Struthers, Ohio — Freshman Leyna Kratzer broke 250 twice individually, and Youngstown State's bowling team went 5-0 in head-to-head traditional matches on Saturday at the Chelsea Gilliam Penguin Classic at Holiday Bowl.
The Penguins averaged 203.72 per game as a team on Saturday as they improved to 9-1 overall at the tournament. YSU will be seeded fifth on Sunday as the tournament shifts to best-of-seven Baker matches for the final day of competition. Arkansas State averaged 220.08 on Saturday to jump from seventh place up to fourth behind individual champion Karli VanDuinen.
Youngstown State will face Sacred Heart in its first bracket match on Sunday. The Penguins have won nine straight decisions, a stretch that started against the Pioneers on Friday at their season-opening tournament. YSU's closest margin of victory on Saturday was 38 pins.
Kara Beissel was YSU's top scorer in the first two matches, posting scores of 219 and 246 as the Penguins defeated Mercyhurst and No. 25 Niagara. Four YSU bowlers topped 210 in a 110-pin victory over Niagara, and Amy Chrzanowski posted a 224 to start an impressive four-match stretch to end the day.
Chrzanowski posted a team-high 235 in a win over Walsh to improve YSU's record on the day to 3-0, and Kratzer closed her first career event with two monster games. She threw seven straight strikes in a clean 256 in the Penguins' win over No. 21 Valparaiso, and she had a string of nine in a 268 game as YSU beat No. 12 Duquesne.
Kratzer finished one pin shy of making the all-tournament team with a 1,109 set to place seventh. Chrzanowski finished 15th with a 1,047 set, and Alivia Baskin (1,022) and Beissel (1,010) finished 19th and 20th, respectively. Gianna Varano, Amber Mason and Kaitlyn Greenaway rotated in the final spot in the lineup, and Greenaway shot 232 in the match against No. 12 Duquesne.
Sunday's final round will begin at 8:25 a.m. at Holiday Bowl.
Saturday's Traditional Match Results
Match 1: Win — 951-913 vs. Mercyhurst
Match 2: Win — 1,082-972 vs. No. 25 Niagara
Match 3: Win — 1,005-795 vs. Walsh
Match 4: Win — 1,019-952 vs. No. 21 Valparaiso
Match 5: Win — 1,036-991 vs. No. 12 Duquesne
Individual Results
Finish - Bowler - Score - Average
7th - Leyna Kratzer - 1,109 - 221.80
15th - Amy Chrzanowski - 1,047 - 209.40
19th - Alivia Baskin - 1,022 - 204.40
20th - Kara Beissel - 1,010 - 202.00
99th - Gianna Varano - 351 (2 games) - 175.50
106th - Amber Mason - 322 (2 games) - 161.00
110th - Kaitlyn Greenaway - 232 (1 game) - 232.00
