Baer becomes first back-to-back match play winner

Adam Baer dominated match play on Sunday, winning all eight of his matches at East Lincoln Lanes, to coast to a 327-pin victory over Jerred Poff.

Baer, a powerful right-hander from Gettysburg, became the first bowler to win back-to-back Bud Light York County Match Play Championships in the tournament’s 15-year history. He also became the first three-time champ, having won three of the past four years.

“I felt like I dominated today,” said Baer, who averaged 250. “I bowled really well. Winning back-to-back match play titles rates up there with winning the PBA East Region tournament last year.”

Baer capped off the stellar performance with a 252-206 victory over Greg Bruff in the final match of the day, which turned out to be a battle for second place. Poff defeated Mark Jones, 257-211, to move ahead of Bruff into second place.

Baer led the 61-bowler qualifying field and held the lead for all but one game during the two-day, 16-game match play competition.

Trailing by 29 pins entering Sunday’s competition, Baer delivered a bold statement with a 267 his first game to regain the lead and a 93-pin cushion.

“I wanted to shoot a big game to start the day,” said Baer. “That along with the fact that Don Harbaugh (who had been in first) and Jerred Poff (who was in third) shot games under 200 and didn’t win their first matches was a big help.”

Baer said being in first and having a comfortable cushion decreased some of the pressure and allowed him to free up his swing.

“I didn’t feel I had to shoot a big score every game,” he added.

Baer tallied critical victories against his closest competitors, Jerred Poff and Greg Bruff.

In game four, he defeated Poff, 280-249, and the following game he topped Bruff, 257-247.

Baer admitted that he feared Poff, who regularly bowls at East Lincoln, more than any other bowler in the field.

Poff, who finished second for the third consecutive year, said, “Adam’s win against me changed the momentum. And, it took me out of the game mentally.”

Bruff forced Baer to strike out in the 10^th to secure a narrow victory.

“That was a huge win,” offered Baer. “At the time, Bruff was only 160 pins behind. I had to make two great shots to pull that game out. It could have gone either way.”

That win stretched Baer’s lead to 203 pins, and he coasted the rest of the way. Baer earned $1,200 for the victory.

The final standings and pin totals are: Baer (1,579), Poff (1,252), Bruff (1,223), Jones (1,211), Denny Runkle (1,155), Jeff Daubert (1,124), Eric Smith (1,123), Jimmy Plessinger (1,111), Neil Smith (1,033), Don Harbaugh (977), Steve Carbaugh (858), Rick Bretz (797), Barry Whorley (775), Duane Martin (774), Dave Kareis (699), Justin Shearer (661).

Baer sitting where he wants entering match play

Defending Bud Light York County Match Play champ Adam Baer is right where he wants to be entering match play this weekend—at the top of the heap.

Baer, a 29-year-old right-hander, paced the field of 61 bowlers in the two-day, 12-game qualifying session by averaging 240 and tallying 2,881 pins. He is trying to become the first bowler to successfully defend his title in the tournament’s 15-year history.

Match play competition begins 2 p.m., Saturday, at Colony Park Lanes North and concludes at 10 a.m., Sunday, at East Lincoln Lanes.

“I threw the ball great all weekend, and it feels good to be in the lead,” said Baer, one of 16 competitors who advanced to match play. “My goal was to make the match play. It didn’t matter if I qualified first or 16^th.”

With only 101 pins separating first place from 16^th, Baer knows there isn’t a big advantage to being in first at this point. The standings can change quickly.

In match play, each bowler receives plus or minus the number of pins above or below 200 each game and 30 bonus pins for a win.

Each bowler rolls one game against every other bowler in the field. The final game is a position round, pitting 1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4, 5 vs. 6 and so forth.

“The 30 bonus pins for a win is huge,” said the two-time match play champ. “With 16 games, that’s a lot of potential bonus pins.”

As the leader, Baer knows he’s in the sights of the other 15 match play competitors. But it doesn’t change his approach.

“During qualifying, my mental approach was one game at a time,” he offered. “And, it’s the same for match play. You can’t afford to look too far ahead.”

Baer expects intense competition from talented field of match play bowlers, which includes two-time champ Steve Carbaugh (2003 and 2005).

First place is expected to be worth at least $1,000.

In match play, bowlers start with the number of pins more than 2,400 that they tallied in qualifying. Bowlers and their point totals are: Baer (481); Denny Runkle (461); Neil Smith (457); Don Harbaugh (454); Jerred Poff (451); Barry Whorley (446); Greg Bruff (437); Dave Kareis (434); Jeff Daubert (413); Mark Jones (410); Eric Smith (402); Duane Martin (399); Justin Shearer (390); Rick Bretz (389); Steve Carbaugh (389) and Jimmy Plessinger (380).

Emig sets Colony Park North record with 868 series

Justin Emig recently tallied 33 of 36 possible strikes as he rolled games of 299, 269 and 300 en route to an 868 series at Colony Park Lanes North.

The 29-year-old right-hander from York erased Adam Mobley’s house record of 866, set in 2008. His 868 series is tied for the third highest in county history.

Emig admittedly threw one bad shot all night. But, of course, that’s the one he can’t get out of his mind.

On his first ball of the second game, he was left of the pocket and the four-pin stood steadfast. He converted the spare and put together six strikes before leaving the nine pin in the eighth frame. He struck out to finish with a 269.

“If I strike on the first ball of the second game, I finish with an 878, which would have tied the county record,” said Emig. “I was a little wide with that shot, and it was the only one I would have liked back.”

The only other blemish on Emig’s near-perfect night was a seven pin on the final ball of the first game.

“I felt great,” said Emig, who is averaging 229. “Everything was flowing well, and I was consistently in the pocket.”

As the night progressed and the strikes continued to pile up, Emig made sure he kept his focus and followed his normal routine prior to every ball.

Reaching the 800 plateau midway through the third game lifted most of the pressure off of Emig.

There might have been more pressure, however, if he had realized the house record was 866.

“I didn’t think I had a chance to break the house record because I thought it was 868,” he offered. “Given that, I figured the best I could do was tie it. I mainly focused on trying to finish with a 300 game.”

His final strike unleashed a barrage of high fives and congratulations. He texted many of his friends and the news was quickly posted on Facebook.

“It (the 868) didn’t really hit me until I went home, and particularly the next day when I drove by the center. I thought, ‘No one else has ever rolled a higher series there.’ It gave me goose bumps.”

Bowler of the Week: Lori Ann Bossom

Bowler: Lori Ann Bossom, 43, of Hanover.

Latest bowling accomplishment: Rolled a 666 series at Hanover Bowling Centre.

I started bowling: At South Hanover 15 years ago.

Best bowling advice I ever received: Strive for consistency.

Bowler I have learned the most from: Mark Myers.

I’m proud that: I’ve raised my average from 169 to 180.

PBA bowlers I enjoy watching: Norm Duke, Parker Bohn III and Liz Johnson.

My most memorable bowling moment: Rolling a 279 game.

Bowling appeals to me because: It’s a great stress reliever and I enjoy the team environment.

A lot of people don’t realize that: My husband, Randy, and I bowl two nights a week.

Future goal: Average 200.

Note: Colony Park Lanes North hosts the Kegel Challenge Series, 9:30 a.m., Sunday, April 17. The format is eight games on the Middle Road pattern. Top prize is $800, based on 40 entries. For more information, call 848-6262.

Bowler of the Week is submitted by the York County Bowling Proprietors Association. To nominate a bowler, send email to bowleroftheweek@gmail.com.

Baer can make match play history

When it comes to the Bud Light York County Match Play Championship, Adam Baer is a student of history.

Baer knows that he is one of only three bowlers to win the prestigious 15-year tournament twice, and that no bowler has been able to win in back-to-back years.

Baer, a powerful, 29-year-old right-hander from Gettysburg, captured the tournament in 2008 and 2010. If he’s victorious this year, he’ll be the first back-to-back winner and the first to win the tournament three years out of four. The accomplishments would separate him from a handful of the county’s elite bowlers.

The tournament opens this weekend with six-game qualifying sets at Hanover Bowling Centre at 2 p.m., Saturday, and Lincolnway Bowling at 10 a.m., Sunday. The top 12 bowlers from qualifying advance to match play the following weekend. Six-game match play sets are scheduled at Colony Park North at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 16, and at East Lincoln Lanes at 10 a.m., Sunday, April 17. The winner collects $1,000.

Despite his past accomplishments, Baer isn’t taking anything for granted. He knows all too well that the past provides no guarantees for the present.

After winning the 2008 title, he failed to qualify for match play in 2009. As a student of history, he hopes to learn from his past.

“You can’t win until you’re there (in match play),” he said. “You have to make it through 12 games of qualifying first. Being a past champion doesn’t mean anything.”

Although the first six games of qualifying are at Hanover Bowling Centre, where Baer rolls regularly and averages 237, it isn’t necessarily an advantage.

“When I failed to make match play in 2009, Hanover hosted six games of qualifying, and I bowled very poorly there. I think I was trying to do too much,” he pointed out.

After enjoying a blockbuster 2010 season when he won a PBA East Region title, Baer has been steadily recovering from a knee injury. Physically, he’s not 100 percent, but he’s getting closer every week.

Baer says the biggest difference from 2009 and now is his mental approach to the game.

“Ninety percent of my success last year was due to my improved mental game,” he offered. “I finally learned how to be patient.”

Looking ahead, Baer, one of six former champs in the tournament, said, “It won’t be easy for whoever wins. The competition is intense. You have to get through qualifying and things can change very quickly during match play.”

The student of history hopes to make some history beginning this weekend.

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BUD LIGHT YORK COUNTY MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

PAST WINNERS

1996—Dave Zelger

1997—Billy Heltzel Jr.

1998—Tony Lewis

1999—Jeff Hamme

2000—Dave Zelger

2001—Brian Lafko

2002—No tournament

2003—Steve Carbaugh

2004—Chris Lakatosh

2005—Steve Carbaugh

2006—Scott Farley

2007—Ken Dixon

2008—Adam Baer

2009—Terry Miller

2010—Adam Baer