PBA SPARE SHOTS

PBA Spare Shots

 

JASON BELMONTE’S STAR IS RISING IN EYES OF AUSTRALIA’S MAINSTREAM MEDIA

Despite producing several world-class champions over the past few decades, Australian bowlers have never been top-of-mind sport in their home country until Jason Belmonte began to gather trophies around the world. Even after raising to his stature as arguably the world’s best bowler, it has taken the non-stop promotional efforts by “Belmo” himself, a hands-on effort led by Australia’s Lynne Clay and the PBA’s constant coverage of Belmonte’s accomplishments to get key media doors opened.

 

After winning PBA Player of the Year honors in four of the past five years, becoming the fastest “millionaire” in PBA history, collecting nine major championships (among his 18 PBA Tour titles) and other unprecedented feats, the sport’s most popular (and/or most disliked) personality – depending on your viewpoint regarding his two-handed technique – has seen his “star” rise in his homeland.

 

Earlier this year, the Australia Broadcast Corporation – the country’s version of America’s ABC-TV – profiled Belmonte’s life and bowling career in a six-and-a-half minute segment on its popular prime time “7:30” magazine-style program (http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/meet-the-world%E2%80%99s-number-one-tenpin-bowler,/9847034).  

 

In July, “Inside Sport,” Australia’s version of “Sports Illustrated,” published an eight-page tribute to Belmonte (https://www.pba.com/content/files/downloads/INSIDE_SPORT_magazine_July_2018.pdf) under the headline, “That’s How He Rolls.”

 

And because Belmonte early-on embraced social media and its global platforms, he has cultivated a world-wide fan base. Most recently, working with the wildly popular “Dude Perfect” YouTube channel for the second time in four years, Belmonte helped orchestrate a series of outrageous “trick shots” that recorded more than 10 million views in the first 24 hours (www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSB9JvsBT4M).

 

Editor’s Note: Dude Perfect is a group of former basketball players and Texas A&M University roommates who created what has become the second-largest YouTube channel in the world. The group teamed up with Belmonte in 2014 to create “Bowling Trick Shots 1,” which has since notched nearly 90 million views, many of them among the highly-coveted youth market.

 

Among the trick shots on the first episode was a “two-handed, 250-yard strike.”  When he was approached to do a second version, Belmonte said, “After the success of the first video, I knew we had to up the ante. And after three days of shooting, I told the boys, I’m not sure how we did it, but we just made a better video…”

 

Watch both YouTube videos, and you be the judge.

 

BJI PUBLISHER DECLARES “BELMO” BOWLING’S MOST INFLUENTIAL PLAYER

Speaking of Jason Belmonte, Bowlers Journal International publisher Keith Hamilton, in his “Leading Off” column in September’s issue, declares “Belmo” as “bowling’s most influential” player, citing the eye-catching number of youth bowlers who are now throwing the ball using Belmonte’s two-handed technique.

 

Relating statistics from the recently-completed USBC Junior Gold Championships, Hamilton notes 25 percent of the U12 (12-and-under) age group bowled two-handed as did 24 percent of the U15 players and 19 percent of the U20 players. Overall that represented 21 percent of the entire field.

 

Hamilton’s conclusion: “By the time Belmonte is finished bowling, I’m not certain how many titles he will have won. But his impact on the game might just make him the most important and influential bowler ever – and, without question, of the 21st century.”

 

XTRA FRAME ON FLOBOWLING TO GO INTERNATIONAL FOR NEXT EVENT

PBA Xtra Frame on FloBowling will go international for its next event, providing live coverage of the final day of competition in the PBA International-World Bowling Tour Storm Lucky Larsen Masters from Malmo, Sweden, beginning at 2 a.m. EDT Sunday, Sept. 9.

 

Fans can track daily results of the Lucky Larsen Masters while the tournament is underway at his website: (http://luckylarsenmasters.com/results2018/). Australia’s Jason Belmonte is defending champion.

 

Also on the schedule for Sept. 8-9 is the PBA Grand Hotel Casino and Resort Southwest Open from Shawnee, Okla., Sept. 8-9. The PBA Double Decker West/Northwest Open presented by Roto Grip will air on FloBowling.com from Double Decker Lanes in Rohnert Park, Calif., Sept. 29-30.

 

All PBA Xtra Frame on FloBowling events are covered live from start to finish. Existing Xtra Frame subscribers need to transition their current subscriptions to FloBowling by visiting https://www.flobowling.com/claim-account. New subscribers can enroll at FloBowling.com.

 

PBA NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR TONY REYES COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

The PBA is now accepting nominations for the 2018 Tony Reyes Community Service award, named in honor of the late PBA Tour player in recognition of his service to the bowling community. The award will be presented in early January to a PBA member in good standing, based upon the extraordinary community service, charitable and/or educational contributions the nominee has made during the 2018 calendar year.

 

The postmark deadline for nominations will be Thursday, Nov. 15. Nominees must be current PBA members in good standing. The winner will be selected by a PBA committee and announced during The Clash telecast on FS1 on Sunday, Dec. 23, along with the 2019 Chris Schenkel PBA Player of the Year, Harry Golden PBA Rookie of the Year and Steve Nagy Sportsmanship Award winner.

 

Reyes award nominations may be submitted by anyone. Additional information and nomination form may be obtained by visiting https://www.pba.com/Corporate/Awards.

 

Past winners of the Tony Reyes award are:  Parker Bohn III (2013), Missy Parkin (2014), Ed Godbout (2015), Rhino Page (2016) and Del Ballard Jr. (2017).

 

PBA REGIONAL UPDATE:  FOUR EVENTS ON TAP FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND

● Labor Day weekend will include the PBA60 Wilson & Sons Pest Control Super Senior Open and the PBA50 Mooresville South Open presented by Columbia 300 at George Pappas’ Victory Lanes in Mooresville, N.C.; the PBA50 Hammer/Strike Zone Alleys Open in Pottsville, Pa., and the 23rd annual Illinois Valley Midwest/Central Open presented by Ebonite at Illinois Valley Super Bowl in Peru, Ill.

 

● 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 PBA app).

 

QUICK NOTES:

● England’s Dom Barrett and wife Cassie became first-time parents with the arrival of Colby Henry Barrett on Saturday, Aug. 18, weighing in at 7.3 pounds.

 

● The PBA also is saddened to learn of the passing of MaryAnn O’Neill, mother of PBA star Bill O’Neill, on Saturday, Aug. 18 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She was 63. The family has asked that memorial contributions in MaryAnn O’Neill’s name be made to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation, 1001 E. 101st Terrace, Suite 220, Kansas City, MO 64131 or at https://pkdcure.org/.

 

● Anne Wangeman, wife of long-time PBA tournament host proprietor Jim Wangeman, passed away on Aug. 27 at the age of 83. The couple built and operated Harvest Park Bowl in Brentwood, Calif., which is approaching its 25th year of operation, and has most recently been host of the PBA50 Tour’s Northern California Classic. A Celebration of Life will be held at Harvest Park Bowl on Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. PDT. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Harvest Park Bowl Youth Scholarship Program, Harvest Park Bowl, 5000 Balfour Rd., Brentwood, CA 94513.

 

● FloBowling has retained Lucas Wiseman as its Senior Editor to produce editorial content for the PBA’s new live streaming partner. Wiseman, who studied journalism at the University of South Florida, has covered bowling for more than 20 years including stints in the daily newspaper realm and 13 years in public relations and social media positions with the United States Bowling Congress. Most recently he worked as the public relations manager for a national sports marketing agency and continued to cover bowling on a freelance basis.

PBA HALL OF FAME CEREMONIES

2019 PBA Hall of Fame Ceremonies Set for January 5 in Texas

FOX Sports’ first live telecast to originate from International Bowling Campus

 

CHICAGO (August 31, 2018) – The Professional Bowlers Association’s historic first live telecast under its new agreement with FOX Sports is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 6, as part of a PBA Hall of Fame week that will include the PBA Hall of Fame Classic tournament and the induction of the PBA’s Class of 2019 Hall of Famers – all of which will take place at the International Bowling Campus, including the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, in Arlington, Texas.

The PBA Hall of Fame Classic, the first event on the 2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour schedule, will include exclusive preliminary round live streaming on PBA Xtra Frame by PBA’s new live streaming partner, FloBowling.com; live coverage of the PBA Hall of Fame induction dinner at the International Bowling Campus on Saturday, Jan. 5, and live broadcast television coverage of the PBA Hall of Fame Classic finals on FS1 on Sunday, Jan. 6, 11 a.m. EST.

The PBA Hall of Fame Classic will be contested at the International Bowling Campus’ International Testing and Research Center in Arlington beginning Wednesday, Jan. 2. The tournament will be the first qualifying event toward the 2019 PBA Playoffs. Tournament details will be announced later.

 

Also to be announced soon will be the 2019 PBA Hall of Fame candidates in Superior Performance and Meritorious Service categories along with details regarding tickets for the Hall of Fame dinner.

SCRANTON EDGES SYRACUSE 3-2

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE

RAILRIDERS

GAME REPORT

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre    3    Syracuse    2

 

MOOSIC, Pa. (Aug. 30, 2018) – Down to their final strike in the bottom of the ninth, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders rallied to score a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Syracuse Chiefs on Thursday night at PNC Field. It was the second straight night in which the RailRiders won in walk-off fashion over the Chiefs and their ninth walk-off win of the year.

 

Syracuse jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first when Victor Robles led off the game with a single against Ryan Bollinger and advanced to second on an error. Adrian Sanchez sacrifice bunted him to third, and a sacrifice fly from Jacob Wilson plated Robles to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.

 

The RailRiders tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when three straight singles against Erick Fedde loaded the bases with no outs. Quintin Berry then chopped into a double play to plate Ryan McBroom and tie the game at 1-1.

 

Ryan Bollinger was strong on the mound for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, making his first start with the club since April 29. He exited the game with runners on the corners and no outs in the top of the seventh, but a run came home on a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play to place the Chiefs on top 2-1.

 

Justus Sheffield and Stephen Tarpley each registered scoreless innings of work in the eighth and ninth to keep the deficit at one run.

 

In the bottom of the ninth Gio Urshela hit a triple to right center to lead off against Austin Adams. After Mike Ford struck out and Rey Navarro grounded out to second, Urshela remained at third base with the tying run. McBroom served a 2-2 pitch off the end of the bat into left field to plate the tying run.

 

A wild pitch from Adams advanced McBroom to second, then Zack Zehner was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second for Devyn Bolasky. On a 1-0 pitch, Bolasky hit a line drive into center to plate McBroom with the winning run for the RailRiders.

 

Tarpley (2-2) got the win in relief for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while Adams (1-4) took the loss and was handed his first blown save of the season. With the victory, the RailRiders are now tied with the Indianapolis Indians for the International League Wild Card lead with four games remaining in the season.

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre begins the final home series of the 2018 regular season against the Pawtucket Red Sox on Friday night at PNC Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The RailRiders send RHP Erik Swanson (2-2, 4.09) to the mound, while the Red Sox counter with RHP Chandler Shepherd (7-9, 3.93). For tickets and more information, call (570) 969-2255 or slide to www.swbrailriders.com.

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record:

70-64

PONIES LOSE TO HARTFORD

Crismatt’s Gem Can’t Save Ponies in Finale

HARTFORD, CT – Rumble Ponies starter Nabil Crismatt took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, but the Rumble Ponies were held to three hits and committed two errors on one play to allow the game-winning run in the eighth in Binghamton’s 1-0 loss to the Hartford Yard Goats on Thursday night at Dunkin Donuts Park.

With Drew Weeks on first in a scoreless game, pinch-hitter Omar Carrizales hit a sharp grounder to first. The potential inning-ending double play ball shot through Joey Terdoslavich’s legs and trickled into shallow right. Second baseman Andres Gimenez tracked the ball down and threw towards third in attempt to nab Weeks. Andrew Ely tried to spear the throw on the infield, but the ball short-hopped him and bounced into left, allowing Weeks to scamper home.

Crismatt had dazzled before Binghamton’s defense stumbled in the pivotal eighth inning. The righty walked three of the first ten batters he faced, but stepped out of trouble to keep Hartford off the board. His final out of third opened a stretch of eight straight put down. The only holdout was Scott Burcham, who reached on a throwing error by Ely in the sixth.

Crismatt’s no-hit bid came to an end in the seventh. After notching the first two outs, Sam Hilliard stroked a single off the wall in right.

Binghamton’s bats failed to come alive for their right-hander. The Rumble Ponies mustered three hits in Rico Garcia’s five innings and failed to get a run across. Garcia, Brian Moran, Logan Cozart, and Matt Pierpont held the Ponies hitless in their final 13 at-bats of the game.

Crismatt (8-6) took the hard-luck loss, allowing one unearned run over 7-1/3 innings of work. He struck out six and allowed two hits.

The Rumble Ponies (63-73) open their final homestand of the season on Friday against the Portland Sea Dogs on Friday at 7:05 PM. RHP Harol Gonzalez takes the mound for Binghamton. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 6:50 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Binghamton went 3-6 on their season-long nine-game road trip…the Rumble Ponies suffered their 10^th shutout loss of the season…Binghamton finished their road schedule with a 28-42 record

PBA50 TOUR FINES TO BVL

PBA to Donate Go Bowling! PBA Tour

And PBA50 Tour Player Fines to BVL

CHICAGO (Aug. 28, 2018) - The Professional Bowlers Association has announced that the PBA will donate all proceeds from player fine money collected from Go Bowling! PBA Tour and PBA50 Tour competition to the Bowlers to Veterans Link (BVL).

Founded in 1942, BVL grants provide arts and crafts programs, music and sports activities, reading materials, board games and much more to help boost spirits and improve morale for veterans while also speeding recuperation for those in VA Medical Centers, Vet Centers and State Veterans Homes.

BVL also assists recuperating veterans, veterans suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and aging veterans by giving them an outlet for the joy, freedom, and friendship that recreation and sport can bring. Since its inception BVL has raised almost $50 million dollars for America’s active duty service members and veterans.

“The genesis of this new annual charitable donation came from conversations with the PBA Player Committee,” said PBA Commissioner Tom Clark.  "Fines happen. No player wants to be fined, but from now on everyone will know that money goes directly to support the BVL."

“We’re very happy that the PBA and PBA Players Committee thought of us for this kind gesture,” said John LaSpina, BVL Board of Directors Chair. The BVL is very appreciative of PBA’s generosity to our efforts because nothing can be greater than supporting the men and women who serve our country.”

PBA incorporates a policy of levying fines for various rules violations. Players can be fined for a number of rules infractions which range from an improperly filled out recap sheet to unsportsmanlike conduct. PBA will donate funds beginning with those collected during the 2018 season.

PBA Hall of Famer Johnny Petraglia, a 14-time PBA Tour and eight-time PBA50 Tour champion, is a spokesperson for BVL and often visits VA hospitals throughout the country. After having already started his professional bowling career, Petraglia was called to duty and served in the Army during the Vietnam War from 1967-68.

For additional information about BVL visit www.bowlforveterans.org.

PBA TOUR TOURNAMENTS OPEN TO PBA MEMBERS ONLY

2019 Go Bowling! PBA Tour Tournaments on FOX to be Open to PBA Members Only

Regionals, Xtra Frame events, USBC Masters will continue to be open to non-PBA members

CHICAGO (Aug. 28, 2018) – The Professional Bowlers Association has announced its 2019 schedule of Go Bowling! PBA Tour events airing on FOX Sports will be open exclusively to PBA members.

The exception to the policy will be the United States Bowling Congress Masters, an event that traditionally has included USBC members who may or may not be PBA members.

Tournaments included in the members only policy include: the PBA Hall of Fame Classic in Arlington, Texas; Oklahoma Open and Mark Roth-Marshall Holman PBA Doubles Championship in Shawnee, Okla.; Lubbock Sports Open in Lubbock, Texas; PBA Tournament of Champions in Fairlawn, Ohio; PBA Players Championship in Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis Open in Indianapolis; Jonesboro Open in Jonesboro, Ark.; PBA World Series of Bowling X in Allen Park, Mich., the PBA League in Portland, Maine, and any Pre-Tournament Qualifier (PTQ) held in conjunction with these events.

The PBA will continue to welcome non-members in its Regional Tour, PBA Xtra Frame Tour on FloBowling and PBA50 Tour events. Non-members are allowed to bowl in these events until they cash twice in any given year, at which time they are required to join in order to continue participation in PBA events.

“The return to members-only status for PBA Tour competition is a return to the rules that applied to PBA competition for most of the organization’s 60-year history,” said PBA Deputy Commissioner Kirk von Krueger in announcing the policy. “It’s a privilege to be able to compete with and against the best bowlers in the world, not a right. Restoring the original policy is simply a matter of restoring one of the building blocks of the PBA.”

PBA membership includes a variety of benefits including reduced tournament entry fees, discounts on equipment from PBA Product Registered companies, reduced or no-cost lineage fees to practice at participating bowling centers, and other perks.

To join the PBA, visit pba.com and click on the “join” link (https://www.pba.com/join). Competitive membership in the PBA is open to any bowler who has maintained a 200 or higher average for a minimum of 36 games in any USBC-certified league or tournament club within the previous (190 for Sport leagues) 12 months, or who has cashed in PBA tournament of any kind within the last two years.

FARM-TO-STAND DAY DINNER AT RAILRIDERS SEPT. 14

RailRiders hosting “Farm-to-Field” on September 14

Homegrown takes on another meaning at PNC Field with special farm-to-table event 

MOOSIC, PA (August 29, 2018) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders will host their first-ever farm-to-field dinner event on Friday, September 14, from 6 to 9 p.m under the lights at PNC Field.  Tickets for this fresh, new event are on sale now. 

Fans will be able to savor a four-course meal made with locally grown ingredients while enjoying a once in a lifetime experience of dining on the field.  Tables will be set up along the infield so fans can experience a perspective traditionally only seen by the players.  The dinner will be prepared by Chef Matt Micciche, the Executive Chef for Legends, as well as Jason Choate, the Senior Executive Chef of the Prudential Center.  

The meal will consist of:

*  Pan-seared scallops with Hopkins Farms cranberry bean puree, citrus herb gremolata and lemon oil

*  Heller Orchard Peach Panzanella Salad with grilled sourdough, summer onions, basil, goat cheese, toasted pistachio and dressed in local honey vinaigrette

*  Lion Brewery Root Beer Braised Beef Short-rib with multi-colored squash ribbons, roasted Nardello peppers, cubanelle chili potato cakes, root beer demiglace and popcorn shoots

*  Apple Cider Panna Cotta with Cracker Jacks and salted maple cream

Micciche has been the Executive Chef at PNC Field since 2013.  Micciche attended culinary school locally as a 2006 graduate of Keystone College.  After school, Matt became a corporate trainer for Darden Restaurants and opened a number of restaurants all over the United States before moving to Chicago in 2009.  Matt moved back to the Scranton area in 2011 where he continued working with Darden Restaurants until he accepted a position with Legends in 2013.

After graduating from Arizona State, Choate attended the Seattle Culinary Academy before landing his first job as the Executive Chef of ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment in Arizona.  He acquired three other Executive Chef positions before landing with the Prudential Center in 2016. 

Tickets for our first-ever farm-to-table dinner experience will be $100 per person this week and will increase to $125 on September 3.  Bottles of wine will be available and start at $40.  A cash bar on the field will also be available.  Tickets can be purchased at the E-Auto Box Office or online at swbrailriders.com.

RAILRIDERS & CHIEFS BASEBALL

SYRACUSE CHIEFS (60-75) vs. SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE RAILRIDERS (69-64)
RHP Erick Fedde (3-3, 4.70) vs. LHP Ryan Bollinger (0-1, 4.00)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

|  Game No. 134-of-138  |  August 30, 2018  |  PNC Field  |  Moosic, PA  | 

|  First Pitch 7:05 p.m. |  Pregame Show 6:35 p.m.  |

LAST TIME OUT: Led by a sterling outing from starting pitcher Mike King, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Syracuse Chiefs in walk-off fashion 2-1 on Wednesday night at PNC Field.

After intentionally walking Abiatal Avelino to load the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, Carlos Torres walked Ryan McBroom to chase home Gio Urshela with the winning run. The walk-off was the ninth of such victory of the 2018 season for the RailRiders.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre got on the board in the bottom of the second when they struck for a run against Kyle McGowin. Avelino singled to right, and McBroom followed with a base-hit to left. Zack Zehner blooped a single into shallow right and Avelino raced around to score and give the RailRiders a 1-0 lead.

Mike King was superb on the mound for the RailRiders on Wednesday, turning in six perfect innings. In addition to retiring all 18 batters he faced, the right-hander struck out six and threw a first-pitch strike to 15 Syracuse batsmen. In the top of the seventh, Luis Cessa replaced King and allowed a double to Victor Robles on his first pitch to break up the perfect game. Two batters later Jose Marmolejos singled to plate Robles and tie the game at 1-1. Chance Adams (4-5) replaced Cessa in the eighth and held the score to set the stage for the fateful ninth inning. Torres walked Urshela to lead off the frame and Mike Ford singled to put runners at first and third. Avelino was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs, and on a full count McBroom drew the decisive free pass.

The win moved the RailRiders into sole possession of second place in the International League Wild Card race, 1.0 games behind the Indianapolis Indians with five games remaining in the season.

RACE TO THE FINISH: The Wild Card race in the International League is heating up as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (69-64) hit the homestretch of the 2018 season. With 5G to go, SWB finds itself 1.0 GB of the Indianapolis Indians (71-64), who themselves are only 1.0 GB of the IL West-leading Columbus Clippers (72-63). It’s looking like a four-team race for the final playoff spot with the Norfolk Tides (68-66, 2.5 GB) and Toledo Mud Hens (69-65, 1.5 GB) making a playoff push for the International League Wild Card as well.

MAKING OPPOSING PITCHERS GROIN: Rehabbing a groin injury, C Gary Sanchez was in the lineup Monday and Tuesday for the RailRiders for the first two rehab games of his current stint, and fourth and fifth game overall this season with SWB. He batted second and caught seven innings Monday @ Lehigh Valley, Tuesday was the DH for the entire game vs. Syracuse and Wednesday caught all nine innings in the walk-off win. Sanchez already played 3 games in 4 days with the RailRiders from 7/15 - 7/18 against Rochester and @ Toledo, going 2-for-12 with 2 HR before the current rehab assignment in which he has gone 3-for-12 with 2 HR, 2 RBI and 2 R.

ACES IN THE HOLE: The top pitching prospect in the Yankees organization, LHP Justus Sheffield, made his bullpen debut for the RailRiders Tuesday night in Buffalo and pitched for a second time out of the bullpen Saturday in Lehigh Valley.RHP Chance Adams has been shifted to the bullpen and has made a pair of bullpen appearances in his return to the RailRiders roster. In his first season out of Dallas Baptist University where Adams was often used as a bullpen arm, all 14G in which he appeared were out of the bullpen to limit his innings. Since the start of the 2016 season however, the only one of his 75G that was not a start was August 18, 2016 when he came out of the bullpen in back of MLB rehabbing RHP Bryan Mitchell who pitched that night for the Trenton Thunder against the Akron RubberDucks.

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE: With RHP J.P. Feyereisen heading to the Disabled List, the RailRiders have only one player who was on the SWB Opening Day roster and has not been on the DL or played with another team in the Yankees organization -- RHP Raynel Espinal, who is in his first season of Triple-A. RHP Cale Coshow was on the Opening Day roster but was on the DL from July 13-20 and the same can be said for INF Mike Ford who was on the DL from June 8 - July 12 (but player 6G on rehab with SS-A Staten Island).

URENA 2 HOMERS IN PONIES VICTORY

Unreal Urena Twice as Grand in Historic Game

HARTFORD, CT – Rumble Ponies outfielder Jhoan Urena launched three home runs, including a pair of grand slams, in Binghamton’s 12-2 win over the Hartford Yard Goats on Monday night at Dunkin Donuts Park. Urena drove in a franchise-record nine runs with the first three-homer game by a Binghamton player in more than a decade.

Urena started his big night in the first against Yard Goats starter Frank Duncan. After the righty hit a batter and walked two, Urena lifted a grand slam over the right-field wall. Urena, batting from the left side again in the third, crushed a solo homer to right, nearly hitting the ball out of the stadium.

The Rumble Ponies’ outfielder etched his name into the team’s history books in the sixth. Binghamton chased Duncan from the game with four straight hits, plating two runs. Reliever Brian Moran entered to record one out, but walked Patrick Mazeika to fill the bases for Urena. Batting right-handed, Urena ripped Moran’s 0-2 pitch over the left-field wall. The blast gave Binghamton a twelve-run lead.

According to Baseball Reference, a player has hit two grand slams in a game only 13 times in the Major Leagues, an accomplishment rarer than a perfect game. Josh Willingham of the Washington Nationals was the last to achieve the feat on July 27, 2009. Bill Mueller is the only player to have hit grand slams from both sides of the plate, a feat Urena achieved on Monday night.

Urena became the first Binghamton player to hit three homers in a game since Daniel Murphy went deep three times against the Reading Phillies on May 26, 2008. Urena’s monster night came just three days after he belted two homers on Friday in New Hampshire, his first career multiple-homer game.

He surpassed Jorga Toca for the franchise’s single-game RBI record. Jorge Toca held the record previously with an eight-RBI game for the Binghamton Mets against the Reading Phillies on June 25, 1999.

Urena’s herculean effort supported Binghamton starter Mickey Jannis, who shook off early trouble to collect the win. The knuckleballer slipped out of a bases-loaded jam unscathed in the first and stranded three more runners over his next two innings. The righty settled in with his last out of the third and retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.

Jannis (10-6) surrendered three hits over six scoreless innings to collect his 21^st career victory with Binghamton. He moves into a tie for fourth in career wins with the organization.

The Rumble Ponies (62-71) continue their four-game series in Hartford on Tuesday at 7:05 PM. RHP Franklyn Kilome takes the mound for Binghamton. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 6:50 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Jhoan Urena is the second Eastern League hitter with three home runs in one game; Jake Rogers (Erie) hit three against Hartford on June 12…Binghamton snapped a seven-game losing streak at Dunkin Donuts Park…Urena has hit five homers in nine games at Dunkin Donuts Park

RAILRIDERS EDGE IRONPIGS 9-8

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE

RAILRIDERS

GAME REPORT

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre   9      Lehigh Valley    8

10 Innings    

 

ALLENTOWN, PA. (August 27, 2018) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders outlasted the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Monday night 9-8 in 10 innings in the season finale between the two I.L. North Division rivals.

The game was tied entering the top of the 10^th inning as the RailRiders put Ryan McBroom on the basepaths as the pace-of-play runner. Mike Ford began the inning with a double to plate McBroom as the RailRiders took a 7-6 lead. Following a pair of outs and a pair of walks to Zack Zehner and Mark Payton, Ricky Surum's spot in the order was due up. Instead of the right-hander Surum, the RailRiders opted for a left-handed pinch-hitter in Devyn Bolasky to face righty Mark Leiter Jr. Bolasky worked a full count before depositing a base hit into left field to extend the lead to 9-6.

In the bottom of the 10^th, Joe Harvey remained on the mound for SWB. Dylan Cozens and Nick Rickles both provided RBI singles in the inning and Ryan Goins stepped to bat with a runner aboard representing the go-ahead run, but he grounded out to shortstop to end the game.

 

The scoring in the back-and-forth game began with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Gary Sanchez, with the RailRiders on a Major League rehab assignment, hit the first pitch of his at-bat against Drew Anderson into the Lehigh Valley bullpen for a 1-0 edge. McBroom was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by Ford, who then scored on a double from Giovanny Urshela.

 

The IronPigs sent eight to the plate in the third against Nestor Cortes, scoring four runs on four hits, to take a 4-3 lead. Collin Cowgill and Joey Meneses drove in one run each and Cozens doubled in a pair to push Lehigh Valley ahead.

 

In the next half inning, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre recaptured the lead. Zack Zehner was hit by a pitch and Mark Payton walked. With two outs, Surum singled to center to drive in both baserunners for a 5-4 RailRiders lead.

 

J.P. Crawford hit a two-run home run off Cortes in the fifth inning as the IronPigs went in front 6-5, but Ford singled in Surum in the top of the seventh to square the game 6-6.

 

With the win, the RailRiders finish the season 11-9 against Lehigh Valley, marking a victory in the season-long IronRail Series as the trophy returns to Moosic, Pa. for the 2019 season.

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre begins its final homestand of the 2018 regular season on Tuesday night against the Syracuse Chiefs. RHP Adonis Rosa (2-0, 1.59) will start for the RailRiders against RHP Austin Voth (4-8, 4.57) for the Chiefs. Visit swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-BALL for tickets or promotional information for the final five home games of the 2018 season at PNC Field beginning Tuesday.

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record:

68-63

STEFANIE JOHNSON WINS PWBA EVENT

STEFANIE JOHNSON WINS 2018 QUBICAAMF PWBA PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

PLANO, Texas – Stefanie Johnson captured her first career major championship Saturday by winning the 2018 QubicaAMF Professional Women’s Bowling Association Players Championship.

Johnson defeated Kelly Kulick of Union, New Jersey, in a tightly contested title match at Plano Super Bowl, 230-200, to claim the $20,000 top prize. The finals of the PWBA Players Championship, the third major of the 2018 season, was broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.

Johnson, a 34-year-old right-hander, took advantage of two fortunate strikes in the early going to start with four consecutive strikes but was unable to mark on the left lane in the fifth and seventh frames, letting Kulick even the match.

A strike in the eighth frame led Johnson back to her troublesome lane in the ninth, but she executed one of the biggest shots of her career to reclaim the advantage with a double.

“I obviously was a little lost on the left lane,” said Johnson, the 2015 PWBA Rookie of the Year. “I had a couple of good breaks and bad breaks, but I took an extra second and told myself to execute and trust my process to make a good shot to set myself up for the 10th. That’s what happened. It was a game-changing moment for me.”

Kulick, who was the runner-up at the PWBA Players Championship last year in Green Bay, Wisconsin, ran into trouble in the ninth frame after making a jump to the left, leaving a 7-10 split. She was able to double in the 10th frame to force Johnson to mark to win her third PWBA Tour title, and Johnson delivered her third consecutive strike to win.

Johnson struck on six of seven shots on the right lane and relied on trusting her judgment in using a new bowling ball in the title match.

“We noticed the left lane was hooking a little more, so I took out a ball at the last minute on the practice pair to see what it looked like,” said Johnson, a 14-time Team USA member. “It looked really good, so it was the first ball I tried on the TV pair. That ball never really saw the lanes during qualifying, but that was my key to success the entire week. Quickly making bold moves, trusting my instincts and really committing to it.”

Johnson’s win came in her third championship-round appearance this season. She has advanced to the finals in each of the three majors in 2018, including a runner-up finish at the U.S. Women’s Open in June.

The win not only was special for breaking through for her first major, but also for being able to collect the victory in front of a hometown crowd, including family and friends. Johnson lives in nearby McKinney, Texas, and works at Plano Super Bowl.

“I haven’t really processed it yet, but I know it’s amazing,” Johnson said. “To win this in front of my home crowd and family and on my home lanes is going to be at the top of my list of accomplishments.”

Kulick made her first championship-round appearance of the 2018 season this week, and the effort helped her solidify her spot in the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship next month.

She was able to make her run at Plano Super Bowl after sharpening her physical game last month during Team USA camp at the International Training and Research Center in nearby Arlington, Texas.

“I had some really good physical keys from what I worked on at Team USA camp, and it really helped all week,” said Kulick, a six-time major champion. “I was really patient on the lanes this week. Against Stefanie, I needed to move in front of the ball return on the right lane one frame earlier. The 7-10 was a bad break. I knew what I needed to do going into the ninth frame, but sadly, it felt like there were 11 pins in the rack instead of 10. The moral of the story is that I did my job today, but it just didn’t happen to be enough.”

Kulick defeated Danielle McEwan of Stony Point, New York, in the semifinal, 224-206. Kulick took the early advantage after starting with five consecutive strikes but let McEwan back in the match after a 3-6-7-10 split in the eighth frame.

McEwan, a four-time PWBA Tour champion, rolled four consecutive strikes starting in the sixth frame but left a 10 pin to start the 10th frame to end her comeback.

The semifinal match also had implications in the race for PWBA Player of the Year. McEwan needed to advance to the title match for the opportunity to challenge Shannon O’Keefe of Shiloh, Illinois, for the coveted award at the Tour Championship, but her third-place finish mathematically gave O’Keefe the distinction for the first time in her career.

O’Keefe, a 39-year-old right-hander, won two titles this season, including the United States Bowling Congress Queens in May.

“It means the absolute world to me,” said O’Keefe, who owns eight PWBA Tour titles. “All the hard work, dedication, the tears, the frustrations – it’s all worth it. I feel I’ve been knocking on the door, and I’ve had some really good seasons. Last year, I finished third, the year before that was fifth. I’ve been climbing that ladder and knocking on the door. I just feel player of the year is something people always will remember in your career. I have bucket-list items that I’m trying to check off and that was just one of them. So, to be able to mark that off, I can move on to the next thing.”

Kulick advanced to the semifinal after starting her match against 2018 PWBA Rookie of the Year Jordan Richard of Tecumseh, Michigan, with seven consecutive strikes, finishing with a 244-171 win.

Richard, a 22-year-old right-hander making her fourth consecutive television appearance, locked up Rookie of the Year this week.

In Saturday’s opening match, Richard delivered 10 strikes on her way to a 244-156 victory over Lindsay Boomershine of Perry, Utah.

Boomershine, who was making her second consecutive championship-round appearance at the PWBA Players Championship, needed to win her first match in order to earn enough points to advance to the Tour Championship.

With Boomershine’s fifth-place finish, Shannon Pluhowsky of Dayton, Ohio, earned the final spot at the Tour Championship from the points list.

All competitors at the PWBA Players Championship bowled 18 games of qualifying Thursday to determine the 18 players advancing to round-robin match play.

Friday’s match-play rounds featured 18 games, including a position round. Players received 30 bonus pins for each win and 15 bonus pins for a tie. After 36 games, total pinfall, including bonus pins, determined Saturday’s finalists.

All rounds leading up to the stepladder finals were broadcast on BowlTV, the official YouTube channel of the United States Bowling Congress.

The QubicaAMF PWBA Players Championship was the third of four major championships on the 2018 PWBA Tour schedule, and the final event before the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship.

The PWBA Tour Championship will take place Sept. 16-19 at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia.

The PWBA Players Championship only was open to PWBA members.

QUBICAAMF PWBA PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
(At Plano Super Bowl, Plano, Texas)

SATURDAY’S RESULTS
1, Stefanie Johnson, McKinney, Texas, 230 (1 game), $20,000
2, Kelly Kulick, Union, N.J., 668 (3 games), $10,000
3, Danielle McEwan, Stony Point, N.Y., 206 (1 game), $6,000
4, Jordan Richard, Tecumseh, Mich., 415 (2 games), $5,000
5, Lindsay Boomershine, Perry, Utah, 156 (1 game), $4,000

Stepladder results
Match 1 – Richard def. Boomershine, 244-156
Match 2 – Kulick def. Richard, 244-171
Semifinal – Kulick def. McEwan, 224-206
Championship – Johnson def. Kulick, 230-200

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).
 

BUTTURFF WINS PBA XTRA FRAME CLASSIC

Jakob Butturff Wins PBA Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Group Classic

Unorthodox left-hander wins fourth career title, enters 2018 Player of the Year race

COLDWATER, Ohio (Aug. 26, 2018) – Jakob Butturff, an unorthodox 24-year-old left-hander from Tempe, Ariz., inserted himself into the Professional Bowlers Association Player of the Year conversation Sunday when he defeated Tom Daugherty of Riverview, Fla., 217-182, to win the PBA Xtra Frame Kenn-Feld Group Classic at Pla-Mor Lanes.

Butturff, who won the Go Bowling! PBA 60th Anniversary Classic earlier in the year in Indianapolis, joins Australia’s Jason Belmonte; EJ Tackett of Huntington, Ind., and Andrew Anderson of Holly, Mich., as the Go Bowling! PBA Tour’s fourth two-time titlist in 2018.

Butturff, who uses a quirky double-jointed delivery, entered the finals as the top qualifier after overtaking Daugherty in the final game of qualifying earlier in the day. He then started the title match with four strikes, but surrendered the lead when he left and failed to convert the 1-3-7-9 in the seventh frame. Daugherty, who had a clean game including a turkey through seven frames, lost his edge when he failed to convert the 2-4-5-8 in the eighth frame and then missed a 5 pin in the ninth.

“This win means everything,” Butturff, now a four-time title winner, said before turning his praise to the fans of Coldwater, a rural community of just over 4,000 residents who turned out in droves to support the 11th annual tournament. “Every time I come in here, it’s amazing. The fans want to see us bowl and they give us their all. They’re what keeps our sport going.”

In the first match of the four-man stepladder final, PBA Tour veteran Brad Angelo of Lockport, N.Y., bowled an error-free game, rolling a key strike in the ninth frame and striking out in the 10th for a dramatic win after defending champion Rhino Page recovered from failing to convert the 2-4-7-10 split in his fourth frame, finishing with six strikes to force Angelo’s hand. Angelo won, 228-225.

In the semifinal match, Daugherty got some help when Angelo had three open frames, throwing his own decisive string of four strikes in a 226-188 victory to advance to the championship match.

The 2018 Go Bowling! PBA Tour will complete its domestic schedule with the three-event FloBowling PBA Fall Swing in suburban Tulsa, Okla., Oct. 14-20, followed by the U.S. Open Oct. 24-31 in Wichita, Kan. The Fall Swing will award titles in the Wolf, Bear and Tulsa Opens, all of which will be live streamed from start to finish on FloBowling. For subscription information, visit FloBowling.com.

Prior to the Fall Swing, PBA Tour players will have an opportunity to bowl for PBA International-World Bowling Tour titles in the Storm Lucky Larsen Open that is currently underway in Malmo, Sweden, concluding Sept. 9, and the WBT Thailand in Bangkok, Sept. 22-28.

PBA XTRA FRAME KENN-FELD GROUP CLASSIC

(A part of the 2018 Go Bowling! PBA Tour)

Pla-Mor Lanes, Coldwater, Ohio, Sunday

Final Standings:

1, Jakob Butturff, Tempe, Ariz., $10,000.

2, Tom Daugherty, Riverview, Fla., $5,000.

3, Brad Angelo, Lockport, N.Y., $2,500.

4, Rhino Page, Orlando, $2,250.

Stepladder Results:

Match One – Angelo def. Page, 228-225.

Semifinal Match – Daugherty def. Angelo, 226-188.

Championship – Butturff def. Daugherty, 217-182.

Round of 8 (after 17 games):

1, Butturff, 3,709.
2, Daugherty, 3,703.
3, Page, 3,587.
4, Angelo, 3,569.
5, Dick Allen, Lexington, S.C., 3,554, $2,000.
6, Ryan Ciminelli, Clarence, N.Y., 3,542, $1,750.
7, Jason Lundquist, Columbus, Ohio, 3,540, $1,500.
8, Andrew Anderson, Holly, Mich., 3,378, $1,250.

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

9, Connor Pickford, Charlotte, N.C., 3,036, $1,100.
10, Francois Louw, South Africa, 3,001, $1,000.
11, Darren Tang, San Francisco, 2,989, $950.
12, Richie Teece, England, 2,977, $900.
13, Brandon Novak, Chillicothe, Ohio, 2,973, $875.
14, Kamron Doyle, Brentwood, Tenn., 2,971, $850.
15, Anthony Simonsen, Austin, Texas, 2,955, $825.
16, Joe Bailey, Wooster, Ohio, 2,918, $800.

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

17, Chris Colella, Indianapolis, Ind., 2,381, $775.
18, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 2,376, $775.
19, Chris Via, Springfield, Ohio, 2,375, $775.
20, Marshall Kent, Yakima, Wash., 2,369, $775.
21, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 2,361, $750.
22, Matt O'Grady, Rahway, N.J., 2,335, $750.
23, n-Chad Roberts, Reynoldsburg, Ohio, 2,327, $750.
24, Tom Hess, Urbandale, Iowa, 2,323, $750.
25, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 2,317, $725.
26, AJ Chapman, St. Paul, Minn., 2,311, $725.
27, JR Raymond, Clinton Twp., Mich., 2,301, $725.
28, Graham Fach, Canada, 2,300, $725.
29, Kyle Troup, Taylorsville, N.C., 2,296, $700.
30, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 2,295, $700.
31, Michael Clark Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, 2,289, $700.
32, Michael Tang, San Francisco, 2,288, $700.

n-denotes non-PBA member.

PONIES LOSE TO FISHER CATS 7-1

Rumble Ponies Bounced in Rubber Game Loss

MANCHESTER, NH – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats racked up a dozen hits, including a trio from Jon Berti, and breezed past the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 7-1, on Sunday afternoon at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. Starter Harol Gonzalez allowed a half-dozen extra-base hits in Binghamton’s rubber game defeat.

The Fisher Cats extra-base push against Gonzalez started early as Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio supplied back-to-back two-out doubles to put New Hampshire on the board in the first inning. Berti continued the roll in the third with a solo homer to right-center in the third.

New Hampshire, the Eastern League leaders in team batting average and runs scored, kept their foot on the gas pedal in the fourth with two more tallies off Gonzalez. Patrick Cantwell stroked an RBI double to left before Berti zipped a run-scoring single to right. Santiago Espinal added an RBI single in the fifth to give New Hampshire a five-run lead.

Fisher Cats starter TJ Zeuch kept the Rumble Ponies bats in check over five strong innings. He induced eight groundouts, while allowing one run on four hits to collect the victory. Binghamton’s only tally against the righty came in the second when Andres Gimenez beat out a potential inning-ending double play ball to plate Jhoan Urena.

Gonzalez (0-8) suffered his eighth loss in as many starts with Binghamton. He was touched for six runs (five earned) on eleven hits.

The Rumble Ponies (61-71) open a four-game series in Hartford against the Yard Goats on Monday at 7:05 PM. RHP Mickey Jannis gets the ball for Binghamton. The Horizons Federal Credit Union pregame show starts at 6:50 PM and can be heard on NewsRadio 1290 AM WNBF and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies channel on TuneIn.

POSTGAME NOTES: Harol Gonzalez allowed 10 hits or more for the second time as a Rumble Pony…New Hampshire racked up a total of 38 hits against Binghamton pitching in the three-game series…the defeat sealed a losing record for the Rumble Ponies in 2018

IRON PIGS EDGE RAILRIDERS 5-3

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE

RAILRIDERS

GAME REPORT

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Lehigh Valley    5     Scranton/Wilkes-Barre   3    

 

ALLENTOWN, PA. (August 26, 2018) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fell for a second straight ballgame to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, with Sunday marking a 5-3 loss one day after the IronPigs secured the I.L. North Division title.

RailRiders spot-starter Raynel Espinal stuck out six of the first seven batters he faced and eight of the first nine outs recorded defensively in his third start of the season. Overall, RailRiders pitching struck out 15 batters with Stephen Tarpley (2.0 IP, 3 K), Chance Adams (2.0 IP, 2 K) and Brady Lail (1.0 IP, 2 K) chipping-in on the afternoon.

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre plated the game’s first run in the top of the third when Tyler Wade singled in Devyn Bolasky for a 1-0 edge, but Lehigh Valley then responded a few innings later. The IronPigs scored three runs on three hits and a walk in the bottom of the fourth inning. Aaron Altherr doubled in Joey Meneses to tie the game before scoring on a double by Danny Ortiz for a 2-1 IronPigs lead.  Zach Green singled home Ortiz to extend the lead to 3-1.

Matt McBride hit a solo home run off Chance Adams in the home half of the seventh to make it a 4-1 game. SWB brought the game back to within a run with a two-run home run from Giovanny Urshela, but then Dylan Cozens drilled a homer in the eighth for a 5-3 final.

The RailRiders and IronPigs conclude their series Monday night with a 7:05 PM scheduled first pitch. Pregame coverage for Monday’s game features Adam Marco and Adam Giardino beginning at 6:35 p.m.

 

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Record:

67-63