fly to left field.

Dusty Isaacs (3-2) claimed the win by capping the Fisher Cats pitching tab with two perfect innings of relief. Carlos Ramirez tossed 2-1/3 innings of relief and extinguished a rally in the ninth by getting Tomas Nido to roll into an inning-ending double play.

Smith (2-0) allowed an unearned run on one hit over two innings and took the loss in his Rumble Ponies debut. Molina gave up two runs on five hits over six innings and took a no-decision after failing to preserve the late lead.

Prior to Alford’s big finish, the Ponies had kept the Fisher Cats in check. Milone, pitching in the Eastern League for the first time since his 2010 All-Star year with the Harrisburg Senators, retired nine of the eleven Fisher Cats he faced. The southpaw stepped around Richard Urena’s double in the first and a single from Jonathan Davis in the third to post three scoreless innings.

The Rumble Ponies (59-45) enjoy an off day on Monday before opening a three-game series against the first-place Trenton Thunder on Tuesday at 6:35 PM. RHP Robert Gsellman takes the mound against RHP Bobby Koerner. The Horizons Federal Credit Union Pregame Show can be heard starting at 6:20 PM on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: LJ Mazzilli has collected seven outfield assists in 32 games…Tomas Nido set a franchise record by rolling into his 22nd double play of the season…Binghamton fell to 39-2 when leading after eight innings

Tickets for Binghamton’s entire home schedule can be purchased at the NYSEG Stadium box office, online on www.bingrp.com and over the phone at (607) 722-FUNN.

RAILRIDERS CLUB KNIGHTS 8-1

RailRiders Club Knights, 8-1

Team Effort Smothers Knights

Charlotte, N.C. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) got production from just about everywhere in an 8-1 smothering of the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox) on Saturday. The RailRiders (67-39) secured their first season series victory over Charlotte since 2013 while the Knights (45-61) dropped a series to SWB at BB&T Ballpark for the first time. It opened in 2014.

Jake Cave got SWB on the board with a first-inning solo homer halfway up the batter’s eye. Jake Peter’s run-scoring groundout tied the game in the third before a three-run fourth gave SWB the lead the rest of the way. Donovan Solano doubled in a pair of runs that frame and Ji-Man Choi added an RBI groundout.

Two-run homers by Billy McKinney in the sixth and Choi in the eighth rounded out the scoring.

SWB starter Domingo German (3-1) tossed 5.2 innings of three-hit ball for the win. He walked one and whiffed five on 76 pitches (49 strikes) in his longest outing at any level since June 5.

Charlotte’s Carson Fulmer (7-7) took the loss. He gave up six runs on nine hits (two homers) and one walk over six innings.

The three-game series concludes at 5:05 p.m. on Saturday. SWB southpaw Dietrich Enns (1-1, 2.29) is slated to face right-hander Lucas Giolito (4-9, 5.02).

The RailRiders return home on Tuesday, Aug. 1 to open a six-game homestand. It starts with the first of three against the Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays) at 7:05 p.m. The Two Dollar Tuesday presented by La Tolteca means $2 lawn tickets and $2 tallboys every Tuesday during the 2017 season. For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

OFF THE RAILS:

Miguel Andujar went 2-for-4 with a double, a bruise and a run scored. He has hit safely in 15 straight games, the IL’s best active run, going 24-for-60 (.400) in the process. His streak has lifted his Triple-A average by 75 points from .255-.330. His 68 overall RBIs between Double-A and Triple-A lead the Yankees’ farm.

Jake Cave‘s homer extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Cave has 12 home runs with SWB and 17 between Double-A and Triple-A on the year, tying Ford for the most on the Yankees’ farm in 2017.

Ji-Man Choi homered, his 10^th at Triple-A this season, and drove in three runs. He became the fourth RailRider with double-digit homers on the season.

Billy McKinney finished the game 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs, a walk and three runs scored.

Mike Ford singled, walked and scored twice.

Relievers Nick Rumbelow and Ben Heller tossed a combined 3.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and no walks.

The RailRiders are 7-0 in Rumbelow’s seven outings. Over 13 innings, he has allowed six hits and no runs, walking four and whiffing 14. The IL is hitting .136 against him.

SWB hurlers posted nine more strikeouts on Saturday. The staff has recorded 73 strikeouts through six games on the road trip.

SWB owns the IL’s best record both overall (67-39) and on the road (34-21).