COLUMBUS — Michael Martell admittedly has not enjoyed much success in the past at HP Lanes. But putting the right urethane equipment in the 24-year-old’s left hand made all the difference.
After making changes to two different types of Purple Hammer urethanes from Game 4 on — one pin up, the other pin down — the Babylon, N.Y., left-hander and three-time Team USA member took the lead on the second squad with 1,992 total pinfall and stands second overall heading into today’s cashers’ round of the Nance Construction/HP Lanes MEGA Singles event.
First-shift leader Brandon Kennard, a 23-year-old Wapakoneta lefty, holds the overall ead heading into the final day of the event with 2,042, 50 pins ahead of Martell.
The top 49 bowlers between the two shifts advanced to Sunday’s 10 a.m. six-game casher’s round with pins carrying over. The final 10 following 14 games will advance to the modified stepladder finals in the race for the $12,000 top prize.
Martell used three urethane balls during the eight-game qualifying block, making a big change following his low game of 202 in Game 3.
“I got to play the lanes pretty straight. There was a lot of friction, and I’m really good with urethane,” Martell said. “I had the right balls in my hand today and made the right moves.
“After Game 3, the two lanes we moved to were almost an arrow difference for me. So I made a strong guess and went to the strong Purple and moved pretty far in on the hard lane. Then I threw the back nine for 260 and the swing got really loose after that.”
Martell shot 826 from games 4 through 6 to surge into the lead after Game 5 and held it the rest of the way on the squad.
“Once I knew I made the right move on that tough pair, I was ecstatic,” Martell said. “It got real easy after that.”
Following Martell on the squad were a pair of familiar names — MEGA Doubles event champions Jean Perez and George Gohagan III, another pair of lefties, with 1,954 and 1,908, respectively. Then came the first right-hander in Zac Tackett at 1,903.
“I was just making moves, I switched balls and started throwing a little more right to left,” said Perez, the 43-year-old Puerto Rico native now living in Indianapolis who finished the block with 267, 280 and 266 to move up the standings.
“I was just lofting the ball more and that helped me to create enough shape to carry. That was the difference.”
Perez started with the Storm Pitch Black, but said it was “hitting early and not rolling.” So he made the move to the Storm Fast Pitch over the final five games following a 205 in Game 3.
“Hopefully, I can make moves quicker (Sunday) and I don’t get stuck on it,” Perez said. “That will be the key.”
Gohagan, who used his Hammer 3-D Offset over all eight games, said luck played a part in his performance, despite a 191 in Game 7. He had a high game of 258.
“I just really matched up and everything went my way,” Gohagan said. “I had one bad game on a really tough pair, but I got a lot of breaks. I’m just going to come in with a fresh mind and try to make some good shots and see what happens.”
While the first shift was dominated by lefties, the second shift had five right-handers among the top 10, including Rootstown’s Joe Bailey, who was 10th with 1,819.
In the overall standings, Kyle Cook is the top righty, standing third with 1,977 as only three of the top-10 scores came from the second shift.
“Hopefully, I can put six good qualifying games together (Sunday) and make the top 10,” Kennard said.
Martell expects a different look Sunday.
“I expect them to be tighter, laying down the pattern another time,” Martell said, “but I have a couple of stronger urethane balls.”
Cook’s philosophy is simple.
“Hopefully, they play the same for me and harder for the lefties,” Cook joked. “I plan on going into it with a similar game plan and see what happens. But I’m open to doing different things if I have to.”
Gohagan has a simple message for the competitors: Keep your eyes on Perez.
“He’s just been amazing this week,” Gohagan said. “Everything is going his way. Hopefully, I can slow him down (Sunday).”
NOTEBOOK: There were 123 bowlers on the second squad, giving the event a total of 246 players. … The cut to the top 49 was at 1,762, with Jefferson right-hander Casey Cohagan gaining the final spot at 1,762, just four pins ahead of Noah Hayes and six ahead of Dan Higgins. … There were three 300 games in the afternoon session on the 43-foot oil pattern by Jacob Hubbs, Brandon Novak (both in Game 1) and A.J. Rice. … Today’s progressive stepladder finals following the cut to the top 10 after the cashers’ round opens with places seven through 10 bowling one game and the top two advancing. That should begin around 1 p.m. Places five and six then join those winners for another single game, with two advancing. Those two then keep moving, with winners of matches against seeds two through four leading to a one-game battle for the title against the top seed. … First place is worth $12,000 on a $300 entry fee, but the 49th position also will earn $599.