By BILL SNIER
NORTH CANTON — It had already been an eventful night during the 16-team Pizza Oven Classic league at Park Centre Lanes recently.
It started in Game 1, when Jackson Township right-hander Jason Norch threw 300 out of the gate less than a week after the death of his wife, Jennifer, following her long battle with cancer.
It came after an emotional moment of silence was held in her honor prior to the start of league play.
Then, as the night progressed, Uniontown right-hander Mark Suchan started with 268 and 290 and completed his run to an 837 series with a 279 closer.
And to cap it, 34-year-old Canton right-hander Chris Logan put the finishing touches on the night with his second 800 series in just three weeks — after going the first 20 years of his bowling career without achieving that milestone.
“It just seemed like I had more confidence this time. I know I’ve only had one up until then, but you just feel like you can do it because now you’ve been there,” said Logan, who had games of 258, 269 and 275 for 802 — running the final five strikes for this milestone.
Logan also had to strike out in the 10th frame of Game 3 during his first 800 to hit that total on the nose with a 258 in Game 3.
But this time, Logan also used a different ball after his first milestone came with a Hammer Tour Envy.
“It just didn’t seem like the NV Tour was as crisp on the backends the last couple of weeks,” Logan said. “So I went to the Storm Zen 25. It looked really nice rolling it lately, and it seemed to be the ball that night.
“Tuesday night, it looked really good for me. So I said let’s get lined up with it on Wednesday, and it was 10-back most of the time except for a couple of errant shots on my part.”
Logan ran off the front six strikes in Game 1 before a 10-pin stopped his run. In Game 2, it was more of the same with the front six strikes and another 10-pin.
The only problem shot came in Game 3 after rolling the front seven strikes.
“I always have to throw that one ball out the window every once in a while,” Logan said. “I always seem to get nervous around the seventh or eighth frame when I’m on a string and going for a 300. It was the same this time.
“I ended up leaving a 6-count and covering it up. I knew I needed the next two plus two in the 10th frame to get there. I just went up there and threw them. The last time, it was like make a good shot and we’ll see what happens. I was just more confident.”
Logan was not overly excited about this run.
“You’ve set yourself up for success so if you don’t do it, it’s still a helluva series,” said Logan, who bowls in two leagues at Park Centre and the Northeast Ohio Travel League. “Then, it’s just go on to the next night.”
But with the milestone streak broken (he does have seven career 300 games), now he is looking for more.
“I’m still putting it all together,” Logan said. “But absolutely, I’m looking for that third one before the season is over.”