Youngstown State University
Bearcat Hammer Open
YSU Beats Top-Ranked McKendree En Route to Runner-Up Finish at Bearcat Hammer Open
10/25/2020 12:00:00 AM | Bowling
The Youngstown State bowling team upset top-ranked McKendree and made a charge in the final game of the championship match before settling for a runner-up finish by two pins at the Bearcat Hammer Open on Sunday. The season-opening tournament was hosted by McKendree at St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights, Ill.
The Penguins secured a top-four seed for bracket play when they topped Maryville 859-850 in the final match of qualifying Sunday morning. Youngstown State then beat McKendree, which was the top seed and the No. 1 team in the country in the National Tenpin Coaches Association Top 25 preseason poll, to advance to the championship match.
In a back-and-forth rematch with Maryville, YSU won three straight games to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Baker format. The Saints responded with a 256 game to force a seventh game, and they held the upper hand until the Penguins threw four straight strikes to set up a scenario where one ball decided the title. Kirsten Moore started the run in the eighth frame with a strike, and Emma Wrenn followed with another in the ninth. Emma Dockery then threw the next two, which put the Penguins into a tie. Dockery rolled a seven on her last ball, and Maryville anchor Bailey Delrose knocked down nine to give the Saints a 209-207 win.
"We really enjoyed being back out there competing again and are very grateful for the opportunity," YSU head coach Doug Kuberski said. "The ladies showed a lot of heart and toughness. And it was a lot of fun seeing the chemistry develop throughout the weekend. Even though we came up just short, we gained valuable experience, and we'll use it to fuel us moving forward. I'm very proud of this group and can't wait to get back out there with them and continue elevating our game."
In the final match of traditional play against Maryville, Moore had the highest game for the Penguins at 193. Dockery had a 173 to finish eighth overall in the field with a six-game total of 1,136, and Moore was YSU's next highest finisher in 11th at 1,120. Madyson Marx was three pins behind Moore and finished 12th, and Emma Wrenn finished 16th with a 1,088.
The Penguins finished the weekend with an 8-5 overall record in head-to-head matches, and they were 3-4 against ranked teams in the field. YSU beat No. 18 Maryville once on Saturday and again Sunday morning, and the Penguins' win over No. 1 McKendree was the program's third victory all-time against a top-ranked team. Of note, it was YSU's first over a No. 1 team in bracket play.
Youngstown State is set to continue its fall schedule next weekend at the Crusader Classic on Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Valparaiso will host the tournament in Merrillville, Ind.
