FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (SEPT. 2, 2010)
Bill Vint | PBA Media Relations
Professional Bowlers Association | 719 Second Avenue, Suite 701 | Seattle, WA 98104
Tel: 206.332.9688 | Fax: 206.332.9722 | bill.vint@pba.com | cell: 414.339.0404
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PBA REGIONAL ROUNDUP powered by XTRA FRAME:
ADAM BAER WINS IN EAST, EARNS RIGHT TO BOWL IN 2011 TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS Adam Baer of Gettysburg, Pa., became the latest PBA member to qualify for the $1 million PBA Tournament of Champions when he won his first PBA Regional title Aug. 29 in the PBA East Region’s Mil-Ray Foods Open at Brunswick Zone Turnersville in Turnersville, N.J.
Baer defeated Terry Decker Jr. of Philadelphia, Pa., 238-210, to win $2,500 and an invitation to enter the Champions field at the Tournament of Champions at Red Rock Lanes in Las Vegas, Jan. 15-22. Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour exempt player Ryan Ciminelli of Cheektowaga, N.Y., finished third and 12-time PBA national champion Danny Wiseman of Baltimore finished eighth.
In the PBA Midwest Region, 2007 USBC Masters champion Sean Rash of Wichita, Kan., earned his third career PBA Regional title and $2,500 Sunday in the PBA Midwest Region Premier Bowling & Entertainment Center Open in Pleasant Hill, Iowa. Rash won the 20-game, total pinfall event by 68 pins over Mike Steil of Wheeling, Ill. Former exempt player Derek Sapp of Keokuk, Iowa, finished third. PBA Hall of Famer Pete Weber of St. Ann, Mo., and fellow exempt player Steve Jaros of Yorkville, Ill., finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
In the Central Region, Chris Loschetter Avon, Ohio, won his seventh career PBA Regional title and $2,700 in the 25th Annual Bud Light Fort Wayne Open at Georgetown Bowl in Fort Wayne, Ind. Loschetter defeated Nick Kokenos of St. Clair Shores, Mich., 182-180, for the winner. Reigning PBA Rookie of the Year Anthony LaCaze of Melrose Park, Ill., finished third, and exempt players Ronnie Russell of Marion, Ind.; Mika Koivuniemi of Hartland, Mich., and Brian Kretzer of Dayton, Ohio, finished fourth, fifth and ninth, respectively.
Bobby Johnson of Chillicothe, Ohio, won the joint PBA Central/Midwest BowlingGift.com Senior Open at Georgetown Bowl in Fort Wayne, Ind., when he defeated John Deloney of Troy, Ill., 200-179, for his first Senior Regional title of the year and the second of his career. He also earned $1,700.
In the South Region Spartanburg, S.C., Open covered by “The Bowling Doctor” Jeff Mark on PBA.com’s Xtra Frame, Chris Collins of Savannah, Ga., won his second career PBA Regional title and $2,300 on Aug. 29 at Paradise Lanes. Collins topped Scott Newell of Deland, Fla., by 77 pins in the 21-game, total pinfall event. Former exempt player Jason Sterner of McDonough, Ga., finished third. PBA Tour title holders Michael Machuga of Erie, Pa., and Ritchie Allen of Columbia, S.C., finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Kevin Mitchell of Tulsa, Okla., successfully defended his Southwest Region Greenville Open title at DB’s Entertainment & Sports Grill in Greenville, Texas, on Aug. 21, defeating David Newcomer of Pearcy, Ark., 277-234, for $2,300 and his sixth career Regional title. Two-time PBA Tour champion Rick Lawrence of Waxahachie, Texas – now a Senior Tour-eligible player - finished 10th.
In the West Region, Marv Sargent of Temecula, Calif., earned his eighth career Regional title and $2,400 in the Pain Center Arizona Open at Johnson Lanes in Sun City West. Sargent beat former exempt player Ben Laughlin of Phoenix, 235-185, in the championship match. Former exempt player P.J. Haggerty of Clovis, Calif., finished fifth.
On the Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6, edition of Xtra Frame, final-day coverage of the PBA South Region Mooresville Open will be video streamed from George Pappas Victory Lanes in Mooresville, N.C. Xtra Frame coverage continues on Oct. 3 with final-day webcasting from the PBA South Region Camp LeJeune Open from Bonneyman Recreation Center in Camp LeJeune, N.C.
All PBA title holders (National, Senior, Regional, Senior Regional, Women's Series champions) who are PBA members in good standing as of Sept. 1 are eligible for the 2011 PBA Tournament of Champions.
SENIOR JACKSON OPEN RAISES $300,000 IN 18 YEARS FOR HOSPICE Thanks to the support of tournament sponsors, Airport Lanes, tournament organizer and fundraiser Mel Wolf and many others, the Senior Jackson Open - the final stop of the 2010 PBA Senior Tour season – has now raised more than $300,000 for charity partner Allegiance Hospice in Jackson over the 18 years the event has been conducted at Airport Lanes.
In addition to sponsors, money is raised through raffles during pro-ams and throughout the event. “It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it,” said Wolf, a PBA Senior Tour titlist. “I think our pro-am is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, on the Senior Tour. The community really gets behind this event and everyone is great.”
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