Youngstown State University
Destination Florida
10/30/2026 9:04:00 PM | Bowling
Orlando, Fla. — Youngstown State's bowling team won its final four matches by an average of 110 pins and topped three ranked teams during the Baker round of the Destination Florida event on Friday.
The Penguins, ranked sixth in the preseason National Tenpin Coaches Association Top 25 Poll, sit eighth in total pinfall in the field of 23 teams with six more matches of qualifying remaining.
Youngstown State posted consistent scores from pair to pair, with its lowest set being 974 and its highest 1,058.
The Penguins held a 65-pin lead after three games in their opening match against No. 2 Vanderbilt, but the Commodores shot 245 and 240 over the last two games to pull ahead for a 1,089-1,058 win. YSU then trailed Emmanuel by 18 pins through two games in its second match, but it outscored the Lions by 107 over the remaining three games and went on to win four straight matches to finish 4-1.
The closest of YSU's four wins was 974-885 against the unranked Lions. Youngstown State followed the win against the Lions with a 92-pin victory over No. 17 Tulane, a 98-pin win over No. 5 Nebraska and a 162-pin triumph against No. 20 UAB.
The Penguins totaled 5,095 pins on Friday for an average of 203.8 per game. YSU is just 101 pins behind fourth-place Vanderbilt, and it holds a 31-pin lead on ninth-place Arkansas State. Nebraska led the field with 5,321 pins on Friday, and Jacksonville State (5,319) and Wichita State (5,309) are close behind.
The tournament shifts to traditional play on Saturday, and the Penguins will bowl five more matches beginning at 9:25 a.m. All of Youngstown State's action will be streamed live on the YSUsports YouTube channel.
Friday's Baker Match Results
Match 1: Loss — 1,058-1,089 vs. No. 2 Vanderbilt
Match 2: Win — 974-885 vs. Emmanuel
Match 3: Win — 1,011-919 vs. No. 17 Tulane
Match 4: Win — 1,019-921 vs. No. 5 Nebraska
Match 5: Win — 1,033-871 vs. No. 20 UAB
Team Summary
YSU's total pinfall: 5,095
Game average: 203.8
Highest set: 1,058 vs. Vanderbilt
Highest game: 247 vs. Nebraska
Standings update: 8th of 23 Teams
Saturday's Traditional Match Schedule
Five traditional matches at 9:25 a.m.
Match 6: YSU vs. Saint Anselm — Lanes 19-20
Match 7: YSU vs. No. 11 Wright State — Lanes 41-42
Match 8: YSU vs. No. 14 Niagara — Lanes 35-36
Match 9: YSU vs. No. 9 North Carolina A&T — Lanes 5-6
Match 10: YSU vs. Southern — Lanes 21-22
