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Perfect Game Propels Dallas Strikers into PBA League Elias Cup Finals Against NYC WTT KingPins
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Sunday, 5.1.2016 |
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The Dallas Strikers rolled a baker 300 game as they advanced in the PBA League (Photo Courtesy PBA LLC)
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PORTLAND, Maine 锟?Helped by the first perfect game in Professional Bowlers Association League history, the GoBowling.com Dallas Strikers advanced to a PBA League Elias Cup showdown with the 2013 Elias Cup champion GEICO New York City WTT KingPins.
The semifinal round matches aired Sunday on ESPN, with PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber leading the KingPins to a dramatic best-of-two-game victory over the hometown-favorite Shipyard Brewing Portland Lumberjacks while Weber锟絪 long-time opponent and fellow Hall of Famer Norm Duke inspired the Strikers in their 2-0 sweep of the Barbasol Motown Muscle at Bayside Bowl.
In the first semifinal match, the KingPins, behind Mike Fagan, John Szczerbinski, Scott Norton, Weber and anchor bowler Marshall Kent, used superior strike power in the last half of both games for a 223-190 and 237-222 sweep of the Lumberjacks.
Norton, after leaving a 4-6-7-8-10 锟紾reek church锟?in frame three of game one, stabilized the KingPins with strikes on his next three attempts while Kent, PBA锟絪 2014 Rookie of the Year, delivered in the fifth and 10th frames of both games.
锟絀t was all me; I just threw it bad,锟?Norton said of his initial error, 锟絙ut I was able to fix the physical mistakes the next three shots. The good thing is, my team was able to pick me up, which is what it锟絪 all about.锟?
Kent was the team锟絪 choice to assume the anchor role from Weber because his game matched up better with the conditions, and he embraced the opportunity.
锟絀t feels good the whole team was behind the decision,锟?Kent said. 锟絎e work together so well we could have put any of our five guys in that position and we would have been comfortable. But I锟絤 kinda glad it was me. I like being in that position.
锟絋he atmosphere is so much fun,锟?the former Robert Morris-Illinois collegiate star added. 锟絀t reminds me a lot of college, with all of the teams and parents, and it锟絪 loud and crazy. I锟絤 actually very comfortable in this atmosphere.锟?
In the second semifinal match, Dallas made history with its 300-237 romp in game one, with Duke completing the perfect game with three strikes in the 10th frame. In game two, Duke moved himself to leadoff and turned over anchor duties to Tommy Jones. The Strikers fell behind by 37 pins after five frames on the troublesome left lane, but when they switched to the right lane to finish the game, Duke, BJ Moore, Shawn Maldonado, Bill O锟絅eill and Jones ran off a string of six consecutive strikes for a 215-204 victory, and the Strikers锟?first trip to the Elias Cup finals.
锟絋hat was mega exciting,锟?Duke beamed later. 锟絀 can锟絫 even begin to tell you. I was so worried about getting into a big deficit early, like we did last week. It seems like the left lane wants to give you problems if you want to hook the ball, but it锟絪 actually my best lane so that锟絪 why I bowled the 10th in game one and had Tommy throw the rock in game two.锟?
After starting the first game with eight strikes, Dallas had the game locked up, but the 300 was still in play.
锟絎hen Tommy got that strike in the ninth, he turned around and said, 锟絀锟絤 so glad it锟絪 on you (to finish it)锟絘nd that锟絪 what gave me the strength,锟?Duke said. 锟紿e just put it on me, like someone gets in your face and dares you, and that锟絪 what lifted me to the point I could get it done.锟?
But the pressure was back on Jones to rescue his team in the 10th frame of game two.
锟絎e were pretty much dead and buried through five frames,锟?Jones said. 锟絋he left lane is okay early, but once it changes a little bit, it just seems to catch people the wrong way. (Motown锟絪) Josh (Blanchard) got a terrible break leaving an 8 pin in the eighth frame, and Anthony (Simonsen) made a good shot in the 10th that didn锟絫 carry.
锟絎e were fortunate to throw a couple of good shots at the end,锟?Jones added. 锟絀锟絤 not sure what Norm锟絪 thinking was. We had just bowled 300 and I thought he锟絛 leave the lineup alone, but he锟絪 the (manager), he made the choice (to move me to anchor) and we锟絩e two for two, so I think we锟絣l keep going with something similar.锟?
While Dallas has never finished higher than fifth place in three previous PBA League seasons, the NYC WTT KingPins won the inaugural Elias Cup in Indianapolis in 2013, with celebrity owner Billie Jean King in the audience and Tommy Jones as part of their roster. Jones, who also helped the Silver Lake Atom Splitters win the 2014 Elias Cup, will be trying to win the PBA League championship for the third time with his third different team.
The 2016 Elias Cup finals will air on Sunday, May 8, at 1 p.m. ET. The PBA League championship will be decided by a singles, alternate-ball doubles and Baker trios matches worth one point each, followed by a five-player Baker team finale worth three points. If the two teams are tied after the Baker team match, a roll-off will determine the winner.
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Semifinal Match One:
GEICO New York City WTT KingPins (Mike Fagan, John Szczerbinski, Scott Norton, Pete Weber, Marshall Kent) def. Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland Lumberjacks (Bryon Smith, Liz Johnson, Osku Palermaa, Ryan Ciminelli, Wes Malott) ($35,000), 2-0 (223-190, 237-222).
Semifinal Match Two:
GoBowling.com Dallas Strikers (Bill O锟絅eill, BJ Moore, Shawn Maldonado, Tommy Jones, Norm Duke) def. Barbasol Motown Muscle (Ronnie Russell, Danielle McEwan, Josh Blanchard, EJ Tackett, Anthony Simonsen) ($35,000), 2-0 (300-237, 215-204).
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