BELMO LEADS....TUES. 8 P.M.

Jason Belmonte Leads Group 1 into PBA Tour Finals Semifinal Round

Tuesday on CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. ET

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (May 31, 2018)– After leading his four-player group in the positioning round portion of the PBA Tour Finals, reigning PBA Player of the Year and 2017 PBA Tour Finals runner-up Jason Belmonte will enter the Group 1 stepladder semifinal round as the top qualifier Tuesday, June 5 at 8 p.m. ET on the CBS Sports Network.

Belmonte, a 17-time PBA Tour winner, posted a 974 four-game pinfall total on four different lane conditions at historic Thunderbowl Lanes to earn the top spot in the Group 1 stepladder round by 21 pins over three-time PBA Tour winner Anthony Simonsen (953), six-time tour winner Dom Barrett (825) and 12-time tour winner Sean Rash (819).

The opening match will feature Rash against Barrett with the winner taking on Simonsen for the opportunity to meet Belmonte in the final match.

The Group 1 players are among the eight PBA Tour stars who led the Go Bowling! PBA Tour in total earnings between 2016 and the first four months of 2018. Group 2 includes semifinal round top qualifier and defending champion EJ Tackett along with Jesper Svensson, Marshall Kent and Tommy Jones. They will compete in their stepladder round on Tuesday, June 12 at 8 p.m.

At this point in the tournament, all competitors have bowled one game each on the PBA’s 36-foot Johnny Petraglia, 42-foot Mark Roth, 39-foot Don Carter and 45-foot Dick Weber lane conditions. As top qualifier in Group 1, Belmonte earned the right to select the oil pattern for the semifinal round, and he selected the Dick Weber 45 pattern.

The semifinal stepladder rounds, as well as the championship round, will feature a best-of-two-game championship match with ties broken by a 9th and 10th frame roll-off. The two group winners will then meet in the best-of-two-game championship match which will air June 19.

CBS Sports Network PBA Tour Finals Remaining Schedule

Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park, Mich. (all times Eastern)

June 5 – 8 p.m. - PBA Tour Finals Semifinal Stepladder Round 1

June 12 – 8 p.m. - PBA Tour Finals Semifinal Stepladder Round 2

June 19 – 8 p.m. - PBA Tour Finals Championship

MOHR WINS PBA50 EVENT

Ron Mohr Defeats Walter Ray Williams Jr. to Win PBA50 Northern California Classic

After falling behind early in title match, Mohr comes back to beat Williams 237-218 for 10th career PBA50 Tour title

BRENTWOOD, Calif. (May 30, 2018) – PBA Hall of Famer Ron Mohr of Las Vegas, overcame an open in the first frame and a 26-pin deficit early in the championship match to beat fellow Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Fla., to win the PBA50 Northern California Classic presented by MOTIV Wednesday for his 10th career PBA50 Tour title.

Mohr missed a 10 pin in the first frame but battled back with a spare and then six strikes in a row to beat Williams, 237-218, in the title match for his first title of the season and second Northern California Classic title at Harvest Park Bowl having also won in 2011.

“First, I thought here we go again,” the 62-year-old Mohr said after the open in the first frame. “But then I refocused and thought it’s early and it’s not over yet. I was actually more worried about the four strikes in a row that Walter started with than my ability to come back. I kept telling myself just make good shots the rest of the way and see how it goes from there.

Williams, who finished second for the third time this season, started with four strikes in a row but then ran into trouble when he left the 4-6-7-10 split in the fifth frame and could never recover after that. Williams, who qualified second for the finals, was trying for his 12th PBA50 Tour title.

Mohr earned top qualifier honors for the finals thanks to winning all of his 11 matches in match play earlier in the day.

“I was really bowling well all day today and had a lot of confidence going into the title match which probably helped me turn it around,” Mohr said. “It also helped that I really never had the feeling that I was way behind or was in a hole I couldn’t get out of.”

In the opening stepladder match, Johnny Petraglia BVL Open winner Michael Haugen Jr. of Phoenix, defeated 2017 Northern California Classic winner Amleto Monacelli, 258-213.  Haugen was trying for his third career PBA50 Tour title and Monacelli was trying for his ninth.

In the second match, Haugen beat six-time PBA Tour winner Chris Warren of Grants Pass, Ore., who was trying for his first PBA50 Tour title, 248-216, to advance to the semifinal match against Williams. Williams then beat Haugen in the semifinal, 258-237, to advance to the championship match.

The PBA50 Tour travels to Las Vegas for the USBC Super Senior Classic May 31-June 3 and the USBC Senior Masters June 4-10 both at Sam’s Town, and then moves to the Suncoast Bowling Center for the  Suncoast PBA Senior U.S. Open presented by Storm June 11-15.

Fans can catch all the PBA50 Tour action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For subscription and schedule information visit www.xtraframe.tv.         

PBA50 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CLASSIC

Presented by MOTIV

Harvest Park Bowl, Brentwood, Calif., Wednesday

Final Standings:

1, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, $8,000

2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., $4,500

3, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, $2,500

4, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., $2,000.

5, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, $1,750.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Haugen def. Monacelli, 258-213.

Match Two – Haugen def. Warren, 248-216.

Semifinal Match – Williams def. Haugen, 258-237.

Championship Match – Mohr def. Williams, 237-218.

Match Play Round 2 (after six games, including match play bonus pins. Top five advance to stepladder finals)

1, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 6-0, 1,651.
2, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 4-2, 1,524.
3, Chris Warren, Grants Pass, Ore., 4-2, 1,469.
4, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 4-2, 1,403.
5, Amleto Monacelli, Venezuela, 4-2, 1,388.
6, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2-4, 1,374, $1,500.
7, n,ss-Joe Salvemini, Yuba City, Calif., 4-2, 1,354, $1,500.
8, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 4-2, 1,343, $1,500.
9, Dennis Horan Jr., Oakley, Calif., 3-3, 1,335, $1,300.
10, ss-Skip Pavone, San Jose, Calif., 2-4, 1,311, $1,300.
11, ss-Rodney Garrick, San Francisco, 3-3, 1,293, $1,300.
12, ss-Warren Nelson, Hemet, Calif., 1-5, 1,291, $1,300.
13, ss-Kevin Croucher, Grants Pass, Ore., 3-3, 1,278, $1,300.
14, Greg McDaniel, Kimball, Neb., 2-4, 1,277, $1,300.
15, Rory Peterson, Sacramento, Calif., 1-5, 1,275, $1,300.
16, Mark Mazzulla, Brentwood, Calif., 1-5, 1,217, $1,300.

Match Play Round 1 (After five games, including match play bonus pins)

17, ss-Hugh Miller, Mercer Island, Wash., 1-3-1, 1,117, $1,150.
18, Joseph Petrovich, Tracy, Calif, 1-4, 1,068, $1,150.
19, Noel Vazquez, Sacramento, Calif., 2-3, 1,066, $1,150.
20, n-George Aboud, San Jose, Calif., 3-2, 1,052, $1,150.
21, ss-Edward Silva, Manteca, Calif., 1-4, 1,029, $1,150.
22, Andrew Warren, Austin, Tex., 2-3, 1,019, $1,150.
23, Mark McCreary, Livermore, Calif., 0-5, 959, $1,150.
24, ss-Mitchell Vernon, Olympia, Wash., 1-4, 943, $1,150.

Other Cashers (after five-game cashers’ round)

25, ss-Mike Dias, Lafayette, Colo., 1,038, $1,000.
26, ss-Henry Dawson, Elma, Wash., 1,035, $1,000.
27, ss-Tom Carter, Columbus, Ohio, 1,034, $1,000.
28, ss-n-Paul Appling, Camarillo, Calif., 1,024, $1,000.
29, ss-John Dudak, Orland Park, Ill., 1,021, $1,000.
30, Craig Miller, Tracy, Calif., 1,015, $1,000.
31, Marty Deh, San Jose, Calif., 1,003, $1,000.
32, ss-Alan Sabin, Winston, Ore, 995, $1,000.
33, ss-Kevin Foley, Reno, Nev., 977, $1,000.
34, Don Herrington, Ballston Lake, N.Y., 962, $1,000.
35, ss-Jim Gordin, Modesto, Calif., 947, $1,000.
36, n-Scott Luba, Dublin, Calif., 924, $1,000.

n-non-member

ss-PBA60 player ages 60 years and older

RAILRIDERS HOPE WEEK ACTIVITIES

RailRiders Announce Week-Long HOPE Week Activities

Festivities to run from Tuesday, June 5 through Sunday, June 10

MOOSIC, PA. (May 31, 2018) – What began as an ode to the parent club and the community has turned into an annual tradition in NEPA. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A, New York Yankees) are proud to announce that beginning on Tuesday, June 5, the RailRiders will once again join the New York Yankees in support of HOPE Week 2018 (Helping Others Persevere and Excel), a unique week-long communal program that brings to light extraordinary stories intended to inspire individuals into action in their own communities.

“HOPE Week is something our entire organization looks forward to each year,” said Jordan Maydole, Director of Community Relations for the RailRiders. “It’s a week where we get to focus on supporting and celebrating an incredibly deserving individual or community organization. It’s always rewarding to see what this week brings and to see the impact a baseball team and staff can make in the community.”

Initiated in 2009 and now in its ninth campaign in NEPA, HOPE Week is rooted in the fundamental belief that acts of goodwill provide hope and encouragement to more than just the recipient of the gesture. Each day from Tuesday, June 5, through Sunday, June 10, members of the RailRiders front office staff and the team will personally connect with an organization, cause or individual in the surrounding community. 2018 marks the seventh straight year that each of the Yankees’ six U.S.-based affiliates will participate in the program, making the initiative one that the entire organization proudly stands behind.

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thursday, june 5

HOPE Week kicks off with players, coaches and front office staff participating in Hunger 101 -- a poverty simulation. It is a unique, enlightening experience that helps individuals begin to understand what life is like with a shortage of money, a shortage of food and an abundance of stress. It moves people to think about the harsh realities of poverty and hunger. It encourages people to make a difference. Hunger 101 is facilitated by the Commission on Economic Opportunity/Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank. Immediately following there will be an hour of food-packing for the food bank and concludes with a tour of the Food Bank’s Center for Healthy Living. During that night’s game, a jersey will be raffled off to support local Scranton teen, Jalen Chandler, who is battling leukemia, and who will be in attendance that evening with his family. There will be additional fundraising that night to benefit Jalen’s fund to cover his family’s medical expenses.

wednesday june 6

Wednesday June 6 will be a day in celebration of Christian Pack. He is a Hanover Township native and King’s College baseball player, who ended the season with a .365 batting average and led the Monarchs with 54 hits and 36 runs scored who embodies everything about HOPE Week. Despite six total heart surgeries since birth, including four open-heart surgeries, his perseverance and passion for baseball has led him from Little League, to high school, to finishing this past season with the second highest batting average on the team at King’s College. As the RailRiders’ guest to that night’s game vs. the Durham Bulls, Christian and his family will get a special look at RailRiders batting practice before the game, take a tour of the stadium and enjoy a VIP night out at the game.

thursday june 7

It’s Vs. Cancer Night, Thursday June 7. RailRiders RHP J.P. Feyereisen, Strength & Conditioning Coach Brad Hyde, Members of the RailRiders Front Office, Coaching staff and players have committed to raising funds and awareness for the Vs. Cancer Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. For weeks, they have raised funds for the RailRiders campaign through their personal fundraising pages and have promised to stand in support of pediatric cancer by having their heads shaved on the field in front of the dugout following Thursday’s game. During the game, fans can get their hair buzzed by SportClips for a donation to Vs. Cancer. Half of the funds raised by the RailRiders for Vs. Cancer will directly benefit the Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville, while the other half will directly benefit the national Vs. Cancer Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Keegan Wyshosky, an 11-year old brain tumor survivor from Lehighton, Pa. and his family will be in attendance during the game. Keegan will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the start of the game and will serve as the honorary Countdown Kid to commence the head-shaving ceremony on field postgame.

friday june 8

Friday begins with a morning visit for players, coaches and Champ the mascot at the Children’s Unit of the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital. The visit includes visiting with the young patients and delivering goodie bags containing RailRiders coloring pages, a team poster, player card set and a baseball. Kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Northeastern Pennsylvania will be in attendance at the game; enjoying a tour of the ballpark and a meet and greet with CHAMP the mascot prior to the start of the game. Fans at Friday’s game are encouraged to pre-register for the Backyard Baseball jersey auction for the jerseys that the RailRiders will be wearing the following night. Fans who bid on the signed and game-worn jerseys through QTego’s online and text-bidding system Saturday can get their jerseys after the conclusion of Saturday’s game. All jersey auction proceeds will directly benefit the Boys and Girls Club of NEPA.

saturday june 9

Saturday morning, players and coaching staff will visit with veterans at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center. The VAMC Wilkes-Barre has been improving the health of the men and women who have so proudly served our nation in this area for over 50 years. The VAMC serves Veterans living in 18 counties across PA and one county in New York. The Backyard Baseball jerseys will be up for auction the night of Saturday June 9 with all proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of NEPA. Using QTego’s online and mobile text-bidding auction system, the game-worn jerseys from that night’s Backyard Baseball-themed game will be up for auction during the game. The jerseys won by the winning bidder will be signed by the player who wore them that night. Both fans in attendance and fans at home may participate in the auction. A link for the event’s website will be shared during the week leading up to the game. 

sunday june 10

On Sunday, HOPE Week wraps up with a morning spent with the Wyoming Valley Challenger Little League. In HOPE Week finale tradition, RailRiders players and front office staff will visit with the Wyoming Valley Challenger Little League during their game held at Right Field in the morning prior to the RailRiders game. Players will serve as “buddies” cheering on the Challenger players alongside their parents and coaches. After the Challenger game that morning, the Hospice of Sacred Heart’s Camp Healing HEARTS childhood bereavement program will be celebrated. The program is a day-camp experience based in Moosic to provide grief education to children ages 8-14 who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Children work with counselors and community members to help them progress towards the acceptance of loss and using different art forms as a means of self-expression. Thanks to Scranton Products, 29 kids from Camp Healing HEARTS and 15 members of their supportive family and friends will get to attend the game together. The kids will also receive a special opportunity to meet the RailRiders players and coaches at the ballpark prior to gates opening. 

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HOPE Week is just part of the RailRiders’ community outreach this season, and the RailRiders look forward to continuing their commitment both during and after HOPE Week. Any inquiries regarding the weeklong festivities should be directed to RailRiders Director of Community Relations Jordan Maydole by calling 570-969-2255 (ext. 3140) or by e-mailing jmaydole@swbrailriders.com. For tickets or more information on the upcoming homestand which features 10 games in nine days running from June 5 – June 13, please call 570-969-BALL (2255) or visit swbrailriders.com.

PONIES FALL TO ERIE

Feisty Rumble Ponies Fall Short in Finale

ERIE, PA – The Binghamton Rumble Ponies erased a pair of three-run deficits, but ultimately fell to the Erie SeaWolves, 11-10, on Thursday afternoon at UPMC Park. Dominic Ficociello and Jacob Robson each hit two homers for the SeaWolves, but it was Kody Eaves’ walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth that snapped Erie’s nine-game losing streak.

The SeaWolves busted out the bats against Binghamton starter Joseph Shaw. Ficociello led the way with a five-RBI game. He hit a solo homer in the second before highlighting Erie’s five-run third with a three-run blast. Erie outfielder Jacob Robson joined the party with two homers of his own. Shaw was touched for ten runs on nine hits, including a career-high four homers.

The Rumble Ponies erased their first three-run deficit in the fourth with one swing. After Erie starter Kyle Funkhouser walked two, Joey Wong blasted a three-run homer over the wall in right-center. His second longball as a Rumble Pony tied the game at six.

Following Robson’s solo homers in the fourth and sixth, Erie tacked on two runs in the seventh. Reliever Adonis Uceta inherited two runners from Shaw and surrendered an RBI single to Ficociello before Eaves delivered a sacrifice fly.

Trailing by three, the Ponies chipped away with a pair of runs in the eighth. Jeff McNeil doubled to start the ninth, his third hit of the game, and scored the tying run on John Mora’s sacrifice fly.

Erie opened the bottom of the ninth with consecutive singles from Josh Lester and Ficociello. Eaves ended the game by lifting a sacrifice fly to center.

Uceta (0-1) allowed one run on three hits over two innings in the loss. He faced a season-high 11 batters. Mark Ecker (3-4) collected the win despite suffering his third blown save.

The Rumble Ponies (28-24) return home and start a four-game, three-day series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats with a doubleheader on Friday at 5:35 PM. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 5:20 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton suffered their third walk-off loss of the season…Matt Oberste hit his fifth home run of the season in the second inning…the Rumble Ponies took two-of-three against Erie, securing their fifth series win in their last six tries

PBA-FOX 2019 SCHEDULE

PBA, FOX Sports Announce Historic Television Schedule for 2019

Go Bowling! PBA Tour to include new PBA Playoffs, 19 live telecasts, four majors and more

LOS ANGELES (May 30, 2018) – A new era in the Professional Bowlers Association is set to begin as FOX Sports and the PBA announced its 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour television schedule, featuring 30 telecasts and including a new PBA Playoffs series.

The robust multi-platform PBA-FOX Sports agreement, announced in March, features five telecasts on FOX and 26 on FS1. The 2019 TV schedule, which begins Sunday, Jan. 6, on FS1 with the Hall of Fame Classic in Arlington, TX, includes 60 hours of coverage, nearly double last year’s schedule, and the most in decades. Nineteen of the telecasts are live, the most in 11 years. Four 2019 events airing on FOX marks the most PBA action on network broadcast TV since 1999.

The announcement was made today by PBA CEO and Commissioner Tom Clark, and FOX Sports EVP of Programming, Live Operations and Research Bill Wanger.  

Kicking off the new PBA on FOX partnership will be a bonus event, PBA Clash, Sunday, Dec. 23, on FOX. The 90-minute special will feature top PBA stars in a unique competition, plus a look at the new year and upcoming events on FOX and FS1.

The new PBA Playoffs is a 10-telecast event that will seed the top 24 players after the first 13 PBA on FOX events of the 2019 season into an elimination bracket. All PBA Playoffs matches will be televised from Bayside Bowl in Portland, Maine, from the live first Round of 24 matches on Monday night, April 8, on FS1, through to the live semifinals and finals on FOX, Saturday and Sunday, June 1-2. The PBA Playoffs champion will win a $100,000 first prize.

Other highlights of the 2019 PBA on FOX Sports schedule include:

● Live coverage of four PBA major championships: the PBA Tournament of Champions on Sunday, Feb. 10, from suburban Akron, Ohio; the PBA Players Championship on Sunday, Feb. 17, from Columbus, Ohio; the PBA World Championship on Thursday, March 21, from Allen Park, Mich., and the United States Bowling Congress Masters on Monday, April 1, from Las Vegas.

● Revolutionary coverage of professional bowling’s biggest event, PBA World Series of Bowling X. Five consecutive nights of prime-time WSOB coverage, including live finals of four PBA title events, will air from Allen Park, Mich., March 18-22.

● The PBA League team competition returns, for the first time all live on TV. Back in Portland, Maine, the PBA League will conclude the 2019 PBA-FOX Sports schedule with four live prime time telecasts on FS1 for three consecutive nights, July 16-18. 

● The CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational returns and moves for the first time to network TV as FOX airs the event on Super Bowl Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

In addition to the 60 hours of broadcast television, FOX Sports digital also will play a key role in expanding the PBA’s visibility.

Additional details concerning tournament formats, host bowling centers and more, will be announced by the PBA soon.

For additional details as they are released, follow the PBA Network’s social media outlets and visit http://FOX.com.  

2019 PBA-FOX SPORTS GO BOWLING! PBA TOUR SCHEDULE (All times Eastern)

Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018 – PBA Clash, Houston, Texas (FOX, 2:30 or 4:30 p.m. ET, depending on viewer’s location).

Sunday, Jan. 6 – PBA Hall of Fame Classic, Arlington, Texas (FS1, 11 a.m., live).

Sunday, Jan. 13 – PBA Oklahoma Open, Shawnee, Okla. (FS1, 11 a.m., live).

Sunday, Jan. 20 – Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship, Shawnee, Okla. (FS1, 1 p.m.).

Sunday, Jan. 27 – PBA Lubbock Open, Lubbock, Texas (FS1, 3 p.m., live).

Sunday, Feb. 3 – CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational, Houston, Texas (FOX, 2 p.m.).

Sunday, Feb. 10 – PBA Tournament of Champions, Fairlawn, Ohio (FOX, 5 p.m., live).

Sunday, Feb. 17 – PBA Players Championship, Columbus, Ohio (FS1, 1 p.m., live).

Sunday, Feb. 24 – PBA Indianapolis Open, Indianapolis, Ind. (FS1, 3 p.m., live).

Sunday, March 3 – PBA Jonesboro Open, Jonesboro, Ark. (FS1, 5 p.m., live).

Sunday, March 10 – World Bowling Tour Finals presented by PBA, Arlington, Texas (FS1, 10 p.m.).

Monday, March 18 – PBA World Series of Bowling X Cheetah Championship, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, 8 p.m., live).

Tuesday, March 19 - PBA World Series of Bowling X Chameleon Championship, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, 8 p.m., live).

Wednesday, March 20 - PBA World Series of Bowling X Scorpion Championship, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, 8 p.m., live).

Thursday, March 21 - PBA World Series of Bowling PBA World Championship, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, 8 p.m., live).

Friday, March 22 - PBA World Series of Bowling X USA vs The World, Allen Park, Mich. (FS1, 8 p.m.).

Monday, April 1 – USBC Masters, Las Vegas (FS1, 9 p.m., live)

Monday, April 8 – PBA Playoffs Round of 24, Portland, Maine (FS1, 7 p.m., live).

Monday, April 15 - PBA Playoffs Round of 24, Portland, Maine (FS1, 8 p.m.).

Monday, April 22 - PBA Playoffs Round of 24, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m.).

Monday, April 29 - PBA Playoffs Round of 24, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m.).

Monday, May 6 - PBA Playoffs Round of 16, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m.).

Monday, May 13 - PBA Playoffs Round of 16, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m.).

Monday, May 20 - PBA Playoffs Quarterfinals, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m.).

Monday, May 27 - PBA Playoffs Quarterfinals, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m.).

Saturday, June 1 - PBA Playoffs Final Four, Portland, Maine (FOX, noon, live).

Sunday, June 2 - PBA Playoffs Championship Round, Portland, Maine (FOX, noon, live).

Tuesday, July 16 – PBA League Quarterfinals, Portland, Maine (FS1, 7 p.m., live).

Tuesday, July 16 – PBA League Quarterfinals, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m., live).

Wednesday, July 17 – PBA League Semifinals, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m., live).

Thursday, July 18 – PBA League Elias Cup Finals, Portland, Maine (FS1, 9 p.m., live).

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FS1, FS2; FOX Sports Regional Networks, their affiliated regional web sites and national programming; FOX Soccer Plus; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, including FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports app. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and BTN 2Go, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network. 

About the PBA

Now in its 60th year, the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) is an organization of more than 3,000 of the best bowlers from 27 countries who compete in Go Bowling! PBA Tour, PBA International Tour, PBA50 Tour, and PBA, PBA50 and PBA-PWBA Women’s Regional events. In 2018, the PBA celebrated its 59th consecutive year of nationally-televised competition, reaching bowling fans around the world who follow PBA activities through the PBA Network which includes Xtra Frame, the PBA’s exclusive online bowling channel, FOX Sports, FS1 and CBS Sports Network, and the PBA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. PBA sponsors include Barbasol, Brunswick, Ebonite International, GEICO, GoBowling.com, HotelPlanner.com, MOTIV, 900 Global, PBA Bowling Challenge Mobile Game, Storm Products and the United States Bowling Congress, among others. Learn more at www.pba.com.

—    FOX SPORTS  —

SCRANTON 3, LOUISVILLE 1

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE

RAILRIDERS

GAME REPORT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre  3     Louisville  1

LOUISVILLE, KY (May 30, 2018) –  The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders topped the Louisville Bats 3-1 Wednesday evening at Lousiville Slugger Field. David Hale and two relievers worked a two-hitter as the RailRiders won their fourth straight road game.

The RailRiders scored twice in the second for the early advantage.  After hitting four solo home runs in Tuesday’s series opener, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre added two more in the second inning Wednesday.  Mike Ford led off the inning with a solo home run to right off Major League rehabber Anthony DeSclafani.  It was Ford’s eighth of the year and second of the series.  Two batters later, Billy McKinney matched Ford; a solo home run which was his second in as many games against the Bats.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starter David Hale worked three perfect innings in his sixth start of the season.  In the fourth, Rosell Herrera singled, snapped Hale’s string at ten consecutive batters to start the outing.  With two outs, D.J. Peterson singled home Herrera to cut the lead to one run.

Hale (1-2) pitched into the seventh, allowing just the one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks.  Raynel Espinal inherited a runner in the seventh but escaped the inning with the tying run left at third.  Louisville had two on with one out in the eighth and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was able to stand both Bats runners on base.

L.J. Mazzilli’s sac fly in the top of the ninth drove in McKinney, providing an insurance run and a 3-1 lead.  Joe Harvey pitched the bottom of the ninth for the RailRiders and earned his first Triple-A save.

DeSclafani (0-2) took the loss, allowing the first two Scranton/Wilkes-Barre runs.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Louisville close this three-game set Thursday at 7:00 p.m.  Erik Swanson (0-0, 4.22) gets the call for the RailRiders and will be opposed by the Bats Robert Stephenson (4-4, 3.59). Scranton/Wilkes-Barre travels to Indianapolis for three, has an off-day Monday and opens a 10-game, nine-day homestand on June 5. 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record:

24-27

PONIES GAIN THE VICTORY

Eleventh-Inning Onslaught Seals Ponies’ Victory

ERIE, PA – Levi Michael, Peter Alonso and Kevin Taylor all drove in runs in Binghamton’s five-run eleventh inning to send the Rumble Ponies to a 7-3 victory over the Erie SeaWolves on Wednesday night at UPMC Park. Thrust into duty on short notice, Mickey Jannis tossed seven strong innings while three Ponies relievers combined for four innings of near-spotless relief to seal Binghamton’s sixth win in seven tries.

With the game knotted at two in the final inning, Binghamton filled the bases against Trent Szkutnik. Michael floated an RBI single into shallow right. His third hit of the night gave Binghamton their first lead. Alonso scorched a two-run single into left to cap his own three-hit game. Taylor salted the game away by poking a two-run single up the middle.

Binghamton’s eruption in the eleventh washed away a ten-inning stretch of offensive frustration. Prior to Michael’s hit, the Rumble Ponies were 2-for-18 with runners in scoring positon, including a stretch of nine hitless at-bats to start the game. The Ponies’ lone timely hit before extras came from Patrick Mazeika who delivered a two-run double to tie the game in the seventh.

Binghamton starter Jannis was tapped to take the mound a day earlier than expected after scheduled starter Scott Copeland was summoned to the New York Mets. On short notice, the knuckleball kept the SeaWolves in check over seven strong innings. He cruised through four scoreless frames before allowing single tallies in the fifth and sixth. The righty capped his day by striking out three of the final six SeaWolves he faced. Jannis finished with eight strikeouts.

David Roseboom entered in the eighth and stranded two before handing off to Joshua Torres for the final out of the ninth. Erie pushed the potential winning run to third with one out in the tenth, but Torres notched the final two outs to send the game deeper into extras. Following Binghamton’s five-run frame, Ryder Ryan fanned three in the bottom of the inning, his Double-A debut.

Torres (4-0) scooped up the win with 1-1/3 innings of spotless relief. Szkutnik (0-1) took the loss.

The Rumble Ponies (28-23) conclude their series in Erie with a morning tilt at 11:05 AM on Thursday. RHP Joseph Shaw takes the mound against RHP Kyle Funkhouser. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 10:50 AM on CBS Sports Radio 1360 AM WYOS and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton is a season-best five games over .500…Binghamton improved to 3-1 in games decided in extra innings…the Rumble Ponies have won eight straight games at UPMC Park, dating back to last season

USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS WEEKLY GLANCE
(For May 23 – May 29, 2018)

Florida bowler rolls perfect game at USBC Open Championships
During his short career at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships, Josh Johnson of Callahan, Florida, has been part of a different group in each appearance, but the 26-year-old right-hander’s performance May 25 at the 2018 event certainly will make him a valuable teammate moving forward.

Johnson, a five-time participant at the USBC Open Championships, exceeded all of his expectations this year at the Oncenter Convention Center in Syracuse, New York, producing the seventh perfect game of the event during his final game of singles to move into second place in Regular All-Events with a 2,181 total. Kurt Pilon of Warren, Michigan, leads with 2,186.

Johnson’s 300, the third in singles competition this year, came after games of 250 and 216 for a 766 series, which places him in ninth in Regular Singles. Cotie Holbek of Burlington, Wisconsin, leads with 802.

Johnson’s performance during doubles set the stage for his strong finish. On his way to a 745 doubles series, he started both the first and second games with seven consecutive strikes, before nine-counts each time ended his run in the eighth frame.

As he edged closer to 300 and a spot in the top five of Regular All-Events, Johnson enjoyed the support provided by his high-profile teammates, which included USBC and Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. of Oxford, Florida, and 1992 Regular Singles champion Bob Youker from nearby Minoa, New York.

Their two-team group also included Ron Dixon of Lake Worth, Florida, who rolled a 299 game en route to an 815 series at the 2011 Open Championships.

“I had the front seven twice in doubles, and I turned to my teammates and told them if I had one more shot at the front seven, I will get a 300,” said Johnson, who had 670 in team this year in Syracuse. “I really wasn’t all that nervous going into the last frame. I had a great bunch of guys who were rooting for me the entire time. I was just living in the moment, and I was throwing the ball quite well.”

Two more bowlers connect for 300 at Oncenter Convention Center
A pair of bowlers finished their team sets on May 28 with 300 games at the 2018 USBC Open Championships.

Bradley Ceraolo of Mooresville, North Carolina, was the first to accomplish the feat, and he was joined in the tournament’s record book several hours later by Greg Walters Jr. of Slidell, Louisiana. They became the eighth and ninth bowlers, respectively, to roll perfect games at the 2018 event, and their performance marked the first time this year that multiple bowlers achieved perfection on the same day.

Ceraolo, a 40-year-old right-hander, made his return to the Open Championships after missing the previous eight editions of the event. After starting with a 145 game, Ceraolo settled in with 214 before finishing with 12 consecutive strikes for a 659 series.

Walters, a 42-year-old right-hander, also got stronger as his set went on, starting with games of 179 and 222 before his perfect finish to end with a 701 series.

New leaders emerge in Standard Doubles and Classified Team at 2018 USBC Open Championships
Twin brothers Michael and Jeffrey Krywcum of Buffalo, New York, became the first pair to eclipse the 1,200-mark in Standard Doubles at the 2018 USBC Open Championships and moved into the lead May 27 with a 1,203 total.

Michael led the way in his third Open Championships appearance with games of 165, 237 and 238 for a 640 series, while Jeffrey added 183, 202 and 178 in his second appearance for a 563 series to surpass the 1,192 total posted by David Stettnichs of Madison, South Dakota, and Aaron Stettnichs of Rock Rapids, Iowa.

Both brothers credit their success to time spent at the Bowlers Journal Championships presented by USBC, which is being held at the nearby AMF Strike ‘N Spare Lanes and features the same lane condition being used for doubles and singles at the Open Championships.

The two also found success during their time at Strike ‘N Spare Lanes as Michael moved into the top 10 in 209 & Under Singles, and they paired up to move into the top 10 in Handicap Doubles.

Also on May 27, new team leaders emerged in the Classified Division as Really??? of Katy, Texas, used games of 831, 776 and 807 to move into the top spot with 2,414. 2 Legit 2 Split of Mount Ayr, Iowa, previously held the lead with 2,386.

Lexina Hahn led the way for Really??? with a 540 series and was followed by Ron Lake (497), Allan Pfeiffer (478), Rochelle Tyler (453) and Staci Tucker (446).

Standard Doubles includes pairs with combined entering averages of 361-418, and Classified Team features five-player teams with combined entering averages of 900 and below.

A look ahead
Two milestones will be celebrated this week at the 2018 USBC Open Championships.

Nick Falkos of Aurora, Illinois, will become the newest member of the event’s 50-Year Club when he makes his milestone march to the lanes May 31 at 7 p.m. Eastern. He is one of 14 bowlers scheduled to reach five decades of participation this year in Syracuse.

On June 1 at 7 p.m. Eastern, Donald Granberry Jr. of St. Louis will add his name to an even more elite list as he competes in the Open Championships for the 60th time.

Through 2017, only 22 bowlers in tournament history have reached the 60-year mark. Granberry will be joined in the club later this year by Paul Gustke of Sarasota, Florida, and Joseph Pursel Jr. of Hellertown, Pennsylvania. Pursel also is expected to reach 100,000 pins at the Oncenter Convention Center in 2018.

For more information on the Open Championships, visit BOWL.com.

Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships 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 2,000 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.

2018 USBC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Oncenter Convention Center
Syracuse, N.Y.

(Division leaders with hometown and pinfall)

REGULAR DIVISION

Team
(Combined averages of 1,046 and above)
1, S & B Pro Shop 1 (Bill Orlikowski, Andrew Burke, Marcus McClain, Ryan Mouw, Kurt Pilon), Warren, Mich., 3,322. 2, The Locker Guy 1, Owatonna, Minn., 3,279. 3, Red Carpet Lanes, Greenfield, Wis., 3,277. 4, Team NABR, Fairport, N.Y., 3,217. 5, The Shim Reapers, Franklin, Wis., 3,206. 6, #TeamWhenYo, Rochester, N.Y., 3,190. 7, Cambridge Credit Counseling 1, Westfield, Mass., 3,188. 8, A & M Affiliates 2, Minneapolis, 3,182. 9, Maximum Potential Pro Shop, Baldwinsville, N.Y., 3,180. 10, A to Z Pro Shop Blue, Farmington, Minn., 3,167.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 419 and above)
1, Richard Eighme, Waterloo, Iowa/AJ Chapman, St. Paul, Minn., 1,457. 2, Alex Ouellette, Linwood, Mich./Justin Neiman, Macomb, Mich., 1,456. 3, Steve Kloempken, Pleasant View, Utah/David Haynes, Las Vegas, 1,453. 4, Francois Louw, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa/Michael Mak, Hong Kong, 1,437. 5, Matt Tomsu/Jay Watts, Omaha, Neb., 1,421. 6, Dan Chambers/Steven Nava, Hopkins, Minn., 1,412. 7, Chad Svendsen, Monroe, Wis./Jonathan Schalow, Evansville, Wis., 1,403. 8(tie), David O’Sullivan, Maitland, Fla./Sean Riccardi, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Peter Stone/Andrew Stone, Bloomington Ill., 1,402. 10, Ryan Burks, St. Joseph, Ind./John Riffle, Crown Point, Ind., 1,393.

Singles
(Averages of 210 and above)
1, Cotie Holbek, Burlington, Wis., 802. 2, Chris Hill, Franklin, Wis., 795. 3, Brenden Sramek, Bellevue, Neb., 790. 4, Rick Justice, Lawton, Okla., 786. 5, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 784. 6, Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 781. 7, Rameses Chambers, Kansas City, Mo., 771. 8, Chad Oachs, Mankato, Minn., 770. 9, Josh Johnson, Callahan, Fla., 766. 10, Bill O’Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 762.

All-Events
(Averages of 210 and above)
1, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 2,186. 2, Josh Johnson, Callahan, Fla., 2,181. 3, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,164. 4, AJ Chapman, St. Paul, Minn., 2,147. 5(tie), Jonathan Schalow, Evansville, Wis., and Doug Kent, Newark, N.Y., 2,146. 7, Francois Louw, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, 2,131. 8, David Labinski, South Milwaukee, Wis., 2,129. 9, Chad Oachs, Mankato, Minn., 2,118. 10, Ken Duffield, Platteville, Wis., 2,111.

Team All-Events
(Combined all-events totals of all five team members)
1, Red Carpet Lanes (Christopher Pierson, David Labinski, Ken Duffield, Chas Maas, David Beres), Greenfield, Wis., 10,252. 2, Brian Brazeau Pro Shop, Ocala, Fla., 9,959. 3, Maxxx Revs Pro Shop 1, Peoria, Ill., 9,882. 4, StormEBI, Cincinnati, 9,772. 5, #TeamWhenYo, Rochester, N.Y., 9,741. 6, Team NABR, Fairport, N.Y., 9,735. 7, S & B Pro Shop 1, Warren, Mich., 9,708. 8, Tetris With Hands, Clarksville, Tenn., 9,679. 9, A to Z Pro Shop Blue, Farmington, Minn., 9,659. 10, Coach K Scholarship, Pleasant View, Utah, 9,633.

STANDARD DIVISION

Team
(Combined averages of 901-1,045)
1, AJ’s Boys & Grandkids (Jerry Austin, Todd Austin, Steve Austin, Derek Austin, Joseph Austin), Sparta, Mich., 2,735. 2, Mel’s Diner, Calmar, Iowa, 2,720. 3, Pla-Mor Lanes 5, Coldwater, Ohio, 2,719. 4, Manassas VA Team 3, Manassas, Va., 2,718. 5, R&G Ag. 2, Grand Forks, N.D., 2,708.  6, Let’s Roll, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,704. 7, Pollard’s Bowl 5/Volidco, Versailles, Ind., 2,703. 8, J&B Mechanical 2, Schaumburg, Ill., 2,700. 9, Eder’s Pro Bowl 1, Madison, Ind., 2,697. 10, Plato Wood Works Two, Gaylord, Minn., 2,684.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 361-418)
1, Jeffrey Krywcum/Michael Krywcum, Buffalo, N.Y., 1,203. 2, David Stettnichs, Madison, S.D./Aaron Stettnichs, Rock Rapids, Iowa, 1,192. 3, Brian Hall, Blaine, Minn./Robert Pfeifer, Coon Rapids, Minn., 1,188. 4, Joseph Ortega/Richard Ciessau, Chicago, 1,174. 5, Mark Pifer, Covington, Va./Jerry Byer, Eagle Rock, Va., 1,171. 6(tie), Bradley Ziegenhagen, Hutchinson, Minn./Brad Brueggemeier, Watertown, Minn., and Fellow Lewis, Charlotte, N.C./Tyrone Brewington, Goldsboro, N.C., 1,169. 8, Steven Orlowski, Germantown, Wis./Kenneth Murack, Milwaukee, 1,164. 9(tie), Timothy Hochschild, Jefferson, Ohio/Terry Morrison, Ashtabula, Ohio, and Wayne Bradford, Palm Bay Fla./Martin Padjen, Lake Villa, Ill., 1,161.

Singles
(Averages of 181-209)
1, Ted Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., 707. 2, Rob Pierson, Miles City, Mont., 706. 3, Neil Vitale, Benton Harbor, Mich., 694. 4, Alex Houston, Rochester, Minn., 686. 5, Robert Tuchek, Alliance, Neb., 667. 6, Kevin Cotterman, Sidney, Ohio., 666. 7(tie), Wendy Inscho, Roseville, Mich., and Sheldon Fettig, Killdeer, N.D., 657. 9, William LaRock, Lansing, N.Y., 655. 10, Gary Babcock, Montague, Mich., 652.

All-Events
(Averages of 181-209)
1, Alex Houston, Rochester, Minn., 1,855. 2, Jesse Gibson, Vincennes, Ind., 1,822. 3, Tyrone Brewington, Goldsboro, N.C., 1,811. 4, Mike Menge, Cleveland, 1,798. 5, Jon Lee, Alexandria, Minn., 1,795. 6, John Albrecht, Oak Creek, Wis., 1,794. 7, Michael Krywcum, Buffalo, N.Y., 1,788. 8, Ted Rybialek South Elgin, Ill., 1,778. 9, Paul Nickle, Rising Sun, Md., 1,777. 10, Brandon Vanwinkle, Port Angeles, Wash., 1,773.

CLASSIFIED DIVISION

Team
(Combined averages of 900 and below)
1, Really??? (Rochelle Tyler, Ron Lake, Lexina Hahn, Allan Pfeiffer, Staci Tucker), Katy, Texas, 2,414. 2, 2 Legit 2 Split, Mount Ayr, Iowa, 2,386. 3, Knights and More, Aiken, S.C., 2,338. 4, OH NO Team 2, Orland Park, Ill., 2,331. 5, Anuenue, Levittown, Pa., 2,329. 6(tie), Chesterfield Rex, Sebastopol, Calif., and Wayne’s World, Perryville, Md., 2,325. 8, Hoffman Electric, Fort Collins, Colo., 2,319. 9, Da Rat Pack, Billings, Mont., 2,316. 10, Averill Recreation 2, Sparta, Mich., 2,315.

Doubles
(Combined averages of 360 and below)
1, Adam Valentinas, Palos Park, Ill./Daniel Hartmont, Orland Park, Ill., 1,097. 2, Robert Johnson, Stansbury Park, Utah/Kenneth Poulsen, West Valley City, Utah, 1,082. 3, Jennifer Geimer, Miami Shores, Fla./Doug Romanik, Miami, 1,077. 4, James Pfeiffer, Camanche, Iowa/Randall Prokopec, Wauconda, Ill., 1,063. 5, Jennifer Pitti, Lakeland, Calif./Mike Lee, Los Angeles, 1,059. 6, Butch Booker, Clarissa, Minn./Marvin Cole, Long Prairie, Minn., 1,056. 7, George VonPless, Kirkville, N.Y./William Michalski, Syracuse, N.Y., 1,053. 8, Willie Harrell, Hamilton, Ohio/Arthur Thomas, Cincinnati, 1,050. 9, Lanny Anderson, Scranton, N.D./Ron Braaten, Ludlow, S.D., 1,048. 10, Tanya Miller/Troy Adevai, Jefferson, Ore., 1,047.

Singles
(Averages of 180 and below)
1, Jochen Rehbein, Lindenfels, Germany, 622. 2, Juan Cavazos, Clinton, Iowa, 617. 3(tie), Isaac Wake, Versailles, Ind., and Darren Robitaille, Grove, Okla., 602. 5, Rocky Martin, Enosburg Falls, Vt., 597. 6, Joe Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., 594. 7(tie), Meggan McCarthy, Waukegan, Ill., and Terry Smith, Chicago, 591. 9, Denise Hector, Annapolis, Md., 586. 10, Samuel Huxoll, Vancouver, Wash., 585.

All-Events
(Averages of 180 and below)
1, Isaac Wake, Versailles, Ind., 1,754. 2, Jochen Rehbein, Lindenfels, Germany, 1,718. 3, William Michalski, Syracuse, N.Y., 1,693. 4(tie), Joe Rybialek, South Elgin, Ill., and Pat Anderson, Cut Bank, Mont., 1,656. 6(tie), Esau Hernandez, Kissimmee, Fla., and Jeannette Anderson, Burns, Wyo., 1,614. 8, Arthur Villareal, Taylor, Mich., 1,607. 9, Yvonne Dowland Grasso, La Palma, Calif., 1,601. 10, Wayne Kommalan, Perryville, Md., 1,594.