AKRON — The Professional Bowlers Association will return to Northeast Ohio over the next few weeks with both Central Region and PBA50 Tour action at two centers.
The PBA kicks off Saturday with the PBA Bowlero-Fairlawn Central Open, a one-day event, at AMF Riviera Lanes in Fairlawn
A field of 62 players is slated to participate in the regional event, with bowlers rolling eight qualifying games beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday before the field is cut for bracket match play beginning at around 1:30 p.m.. A practice session is set for 3 to 5 p.m. Friday.
Players will be bowling on a 41-foot PBA pattern, with first place worth an estimated $2,000. Admission to fans is free.
PBA50 MAJOR
In addition, the PBA50 Tour will bring down the curtain on its 2024 season with the PBA50 Tournament of Champions from Aug. 11 to 15 also at AMF Riviera Lanes.
That event will open with a practice session from 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 11 before a pro-am is set for 6 p.m.
Eight-game qualifying rounds are set for Aug. 12 and 13 at 10 a.m. before the field is cut to the top 32 for the Advancers Round, set for 10 a.m. Aug. 14. Bowlers will roll eight more games before the field is cut to the top 16 for match play.
Eight-game match play rounds are set for 5 p.m. Aug. 14 and noon Aug. 15 before the field is cut to the top five for the stepladder finals, set for 6 p.m. Aug. 15.
Participants must be at least 50 years of age and be a title holder of any PBA Regional Tour, PBA50 Tour, or PBA National Tour event to enter. The oil pattern will be the PBA Don Johnson 40, with first place worth $15,000.
All-day passes for spectators are $10 each and $8 for the practice session and pro-am.
Pro-am costs, with bowlers rolling three nine-pin no-tap games with three different pros, are $69 for youth and $89 for adults. For information, contact AMF Riviera Lanes at (330) 836-7985 or visit PBA.com.
PBA RESULTS
Northfield’s Ryan Liederbach captured his second PBA regional title by topping the field at the Mike Eaton Sr. Memorial Central/Midwest Open at Spectrum Entertainment Complex in Wyoming, Mich.
Liederbach, a two-handed left-hander who stood third following the eight-game qualifying round with 1,858, compiled a 12-3 match-play mark and then defeated Cody Shoemaker 237-213 in the final position round match to claim the title with 5,894 total pinfall, including 390 bonus pins, in the 77-player field.
Ryan Burton finished second (5,493), followed by Shoemaker (5,485).
See complete standings here:
MSBS AKRON CHALLENGE
Also on tap for Sunday is the Midwest Scratch Bowling Series Akron Challenge at 11 a.m. at Station 300 in Akron. It marks the tourney debut for the new lanes and scoring system at the center.
Entry fee is $90, with bowlers rolling five qualifying games before the field is cut to the top 24 (based on 96 entries), when they will compete in a two-game eliminator round, with the field again being cut in half. Pins drop after each round.
The same format will be used in subsequent rounds. For information, contact Brian Regan at brian@scratchbowling.com
OTHER EVENTS, RESULTS
IRON SHARPENS IRON: There will be no Iron Sharpens Iron summer sweeper Friday at Rowland Lanes. Results from last week’s event were not available.
SUMMER SPORT SHOT SERIES: The Mt. Lebanon Sports Shot Summer Series, operated by Hiles Bowling Tournaments, will be bowling on the 49-foot 2023 U.S. Open oil pattern Friday night. Entry fee is $45, with the evening beginning at 8 p.m. at Mount Lebanon (Pa.) Lanes. Bowlers roll four games before the field is cut to the top 32. Costs for juniors, U.S. veterans and 55-and-older senior players is $40. The events ae averaging 104 bowlers per week. Josh Flachbart captured last week’s event, followed by Joshua Hoffer, Noah Hayes and Parker Braccio. For information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/574281479814101
MSBS AKRON CHALLENGE: The Midwest Scratch Bowling Series Akron Challenge is set for 11 a.m. July 28 at Station 300 in Akron. Entry fee is $90, with bowlers rolling five qualifying games before the field is cut to the top 24 (based on 96 entries), when they will compete in a two-game eliminator round, with the field again being cut in half. Pins drop after each round. The same format will be used in subsequent rounds. For information, contact Brian Regan at brian@scratchbowling.com
MONEY IN THE BANK: Louis Polgar shot 778 to captured the $1,500 top prize in the Bowlamania III: Money in the Bank event at Wickliffe Lanes. The remainder of the top five included Shane Brooks (772), Larhonda Howard (766), Kyle Kalinowski (755) and Josh Truman (752). Other winners in the optional ladies was Howard (766), with Teroy Wade topping seniors (741).
TRIPLE T TOURNAMENT: Jean Perez captured Triple T’s “The Big One” singles eventuates weekend at Toledo Sports Center in Toledo, defeating Travis Kominek in the title match He won in a best-of-three match 228-123 and 190-176. The remainder of the top five were Caleb Salyer, Zac Tackett and Earon Vollmar. The group’s next event is TTT’s Appreciation Tournament at 7 p.m. Aug. 6. For information, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/TTownBowling
LEGACY SCRATCH: The Put Up or Shut Up Head-to-Head Scratch Tournament is set for 10 a.m. July 21 at Legacy Lanes and Lounge in Coshocton. Entry fee is $70 for the scratch event. Bowlers bowl three games against an opponent, with total pinfall advancing. Each subsequent round and match is two games, with a new opponent for each round. Also, Legacy will be hosting a Baker Bash five-player scratch sweeper at 11 a.m. Aug. 18. Teams will bowl 20 Bakr System Games before the field is cut to the top five for a best-of-three stepladder finals. For information, go to Legacy’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/legacylaneslounge
OHIO MASTERS: The 2024 Bowler X Ohio Masters will be held Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at Eastbury Bowling Center in Canton. The event is open only to adult bowlers sanctioned in Ohio. No youth bowlers are permitted to enter. Entry fee is $100. Bowlers will bowl five qualifying games beginning at 11 a.m. Aug. 31. The field then will be cut to the top 50 percent of the field, which will bowl five additional games at 5:30 p.m. with pins from the early block carrying over. The field then will be cut again to the top 32 (based on 120 entries) for single-elimination, two-game match play by seed until a champion is declared. The field is limited to 128 players. Ric McCormick is the defending champion.For information, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/events/806542027970521
AKRON OPEN: The 2024 Akron Open is set for Aug. 24 and 25 at Station 300 in Akron. Station 300 currently is installing new lane surfaces and a new scoring system that will be operational in time for this event. Entry fee is $130, with bowlers having 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. six-game squads available on a house oil pattern. Following six games, the field will be cut to the top one-in-five for Aug. 25 9 a.m. cashers’ round, with pins carrying over. The field then will be cut to the top 24, with pins carry over, to bowl five more games before the field is cut to the top five for the stepladder finals. There also will be a kickoff doubles event at 7 p.m. Aug. 23 with a $200 entry fee. Bowlers will roll four games to determine the winner. For information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/602080075460035