FINAL MAJOR FOR PWBA TOUR

16-PLAYER FIELD FINALIZED FOR 2017 SMITHFIELD PWBA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP 
ARLINGTON, Texas – The final major of the season is up for grabs as 16 of the top players on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour will vie for the season-ending Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship title, Sept. 3-6 at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia.
The PWBA Tour Championship brings together all eligible champions from 2017, with the remainder of the field filled through the season points list.
The 16-player field and bracket matchups became official Tuesday following the television broadcast of the Nationwide PWBA Rochester Open on CBS Sports Network.
Players will compete in a single-elimination, best-of-five match-play bracket to determine the two additional competitors who will advance to the live finals, which will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Reigning PWBA Player of the Year Liz Johnson of Deerfield, Illinois, and Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, automatically earned spots on the TV show as the top two players on the 2017 PWBA Tour points list. As the season points leader, Johnson is the top seed.
Johnson was dominant this season – her 139,150 points are more than 50,000 points ahead of second place – resulting in her already earning PWBA Player of the Year honors, which is determined by season points. She is the first player in PWBA history to win award in three consecutive seasons.
The 43-year-old right-hander had the best year of her professional career in 2017, winning the PWBA Storm Sacramento Open, Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship and her fourth consecutive U.S. Women’s Open title.
She joins Wendy Macpherson (four) and Lisa Wagner (three) as the only players who’ve won the honor three or more times.
“That is absolutely amazing to me,” said Johnson, who has won eight titles since the relaunch of the PWBA Tour. “I grew up a bowler and with a dream to bowl on the women’s professional tour. I grew up watching the ladies bowl. I grew up watching Leanne (Hulsenberg), who I bowl against. I watched Robin Romeo and all those ladies, hoping I could grow up one day and do what they do. To be in this position, especially doing this for more than 20 years and at the ripe age of 43, to be player of the year, is hard to put into words. But, it’s amazing. It’s an amazing feeling.”
And while 2017 already has been a season to remember, winning the Tour Championship would add a new title to Johnson’s resume.
“I’ve been fortunate to go right to the TV show the last couple times, but I didn’t do so well,” Johnson said. “To really finish off 2017 with the Tour Championship would be a big deal for me. But, I’ve had an amazing 2017 – two major wins, one runner-up in a major and one more title. If it happens, it happens. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. But, I’m not going to be at the Tour Championship just to show up and have fun. I’m going to have fun, but I want to win. That’s going to be my goal in Richmond.”
Kulick broke through earlier this season with a win at the PWBA Fountain Valley Open, her first victory in 11 championship-round appearances since the relaunch of the PWBA Tour in 2015.
Kulick added a runner-up finish at the Go Bowling PWBA Players Championship and was third at the Pepsi PWBA Lincoln Open, which helped her finish second on the points list (86,000). She will be the No. 2 seed and compete in the second semifinal.
Diana Zavjalova of Latvia, who won her second United States Bowling Congress Queens title this season and finished second at the PWBA Storm Sacramento Open, is the third seed and earned a first-round bye at the PWBA Tour Championship.
Zavjalova will face the winner of Monday’s match between No. 10 seed Daria Pajak and 11th seeded Verity Crawley.
Also earning a first-round bye is 2015 Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship winner Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York. She won the Nationwide PWBA Rochester Open, the final standard event of the 2017 season, for her first win of 2017, was third at the PWBA Orlando Open and had fourth-place finishes at the PWBA Storm Sacramento Open and PWBA St. Petersburg-Clearwater Open.
She will face the winner of Monday’s opening match between No. 9 Maria Jose Rodriguez and No. 12 Missy Parkin.
Monday’s other first-round matches, with how they qualified in parenthesis: No. 5 Shannon O’Keefe (PWBA St. Petersburg-Clearwater Open winner) vs. No. 16 Birgit Poppler (PBA/PWBA Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles winner); No. 7 Rocio Restrepo (QubicaAMF PWBA Sonoma County Open winner) vs. No. 14 Sin Li Jane (Pepsi PWBA Lincoln Open champion); No. 6 Shannon Pluhowsky (points) vs. No. 15 Stefanie Johnson (PWBA Orlando Open winner); No. 8 Clara Guerrero (points) vs. No. 13 Siti Rahman (PWBA Wichita Open winner).
Monday’s Pajak-Crawley match is a matchup of former Webber International teammates and PWBA Tour roommates. The match also could determine the winner of the PWBA Rookie of the Year award.
Pajak, who won the 2017 PWBA Greater Detroit Open, has 59,890 points and holds a small advantage over Crawley (53,462.5). If Pajak wins the match, she will claim the 2017 honor.
Crawley, who finished second at the PWBA Fountain Valley Open and the PWBA Greater Detroit Open, would need to reach the TV finals to win the award.
The PWBA Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards are determined by competition points.
Monday and Tuesday’s best-of-five matches will take place two at a time, live on Xtra Frame, the exclusive online bowling channel of the Professional Bowlers Association. For subscription information, visit XtraFrame.TV.
Go to PWBA.com for more information about the PWBA Tour including the Tour Championship bracket, news, player biographies and more.

2 ADDED TO PONIES BASEBALL SHRINE

Crabb & Coleman to be Added to Baseball Shrine

BINGHAMTON, NY – Former Binghamton Mayor Juanita Crabb and former Binghamton Triplet Jerry Coleman will be inducted into Binghamton’s Baseball Shrine in a ceremony at NYSEG Stadium before the Binghamton Rumble Ponies game on Friday, September 1 at 7:05 PM.
While serving as Mayor of the City of Binghamton, Crabb was instrumental in bringing professional baseball back to the Southern Tier. She united the forces of her office, the New York State government and the New York Mets to raise the necessary funds for the construction of a brand-new downtown ballpark. Crabb will be in attendance for her enshrinement.
Coleman, a member of the 1946 Binghamton Triplets, played for nine seasons in the Major Leagues with the New York Yankees. He appeared in six World Series and claimed MVP honors in the 1950 Fall Classic. Coleman spent more than four decades calling games for the Padres, securing a spot in the hearts of Southern California baseball fans.
Created in 1993, Binghamton’s Baseball Shrine honors all the individuals who contributed to America’s Pastime in the Southern Tier. The elite club boasts 65 members with additional worthy candidates inducted annually. See below for a full list of all the inductees.

PBA SPARE SHOTS

PBA Spare Shots

2017 PBA XTRA FRAME TOUR SEASON IN REVIEW: 10 EVENTS, 10 LOCATIONS, 11 DIFFERENT WINNERS

Xtra Frame is today’s solution to providing the sport with a traveling PBA Tour with broad appeal. The rapid growth of technology that allows for video streaming provides the ability to transmit live “televised” events via the internet from all corners of the world to all corners of the world, on any day at any time.

The PBA, a frontrunner in using Xtra Frame to cover events and make them available to bowling fans around the world at very little cost, will continue to evolve to serve the interests of its fan base. The nature of video streaming also expands the fan’s access to aspects of tournament competition, such as qualifying and match play rounds, that were never available in the past.

In 2017, the PBA’s Xtra Frame programming included 10 events in 10 different locations, all covered exclusively from first ball to last. The Xtra Frame Tour produced 11 different champions (including one woman, who received a PWBA title). A quick recap of the events and winners includes:

● DHC PBA Japan Invitational, Bentencho Grand Bowl, Osaka, Japan: EJ Tackett.

● Xtra Frame Reality Check Classic, Sawgrass Lanes, Tamarac, Fla.: Josh Blanchard.

● Xtra Frame Wilmington Open, Ten Pin Alley Family Fun Center, Wilmington, N.C.: Anthony Simonsen.

● Xtra Frame Greater Jonesboro Open, Jonesboro Bowling Center, Jonesboro, Ark.: Francois Lavoie.

● Xtra Frame Lubbock Sports Open, Lubbock, Texas: Marshall Kent.

● Xtra Frame Billy Hardwick Memorial Open, Billy Hardwick’s All-Star Lanes, Memphis, Tenn.: Matt Sanders.

● Xtra Frame Striking Against Breast Cancer Mixed Doubles, Copperfield Bowl, Houston, Texas: Jason Sterner/Birgit Poppler.

● Xtra Frame Chesapeake Open, AMF Western Branch, Chesapeake, Va.: Dick Allen.

● Xtra Frame Gene Carter’s Pro Shop Classic, Mid-County Bowling & Entertainment, Middletown, Del.: Sean Rash.

● Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Group Classic, Pla-Mor Lane, Coldwater, Ohio: Rhino Page.

Seven of the 10 events listed were part of the inaugural Xtra Frame Storm Cup points series, which provided players with more than $411,000 in prize money plus the added incentive to compete for another $50,000 in bonus prize money based upon consistency of performance throughout the season. DHC Japan (an invitational event), Hardwick Memorial (a restricted-equipment event) and Mixed Doubles (an event involving partners) were not part of the Storm Cup due to their unique variations, but they were important parts of the Xtra Frame program.

As a group, all of the XF Tour events all offered at least $10,000 in first prize money and collectively, they provided a grand total of $750,000 in prize money to PBA Tour players that otherwise may not have existed. The Xtra Frame Tour also created an opportunity for a special points competition – the PBA Xtra Frame Storm Cup – which led to $50,000 in bonus prize money including a $20,000 prize to points champion EJ Tackett.

JASON BELMONTE MOVES INTO ELITE TERRITORY WITH 15TH CAREER TITLE

By winning his 15th PBA Tour title in the PBA International-World Bowling Tour Storm Lucky Larsen Masters Sunday in Malmo, Sweden, Australia’s Jason Belmonte have moved into a higher tier among PBA’s elite.

With 15 titles, Belmonte is now tied with Steve Cook for 23rd place on the all-time titles list. Next on the list is Jason Couch with 16, Carmen Salvino with 17 and a logjam of bowlers with 18 career titles, including Chris Barnes, Nelson Burton Jr., Dave Davis, Billy Hardwick, Tommy Jones and Dave Soutar, all of whom are tied for 15th place on the all-time list.

Among active PBA players, Belmonte is eighth behind Walter Ray Williams Jr. (47), Norm Duke (38), Pete Weber (37), Parker Bohn III (35), Amleto Monacelli (20), Barnes and Jones (18 each).

PBA’S NEWEST CHAMPION JOINS BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS “BIG CHAMPIONS” PROGRAM

PBA rookie Matt Sanders, a 23-year-old two-time All-American at Marian University-Indiana and the PBA Tour’s newest first-time title winner, will become the first PBA member to join Big Brothers Big Sisters’ “Big Champions” program on Friday.

Sanders, who won the PBA Xtra Frame Billy Hardwick Memorial plastic ball title in Memphis in late June, will become a “celebrity ambassador” for the nationally-famous youth organization that provides mentoring for young people in need of adult guidance. Sanders, the first PBA member to sign on as a Big Champion, will join a group including actor Jamie Foxx, Pittsburgh Steelers star Antonio Brown, singer/songwriters Letoya Luckett and Eric Hutchinson, and actor and former Little Brother Ryan Potter, among others, who will work to create awareness for the organization as well as assisting in fundraising and recruitment.

Sanders noted he will specifically try to assist Big Brothers Big Sisters with its Bowl for Kids’ Sake program. For more information about the Big Champions project, visit: http://www.bbbs.org/big-champions/

MARSHALL KENT RETAINS LEAD IN TIGHT WORLD BOWLING TOUR POINTS RACE

Thanks in part to his win in the PBA Grand Casino Hotel & Resort Oklahoma Open in early July, Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash., has retained a modest lead in the 2017 World Bowling Tour men’s points race heading into the WBT Thailand in Bangkok Sept. 30-Oct. 6, followed by the PBA World Championship at the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IX, presented by Eldorado Reno Properties, in early November in Reno.

The PBA World Championship will be the final qualifying event for the 2017 WBT Men’s and Women’s Finals, presented by the PBA, that will be conducted on Nov. 19 as the concluding event to WSOB IX. The WBT Finals will include the top three men and top three women based on 2017 points, bowling for $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 in prize money.

Following the PBA International-WBT Storm Lucky Larsen Masters in Malmo, Sweden, last weekend, Kent continued to lead the men’s standings with 273 points, with England’s Dom Barrett second with 249 points. Both players missed the Malmo event to bowl in the PBA’s Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Classic in Coldwater, Ohio, where they were in contention in the PBA Xtra Frame Storm Cup points race as well.

Currently third in WBT men’s points is Sweden’s Martin Larsen with 227 points followed by Malmo winner Jason Belmonte of Australia (220), Anthony Simonsen of Austin, Texas (216), EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind. (203) and Jesper Svensson of Sweden (190). England’s Stuart Williams (188), Denmark’s Thomas Larsen (177) and Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill. (172) round out the men’s top 10.

The women’s points leaders included Danielle McEwan (445), Liz Johnson (230), Anggie Ramirez (228), Shayna Ng (186) and Liz Kuhlkin (176).

XTRA FRAME FEATURES SMITHFIELD PWBA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Xtra Frame, PBA’s exclusive online video streaming service, will focus on coverage of the Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship over the Labor Day weekend. Xtra Frame will cover the preliminary best-of-five-game elimination matches of PWBA’s end-of-season tournament Monday and Tuesday from Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Va.

Xtra Frame’s coverage will begin on Labor Day at noon (EDT) with matches featuring Maria Jose Rodriquez vs. Missy Parkin, and Shannon O’Keefe vs. Birgit Poppler. At 3 p.m., Shannon Pluhowsky will meet Sin Li Jane, and Rocio Restrepo will bowl Stefanie Johnson. Monday’s coverage concludes at 6 p.m. with Clara Guerrero vs. Siti Rahman and Daria Pajak vs. Verity Crowley.

Tuesday’s schedule includes Danielle McEwan vs. the Rodriguez-Parkin winner in match 7 and the O’Keefe-Poppler winner vs. the Pluhowsky-Sin winner in match 8 at noon followed by the Restrepo-Johnson winner meeting the Guerrero-Rahman winner in match 9, and the Pajak-Crawler winner facing Diana Zavjalova in match 10 at 3 p.m. The quarterfinal round at 6 p.m. will feature the match 7 and 8 winners and the match 9 and 10 winners.

The two survivors will advance to the live CBS Sports Network finals on Wednesday at 8 p.m. EDT where they’ll join semifinalists Liz Johnson and Kelly Kulick for showdown matches leading into the championship match.

Also making its Xtra Frame debut this week is an Xtra Frame Player Perspective feature in which England’s Dom Barrett discusses his emotional 2013 PBA World Championship victory over America’s Sean Rash at the South Point Exhibition Hall in Las Vegas.

To sign up for an Xtra Frame subscription, visit xtraframe.tv.

PBA REGIONAL UPDATE: TONY REYES MEMORIAL DOUBLES SET FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Kicking off the September PBA Regional schedule will be the PBA60 Wilson & Sons Super Senior Open presented by the Mooresville Convention and Visitors Bureau Saturday and Sunday at George Pappas’ Victory Lanes in Mooresville, N.C., followed immediately by the PBA50 Samuel Adams South Open presented by the Mooresville Convention and Visitors Bureau at George Pappas’ Victory Lanes in Mooresville, N.C.

 

The Labor Day weekend calendar of PBA Regional action also includes the PBA50 Strike Zone Open presented by Track in Pottsville, Pa.; the Tony Reyes Memorial Member/Non-Member Doubles at Fourth Street Bowl in San Jose, Calif.; the Illinois Valley Midwest Open at IV Super Bowl in Peru, Ill., and the DHC Japan PBA Doubles Open, Japan Cheetah Masters and Japan Cheetah Queens at Nagoya Grand Bowl in Nagoya, Japan.

 

● For complete PBA Regional schedules, rules and entry information, visit pba.com, open the “schedules” tab and click on PBA Regional Tours to find the event(s) in your area…and remember, you can follow “live scoring” for all PBA Regional events on pba. com (easily accessible for Apple device users using the new PBA app).

QUICK NOTES

● The PBA has advised that fewer than 80 spots remain available to members wanting to enter the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IX in Reno, Nov. 7-19. Players must confirm a lodging reservation at one of presenting sponsor Eldorado Reno Properties’ facilities (Silver Legacy, Eldorado or Circus Circus) at the time of entry. To enter online, PBA members can use this link: https://secure.pba.com/Store/catalog/world-series-of-bowling,25.htm

● The United States Bowling Congress has announced the 2018 USBC Masters, a major on the PBA Tour schedule, will be held at the Oncenter Convention Center in Syracuse, N.Y., April 8-15.  It will be the first time the Masters has been a part of the USBC Open Championship since 2011. Jason Belmonte is the defending champion.

PONIES WIN OVER SEAWOLVES 5-1

Alonso Muscles Ponies Past SeaWolves, 5-1

BINGHAMTON, NY – Peter Alonso launched a pair of tape-measure home runs to power the Binghamton Rumble Ponies past the Erie SeaWolves, 5-1, on Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium. Binghamton secured their fourth straight win and claimed their ninth straight victory over the SeaWolves.
Alonso’s first blast came on the heels of Kevin Kaczmarski’s homer in the first inning. With a runner aboard, Kaczmarski ripped his fifth home run of the season to right, giving the Ponies the early lead. Three pitches later, Alonso deposited his first career Double-A home run into the railyard beyond the left-field wall. It marked the first time the Ponies compiled back-to-back home runs in 2017.
The Ponies first baseman struck again in the sixth inning. Leading off the frame, Alonso launched reliever AJ Ladwig’s 2-2 pitch far past the left-field wall, securing his second multiple-home run game of the season.
Binghamton’s show of power came in support of Mickey Jannis (8-7), who blanked the SeaWolves into the eighth inning. The knuckleballer retired ten straight batters before Erie cracked the scoreboard on three straight two-out singles. Jannis allowed one run on seven hits over 7-2/3 innings. PJ Conlon notched the final four outs to earn his first save.
The Rumble Ponies (81-54) conclude their four-game series against Erie on Thursday at 6:35 PM. RHP Casey Delgado takes the mound against RHP Spencer Turnbull. 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: Peter Alonso hit two home runs as a St. Lucie Met (High-A) on July 20, 2017…Binghamton last had back-to-back home runs on August 22, 2016 (Amed Rosario & Dominic Smith)…Luis Guillorme, Kevin Kaczmarski, Tomas Nido & David Thompson will represent the New York Mets in the Arizona Fall League
Tickets for Binghamton’s playoff schedule can be purchased at the NYSEG Stadium box office, online on www.bingrp.com and over the phone at (607) 722-FUNN.

RAILRIDERS ROLL 8-4

Tyler Austin Homers in RailRiders’ Victory

Matt Holliday Reaches Thrice in Second Rehab Game

Moosic, Pa. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/ New York Yankees) doubled up the Rochester Red Wings 8-4 on Wednesday night at PNC Field. The RailRiders (86-50) improved to 11-5 against the Red Wings (77-60) with their third straight triumph in the series.  

Domingo German (7-2) took home his third straight winning decision after holding the Red Wings to two runs on four hits over five innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out four.

 

SWB broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the fourth inning off Stephen Gonsalves (1-2). Ji-Man Choi highlighted the frame with a two-run double. Billy McKinney and Wilkin Castillo also produced run-scoring singles.

 

After the Red Wings plated three runs in the sixth, the RailRiders put the game away with a four-run seventh. Miguel Andujar lifted a sacrifice fly to deep center that scored Cito Culver for a 5-3 advantage. The decisive blow came one pitch later when Tyler Austin jumped on the first pitch and boomed a three-run homer to left for an 8-3 lead.

 

Matt Holliday walked twice and finished 1-for-3 as the designated hitter in his second game on the rehab assignment.

 

Donovan Solano finished 2-for-4 with a double and owns 16 multi-hit showings in his last 34 games.

 

Andujar extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a 2-for-3 night.

 

The 2017 IL North Division Champion RailRiders look to finish their regular season home schedule at PNC Field with a win against the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) on Thursday, August 31 at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Chance Adams (11-4, 2.63) gets the nod. The first 2,500 fans through the gates received an Aaron Judge Baby Bomber bobblehead, presented by Red Robin! Thursday night’s game will also be Fan Appreciation Night at PNC Field! For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

WADE NAMED POSTSEASON ALL-STAR

Tyler Wade Named Postseason All-Star

Al Pedrique Becomes First SWB Back-to-Back Manager of the Year Award Winner 

 

Moosic, Pa. - The International League announced its end-of-year awards today and the SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/ New York Yankees) had two names included. Infielder Tyler Wade was named to the postseason All-Star Team at shortstop and Al Pedrique was voted Manager of the Year for the second straight season.

Wade, 22, has put together a terrific rookie season with SWB. Through 81 games, his .305 batting average ranks fourth and his 26 stolen bases are third most on the circuit. He has scored a team-high, 67 runs and boasts a .378 on-base percentage, also top five in the IL. Wade made his Major League debut on June 27 and has appeared in 21 games with the New York Yankees.

Pedrique becomes the first IL skipper to win back-to-back Manager of the Year awards since Rick Sweet took home the award with Louisville in 2008 and 2009. He is the first manager in SWB franchise history, and only the fourth in IL history, to earn the honor in consecutive seasons. The RailRiders have enjoyed seven postgame celebrations under watch, including a playoff berth and the IL North Division Championship this year. Finishing up his second year in Moosic, Pedrique has guided SWB to two North Division titles and the franchise’s second Governors’ Cup and first Triple-A National Championship in 2016. His overall record with SWB entering today is 176-102.

Under Pedrique’s tutelage the RailRiders have graduated 12 players to the Majors in 2017. The list of talented players to earn the call to New York during his time in Moosic include Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Jordan Montgomery, Chad Green, Luis Cessa, Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade and many more.

The 2017 IL North Division Champion RailRiders go for a series win against the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) on Wednesday, August 30 at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Domingo German (6-2, 2.78) gets the nod. Every Wednesday home game at PNC Field is Wine and Dine Wednesday! For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

MCEWAN WINS ROCHESTER OPEN

MCEWAN WINS 2017 NATIONWIDE PWBA ROCHESTER OPEN
PLANO, Texas – After falling short in two recent opportunities to win the third title of her Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour career, Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, finally was able to find the winner’s circle in the last standard event of the 2017 season.
The 25-year-old right-hander topped fellow Team USA member Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, 226-224, to win the 2017 Nationwide PWBA Rochester Open.
In the see-saw match, Pluhowsky jumped out to an early lead with four strikes in her first five frames, but a missed 10 pin in the sixth frame shifted the momentum in McEwan’s favor.
McEwan answered with strikes in frames seven through nine, and Pluhowsky struck in the eighth and ninth frames to set up the 10th frame most bowlers dream of – getting the chance to deliver in the final frame to win a professional title.
McEwan finished first, leaving a 10 pin on her first offering and a 7-10 split on the fill ball after the spare. That gave Pluhowsky, a 35-year-old left-hander, the opportunity to win her first official PWBA Tour title with two strikes and one pin.
The 17-time Team USA veteran threw the first shot for a strike. But, she nicked the ball return cover on her second shot, and, instead of stopping, she continued and left the 2-4 combination, allowing McEwan to win on the bench.
“I was pretty much down the whole match, but I tried to be optimistic after throwing the best shots I could in the 10th frame,” said McEwan, who won one title in each of the last two seasons (2015 and 2016). “It’s never a good feeling to sit down knowing it’s in the other player’s hands, especially at this level. I absolutely expected her to throw great shots in that situation, but I was fortunate to come away with the win.”
When McEwan qualified for the championship round of the PWBA Rochester Open, it was the third show she made in as many weeks and her fourth of the season.
She suffered a couple of disappointing losses in the finals of the PWBA Orlando Open and PWBA St. Petersburg-Clearwater Open, where she finished third and fourth, respectively, and she entered the finals of the Rochester event motivated to end the streak on a positive note.
The win earned McEwan $10,000 and a spot in the season-ending Smithfield PWBA Tour Championship in Richmond, Virginia, a 16-player invitation-only event she won in 2015 for her first title. The tournament will include the winners and top point-earners from the 2017 PWBA Tour season.
Pluhowsky earned her spot in the title match of the Rochester Open with a 254-181 win against fellow southpaw Kristina Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, New York, a former collegiate standout at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, who was making her first PWBA television appearance.
In the three seasons of the relaunched PWBA Tour, Pluhowsky has made nine championship-round appearances but continues to fall short on TV. She does have two major victories, the 2006 United States Bowling Congress Queens and the 2014 Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America All-Star, but an official PWBA win has eluded her.
“I bowled two good games on TV this time, and I feel like I’m getting closer, but it just hasn’t happened yet,” said Pluhowsky, who had three runner-up finishes in 2016. “I had a lot of fun out there, and I threw some really good shots. The result may have been disappointing, but I can see a lot of progress, too. You can’t learn if you’re not there, so I’ll keep doing everything I can to get into that position.”
Although Pluhowsky hasn’t won a title in 2017, her consistent performance earned her enough points to qualify for the PWBA Tour Championship, where she’ll have one more opportunity to win.
In the opening game of the PWBA Rochester Open stepladder, Szczerbinski tossed four strikes in her first five frames to build a lead Colombia’s Clara Guerrero could not overcome.
Although Guerrero, a PWBA major champion, started the match with two strikes, she was unable to knock down more than eight pins on her first shot the rest of the way, allowing Szczerbinski to notch her first TV win, 201-149.
All qualifying and match-play rounds of the Nationwide PWBA Rochester Open were held at Rochester’s AMF Gates Lanes, on July 14-15. The championship round was held Aug. 6 at Plano Super Bowl in conjunction with the live finals of the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open.
For more information on the PWBA Tour, visit PWBA.com.
About the PWBA
The Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) originally was formed in 1960. The PWBA Tour has events throughout the country, offering high-level competition and top prize money for women bowlers. The PWBA is supported by the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC).

2017 NATIONWIDE PWBA ROCHESTER OPEN
At Plano Super Bowl, Plano, Texas
Final standings
1, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 226 (one game), $10,000
2, Shannon Pluhowsky, Dayton, Ohio, 478 (two games), $5,000
3, Kristina Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 382 (two games), $3,500
4, Clara Guerrero, Colombia, 149 (one game), $3,000
Stepladder results
Match One – Szczerbinski def. Guerrero, 201-149
Semifinal –  Pluhowsky def. Szczerbinski, 254-181
Championship – McEwan def. Pluhowsky, 226-224

PONIES WIN 8-3

Seventh Proves Heavenly in Ponies’ 8-3 Win

BINGHAMTON, NY – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies scored six runs in the seventh inning and stormed back to beat the Erie SeaWolves, 8-3, on Tuesday night at NYSEG Stadium. Luis Guillorme collected three RBI and Marcos Molina struck out seven to help Binghamton secure the sixth 80-win season in franchise history.
Trailing by a run, the Ponies received a gift to open the game-swinging seventh inning when Matt Oberste’s popup to shallow right fell to the ground untouched. Following a single by Tomas Nido, Kevin Taylor threaded a game-tying double down the left-field line. Kevin Kaczmarski added a sacrifice fly before Patrick Biondi ended Tyler Alexander’s night with a run-scoring single to left.
Binghamton continued the onslaught against the SeaWolves bullpen. Guillorme greeted Matt Crouse with an RBI single to right, and Peter Alonso capped the big inning by pelting the center-field wall with a two-run triple.
The six-run inning made a winner out of Molina (3-7) for the third time in his last five starts. The righty struck out seven and issued no walks over seven innings. Molina was touched for three runs on six hits, but retired eight of the final nine SeaWolves he faced to close his night. Ben Griset retired the last six Erie hitters to seal Binghamton’s third straight victory.
Alexander (8-9) took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits over 6-2/3 innings.
The Rumble Ponies (80-54) continue their four-game series against the SeaWolves on Wednesday night at 6:35 PM. RHP Mickey Jannis takes the hill against RHP Sandy Baez. 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: Binghamton has won 80 games in a season three times in the last five years: 2013 (86 wins), 2014 (83 wins)…the Rumble Ponies improve to 21-9 in August, the most wins in a calendar month since July 2006 (22 wins)…the Rumble Ponies have won eight straight games against the SeaWolves
Tickets for Binghamton’s playoff schedule can be purchased at the NYSEG Stadium box office, online on www.bingrp.com and over the phone at (607) 722-FUNN.

RAILRIDERS WIN OVER RED WINGS 8-1

Homers Power RailRiders Past Red Wings

Miguel Andujar Triples and Belts Ninth Triple-A Home Run

Moosic, Pa. – A day after clinching the International League North Division, the SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/ New York Yankees) turned in another strong performance on Tuesday night at PNC Field. The RailRiders (85-50) launched two homers and pummeled the Rochester Red Wings 8-1. The Red Wings fell to 77-59.

SWB got a solid spot start from Nestor Cortes (2-3). The southpaw pitched around seven hits to limit the Red Wings to a run over 5.2 innings. He walked one and struck out five. Joe Mantiply hurled three scoreless innings in relief and Tyler Jones retired the final batter.

 

Miguel Andujar began his big evening with his first Triple-A triple on a fly ball to right field. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Billy McKinney to give the RailRiders a 1-0 lead. Andujar came back in the third inning with a home run to left off Chris Heston (0-3) that scored Matt Holliday for a 3-1 advantage. The line drive to left as Andujar’s ninth homer at Triple-A.

 

Wilkin Castillo got in on the act in the last of the fourth. The RailRiders’ switch-hitting catcher clubbed a three-run blast out to right that scored McKinney and Donovan Solano for a 6-1 lead. Tyler Wade followed with a double. He later raced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by catcher Carlos Paulino.

 

SWB capped the scoring in the fifth. McKinney doubled to left-center and came around on a bounding single to left by Solano.

 

Holliday served as designated hitter for all nine innings and finished 1-for-4 with a run scored.

 

The 2017 IL North Division Champion RailRiders go for a series win against the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) on Wednesday, August 30 at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Domingo German (6-2, 2.78) gets the nod. Every Wednesday home game at PNC Field is Wine and Dine Wednesday! For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

RAILRIDERS PLAYOFF TICKETS ON SALE

RailRiders Playoff Tickets on Sale

RailRiders Home Dates and Times for Postseason Announced

 

Moosic, Pa. - What a run it has been. From rousing success of another summer-long Legends Series to seeing 12 players make their Major League debuts, the banner 2017 campaign has been magical season. And the good times keep on rolling. The 2017 International League North Division Champion SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/New York Yankees) are excited to announce that playoff tickets are on sale now.

Tickets may be purchased by phone at 570-969-BALL (2255) or in person at the PNC Field box office, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased online at SWBRailRiders.com or through Ticketmaster.

"A great year rolls on and hopefully it ends with a repeat," said SWB Team President/ COO Josh Olerud. "There is not a better playoff atmosphere than PNC Field."

The RailRiders will open their best-of-five First-Round Governors' Cup Series at the wild-card winner's ballpark for the first two games. Game One will be Wednesday, September 6, and Game Two on Thursday, September 7. The RailRiders' first playoff home game would be on Friday, September 8 at 6:35 p.m. If necessary, a Game Four would come on Saturday, September 10 at 6:35 p.m. and a potential Game Five would be played on Sunday, September 11 with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch.

Should the RailRiders advance to the best-of-five Governors' Cup Finals, they would play the first two games on the road on September 13 and 14 with Game Three at PNC Field on Thursday, September 14. If necessary, Games Four and Five would follow on September 16 and 17 in Moosic.

Ticket prices for playoff games include: Club & 4Topp - $15; Infield Box - $10; Field Reserve/RailHouse - $8; Bleachers - $5; Lawn - $5.

The 2017 IL North Division Champion RailRiders continue their series with the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) on Tuesday, August 29 at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Nestor Cortes (1-3, 1.23) gets the nod. Every Tuesday home game at PNC Field is Two Dollar Tuesday, presented by La Tolteca! For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

RRAILRIDERS WIN IL NORTH TITLE

Long Ball Carries RailRiders to IL North Title

SWB Clinches Third Straight Division Championship

Moosic, Pa. – The SWB RailRiders (Triple-A/ New York Yankees) belted three homers and got a strong start from Bryan Mitchell to clinch the International League North Division with a 5-3 win over the Rochester Red Wings. The RailRIders (84-50) grabbed their third consecutive division crown and the franchise’s ninth in 12 seasons. The Red Wings slipped to 77-58, but are still in command of the circuit’s wildcard spot.

Mitchell (3-3) hurled four scoreless frames as the RailRiders built a 5-0 advantage. He surrendered two runs in the fifth. The right-hander yielded four hits, walked one and struck out four. Nick Rumbelow held the Red Wings to one hit over the final 2.1 innings to notch his fifth save. He struck out two.

 

SWB scored five runs on seven hits, including three homers, off the Red Wings’ Felix Jorge (0-1). Jake Cave put the RailRiders on the board in the first inning by launching a towering fly onto the RailHouse roof beyond right. The round-tripper was his 15th at Triple-A.

 

Leading 1-0 in the second, Mason Williams padded the lead by lining his second homer of the year over the right field fence. Eddy Rodriguez doubled and scored on a Cave single in the third for a 3-0 lead. Cito Culver demolished a 3-0 pitch 420 feet to left in the fourth, scoring Williams, for a 5-0 cushion. The shot hit the upper third of the elevated signage over left field.

 

The 2017 IL North Division Champion RailRiders continue their series with the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota Twins) on Tuesday, August 29 at 7:05 p.m. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery (0-0, 3.00) gets the nod. Every Tuesday home game at PNC Field is Two Dollar Tuesday, presented by La Tolteca! For tickets or more information, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

PONIES CAGE SEAWOLVES 5-4

Mazzilli Helps Ponies Cage SeaWolves, 5-4

BINGHAMTON, NY – LJ Mazzilli capped a four-hit game by stroking a walk-off single to center in the bottom of the 12^th inning, sending the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to a 5-4 win over the Erie SeaWolves on Monday night at NYSEG Stadium. Mazzilli finished a triple shy of the cycle to guide Binghamton to their ninth walk-off win of the season.
The Rumble Ponies set the table for Mazzilli’s late-game heroics with a two-out rally, loading the bases with two walks and a single. Mazzilli sent the first pitch he saw from reliever Paul Voelker into shallow center, plating Kevin Kaczmarski with the game-winning run.
Mazzilli fittingly closed Binghamton’s scoring after the second baseman got the Ponies started by scoring their first run on David Thompson’s first-inning single. In the third, he launched a solo homer, his fourth long ball of the season.
In the sixth, Mazzilli helped the Ponies chip away at a two-run deficit by pulling a two-out RBI double into left. Tomas Nido stepped up in the seventh and tied the game at four with an RBI single to left.
Both starters settled for no-decisions. Ricky Knapp struck out seven and allowed four runs on five hits over seven innings of work. Erie hurler Matt Hall issued five walks, but was touched for just two runs on four hits over five innings.
The Rumble Ponies bullpen combined for five scoreless innings of relief to claim the series opener. Corey Taylor kept the SeaWolves off the board in the eighth and ninth before Drew Smith tossed two blank innings. Cory Burns (2-2) earned the victory after firing a shutout 12^th inning.
Gerson Moreno (0-3) took the loss, allowing one run in 1-2/3 innings.
The Rumble Ponies (79-54) continue their four-game series against Erie on Tuesday at 6:35 PM. RHP Marcos Molina toes the rubber against LHP Tyler Alexander. 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: Binghamton improved to 20-9 in August, securing their eighth 20-win month in franchise history…Binghamton is 7-5 in games decided in extra innings…David Thompson collected two hits and drove in a run on his 24^th birthday
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.

SYRACUSE USBC OPEN ADDS WEEK

2018 USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN SYRACUSE TO BEGIN ONE WEEK EARLIER
ARLINGTON, Texas - With teams quickly filling the schedule for the 2018 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships in Syracuse, New York, USBC will add another week to the competition, so more bowlers can experience competing in the national event.
To meet the extra requests for squad times, the 2018 USBC Open Championships will begin its run at the Oncenter Convention Center on March 24, a week earlier than previously scheduled.
"We hoped the captains and competitors would be excited about traveling east and returning to Syracuse, and we got some confirmation of that early in the registration process," USBC Executive Director Chad Murphy said. "We initially shortened the duration of the event, hoping the days would be full and action-packed, but we made sure there was flexibility to add days, if necessary."
The 2018 tournament will last for 107 days, concluding July 8. The custom-built 48-lane venue also will play host to the USBC Masters from April 8-15, reuniting the two events for the first time since 2011.
The extra week will allow more than 600 additional five-player teams to enjoy the Open Championships experience, increasing the overall capacity to more than 8,300 teams.
The Open Championships last was held in Syracuse in 1999, and the upcoming return will mark the fifth time the event has traveled to Salt City. It also was held there in 1935, 1958 and 1973.
The transformation of the Oncenter Convention Center will get underway Dec. 11 and include vendor and office space, scale room and squad room, locker and concessions areas and seating for hundreds of friends, family and bowling fans.
The entry deadline for the event now will be March 24 to coincide with the start of competition. It previously was listed as March 31.

Captains can enter and pay online at BOWL.com/OpenChamp or call the tournament office at 888-910-2695.
For more information on the Open Championships, visit BOWL.com/OpenChamp.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world - the USBC Open and Women's Championships - and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.

Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 2,500 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.

RHONO PAGE ENDS TITLE SLUMP

Rhino Page Ends Title Slump with PBA Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Classic Victory;

EJ Tackett Captures PBA Xtra Frame Storm Cup

COLDWATER, Ohio (Aug. 27, 2017) – Rhino Page of Orlando, Fla., defeated rookie Chris Via of Springfield, Ohio, 190-173, to win his first Professional Bowlers Association singles title in seven years Sunday in the PBA Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Group Classic at Pla-Mor Lanes.

Earlier in the event, EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., clinched the PBA Xtra Frame Storm Cup title in a finale without much drama.

The Kenn-Feld Classic championship match reflected the challenging scoring environment, where strings of strikes were rare and spares were at a premium. Via, the tournament leader coming into the title match, left a 2-10 split and opened in the first frame. Page returned the favor, leaving a 3-7-9 split and opening in the sixth frame.

After a ball change that resulted in a cross-over strike, Page tacked on another for the only double of match, taking a six-pin lead. Via then left a 4-9 split in the ninth and opened again. Needing a double in the 10th to force Page to mark in his final frame, the former Notre Dame College two-handed player got the first strike but not the second.

All Page needed was seven pins to end his title slump, and he threw a strike to lock up his fifth career title.

“I can’t even catch my breath,” Page said. “It feels so wonderful, I can’t even describe it. I can’t thank the guys who helped me keep my head up the past seven years.

“I think (Pla-Mor Lanes) is a place that shows it’s not always about the (lane conditioning) pattern, but the playing surface as well. It’s not like there were a lot of strikes to be had, so I relied on my spare game, and that was the key.”

In the opening match, Jason Sterner of Rockledge, Fla., struck on five of his first six shots and held a 36-pin lead, but lost his momentum when he left a 4-7-10 split and opened in the seventh frame. Given an opening, Joe Bailey, a 35-year-old veteran of PBA Central Region competition with one title, responded with a double, but needing another double in the 10th frame, he left the 3-4-6-7 split and opened. Sterner won, 209-179, but Bailey recorded his highest finish (fourth place) in 39 national tour events.

Sterner quickly became a victim of the challenging scoring environment in the semifinal match, dropping a 214-168 decision to Page, who started with a spare and three strikes, and stayed out of trouble the rest of the game to earn his shot at the title.

The Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Classic was the final tournament in the seven-event PBA Xtra Frame Storm Cup series that awarded $50,000 in bonus prizes to the five points leaders, including $20,000 to Tackett as the points champion. Tackett came into Coldwater with a nine-point lead in the Storm Cup race, and picked up two more points with his 19th place finish.

As a testament to the difficulty of the event, Tackett had the highest finish among the four players who had a mathematical chance to win the Cup, but the other three failed to gain any ground. Because only the top 20 finishers in each tournament earn Storm Cup points, England’s Dom Barrett, who finished 65th; Marshall Kent of Yakima, Wash., who finished 58th, and Dick Allen of Columbia, S.C., who finished 76th in Coldwater, failed to win a point. Regardless, Barrett held on to second place for a $10,000 bonus, Kent wound up in a tie with Sean Rash of Montgomery, Ill., who finished sixth in Coldwater, for third place ($7,500 each) and Allen earned $5,000 for fifth place in the points race.

The entire Xtra Frame Tour and Storm Cup series was live streamed on PBA’s online bowling channel, Xtra Frame.

PBA XTRA FRAME KENN-FELD CLASSIC

Pla-Mor Lanes, Coldwater, Ohio  Sunday

Final Standings:

1, Rhino Page, Orlando, Fla., $10,000.

2, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, $6,000.

3, Jason Sterner, Rockledge, Fla., $3,500.

4, Joe Bailey, Wooster, Ohio, $2,000.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Sterner def. Bailey, 209-179.

Semifinal Match – Page def. Sterner, 214-168.

Championship – Page def. Via, 190-173.

Round of 8 Cashers (after 17 games):

1, Via, 3,660.
2, Page, 3,520.
3, Sterner, 3,478.
4, Bailey, 3,476.
5, Mason Brantley, Detroit, 3,463, $1,800.
6, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 3,456, $1,500.
7, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 3,441, $1,400.
8, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 3,423, $1,300.

Round of 16 Cashers (did not advance, after 15 games):

9, AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 3,024, $1,250.
10, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., 3,023, $1,200.
11, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 2,997, $1,150.
12, Matthew Staninger, Highland, Ind., 2,992, $1,100.
13, Jake Peters, Henderson, Nev., 2,973, $1,075.
14, Anthony Kennard, Wapakoneta, Ohio, 2,964, $1,050.
15, Frank Snodgrass, Center Line, Mich., 2,927, $1,025.
16, Michael Davidson, Versailles, Ohio, 2,900, $1,000.

Cashers Round Cashers (did not advance, after 12 games):

17, Carleton Chambers, Detroit, 2,381, $675.
18, Patrick Dombrowski, Parma, Ohio, 2,367, $675.
19, EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 2,366, $675.
20, Chris Arcaro, Carolina Beach, N.C., 2,347, $675.
21, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 2,341, $650.
22, Darren Tang, San Francisco, 2,338, $650.
23, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 2,330, $650.
24, Michael Clark Jr, Cleveland, Ohio, 2,321, $650.
25, Michael Tang, San Francisco, Calif., 2,316, $625.
26, Dave Wodka, Beavercreek, Ohio, 2,312, $625.
27, Graham Fach, Canada, 2,291, $625.
28, James Hennessey, Adrian, Mich, 2,286, $625.
29, J.R. Raymond, Clinton Twp., Mich., 2,275, $600.
30, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2,272, $600.
31, Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz, 2,265, $600.
32, CJ Kirchner, Herrin, Ill., 2,231, $600.

n-denotes non-member.

PBA XTRA FRAME STORM CUP FINAL STANDINGS

1, EJ Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 85 points, $20,000.

2, Dom Barrett, England, 74, $10,000.

3 (tie) Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., and Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 69, $7,500.

5, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 68, $5,000

6, Rhino Page, Orlando, Fla., 52.

7 (tie), Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., and AJ Johnson, Oswego, Ill., 49.

9, Josh Blanchard, Mesa, Ariz., 47.

10, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 45

BELMONTE WINS SWEDEN LUCKY MASTERS

Jason Belmonte Wins PBA-World Bowling Tour “Lucky Larsen Masters” in Sweden

Australian two-handed star wins third PBA Tour title of 2017 season

MALMO, Sweden (Aug. 27, 2017) – Australia’s Jason Belmonte defeated Cameron Weier of Tacoma, Wash., 245-180, to win the PBA International-World Bowling Tour’s Storm Lucky Larsen Masters at Baltiska Bowlinghallen Sunday for his 15th career PBA Tour title.

Belmonte, 34, joined EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., as the only three-time PBA Tour title winners in 2017. Earlier in the year, Belmonte won the Barbasol PBA Players Championship and a record fourth USBC Masters title. His win in Sweden, a new event on the PBA International-WBT schedule, was his second international tour title. He also won the 2012 Australian Masters.

After qualifying first for the Malmo stepladder finals by 45 pins over Weier, Belmonte started the title match with two spares followed by a string of six strikes to build a lead Weier couldn’t overcome. Belmonte won the equivalent of $19,832 along with his title.

Weier, a 26-year-old former Robert Morris-Illinois collegiate star, won his only PBA Tour title in the 2015 Qatar Open. He defeated Finland’s Jari Ratia, 226-194, to advance to the title match.

The Malmo tournament – named for Swedish PBA star Martin Larsen – was a World Bowling Tour points event. The top three men and top three women in 2017 WBT points will bowl in the WBT Men’s and Women’s Finals, presented by the PBA, during the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling IX, presented by Eldorado Reno Properties, on Nov. 19 in Reno, Nev. Two additional qualifying events – the WBT Thailand in September, and the PBA World Championship in Reno – remain on the schedule prior to the finals.

PBA INTERNATIONAL-WORLD BOWLING TOUR STORM LUCKY LARSEN MASTERS

Baltiska Bowlinghallen, Malmo, Sweden, Sunday

Final Standings:

1, Jason Belmonte, Australia, $19,832.

2, Cameron Weier, Tacoma, Wash., $13,635.

3, Jari Ratia, Finland, $9,916.

4, Pontus Andersson, Sweden, $8,057.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Ratia def. Andersson, 224-183.

Semifinal Match – Weier def. Ratia, 226-194.

Championship – Belmonte def. Weier, 245-180.

Step Three Cashers (after 12 games; top 4 advanced to stepladder finals):

1, Belmonte, 2,734.

2, Weier, 2,689.

3, P. Andersson, 2,581.

4, Ratia, 2,486

5, w-Britt Brondsted, Denmark, 2,459, $6,198.

6, w-Sanna Pasanen, Finland, 2,447, $4,958.

7, Jesper Svensson, Sweden, 2,443, $3,966.

8, w-Diana Zavjalova, Latvia, 2,415, $3,099.

Step Two Cashers (did not advance, after 8 games):

9, Bader Alaishaikh, Saudi Arabia, 1,654, $2,479.

10, w-Nina Flack, Sweden, 1,651, $2,169.

11, Andrew Cain, Phoenix, 1,649, $1,859.

12, Jassim al Muraikhi, Qatar, 1,657, $1,673.

13, Francois Lavoie, Canada, 1,646, $1,580.

14, w-Victoria Johansson, Sweden, 1,643, $1,549.

15 (tie), w-Sandra Andersson, Sweden, and Mattias Olsson, Sweden, 1,627, $1,553.

17 (tie), Timmy Fredricksson, Sweden, and Thomas Larsen, Denmark, 1,612, $1,440.

19, Filip Wilhelmsson, Sweden, 1,597, $1,394.

20, Stuart Williams, England, 1,596, $1,363.

21, Markus Jansson, Sweden, 1,576, $1,332.

22, w-Sandra Gongora, Mexico, 1,573, $1,301.

23, Mik Stampe, Denmark, 1,554, $1,270.

24, William Svensson, Sweden, 1,484, $1,240.

Step One Cashers (did not advance, after 6 games):

25, Nathan Ruest-Lajoie, Canada, 1,227, $1,209

26, Daniel Fransson, Sweden, 1,225, $1,178.

27, Robert Lindberg, Sweden, 1,224, $1,147

28, Stefan Roos, Sweden, 1,223, $1,116.

29, w-Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 1,213, $1,085.

30, Christer Danielsson, Sweden, 1,200, $1,054.

31, Christopher Sloan, Ireland, 1,199, $1,043.

32, Anton Persson, Sweden, 1,169, $992.

33, Emanuel Jonsson, Sweden, 1,160, $961.

34, w-Joline Persson Planefors, Sweden, 1,155, $930.

35, Anthony Simonsen, Austin, Texas, 1,154, $899.

36 (tie), Johan Danielsson, Sweden, and Francois Louw, South Africa, 1,150, $853.

38, w-Elisa Hiltunen, Finland, 1,138, $806.

40, w-Ida Andersson, Sweden, 1,117, $775.

41, Lars Lindback, Sweden, 1,107, $744.

42 (tie), Alfred Berggren, Sweden, and Fredrik Tjernes, Norway, 1,090, $675.

44, Martin Paulsson, Sweden, 1,087, $620.

w-denotes woman (women received 8 handicap pins per game).