Hoskins takes lead in Open Singles at 2023 Bowlers Journal Championships
June 02, 2023
RENO, Nev. – In a race to the top spot in Open Singles at the 2023 Bowlers Journal Championships on Thursday, Alex Hoskins of Brigham City, Utah, was able to deliver the strikes he needed in his final frame to take the lead at the National Bowling Stadium with a 772 series.
Hoskins, a 30-year-old right-hander, rolled games of 267, 238 and 267 to put his name at the top of the standings just moments after Nick Kruml of St. Peters, Missouri, had taken the lead with 755. Jesse Buss of Belvidere, Illinois, had held the lead entering the squad with 752.
The performance was paired in doubles for Hoskins with former Team USA member David Haynes of Las Vegas, and they moved into third place in Open Doubles with 1,412.
Professional Bowlers Association Tour star Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and two-time Eagle winner Kenny Abner of Cincinnati took the lead in Open Doubles earlier in the week with 1,430. O’Neill and Abner also helped Cincinnati’s Riding Kenny’s Coattails to the top spot in Regular Team and Regular All-Events at the 2023 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships on Wednesday and Thursday.
By entering singles and doubles during the same session, Hoskins’ score now sits at the top of the standings for the event’s Dual Entry prize fund.
Hoskins was bowling his first session of the Bowlers Journal Championships, and like many competitors at the USBC Open Championships, he was using the entry as a chance to prepare for his doubles and singles event later in the day, which is contested on the same oil pattern.
“This was my first time bowling, and I really just wanted to use this as a warmup for tonight,” said Hoskins, who rolled sets of 694 in team, 641 in doubles and 632 in singles for a 1,967 total in his appearance at the 2023 Open Championships. “Everything just ended up going the right way.”
He started off his squad strong, rolling eight strikes out of the gate in Game 1. He was able to start to the right with urethane, and he was able to stick with it while moving left by staying softer with his ball speed to make sure it shaped to the pocket.
Hoskins stayed clean in Game 2, finishing with the final five strikes to set the stage for the exciting finish at the NBS. He posted another five strikes in a row to start Game 3, before a pair of spares in the sixth and seventh frames.
He struck again in the eighth and ninth frames, while Kruml continued to keep pace.
Kruml, who had made the turn at 520, finished off Game 3 with three strikes in the 10th frame to post 235 and pass Buss by three pins.
Moments later, Hoskins stepped up in his final frame needing the first strike for the opportunity to take the lead from Kruml. He rolled three strikes to go around him to claim the top spot with just under two months left to go in the 2023 event.
With all the pressure that comes along with needing to strike to take the lead in a tournament, Hoskins was focused on his process and unaware that Kruml had just raised the bar in Open Singles.
“I didn’t know that at all – that’s wild,” said Hoskins, who finished in third place at the 2017 USBC Masters and as the runner-up at the major in 2018. “That probably would have made it worse. I was in my own little world. I thought I saw a 750 up there and thought I needed the first hit in the 10th. When I got the second one, I knew it was probably enough to be up there.”
Hoskins not only is an accomplished competitor, but he plays a big role in helping others find success on the lanes as the Director of Research and Development for Storm Products Inc.
While he’s around bowling equipment all day, he admitted that he doesn’t go out to practice too often. But, he’s always keeping a watchful eye.
“I’m not too big on practice, but I did get a little bit in before I left to come here,” Hoskins said. “Being around it all the time and watching balls go down the lane, it definitely helps keep you mentally sharp on what you need to see.”
With his score set, Hoskins has until July 23 to see if anyone else coming to Reno can reach his score. Winning a title at the Bowlers Journal Championships would rank near the top of his list.
“Honestly, winning an Eagle (at the Open Championships), to me, is one of the hardest things you can do in bowling,” Hoskins said. “On the other side over here (at the Bowlers Journal), you can bowl this multiple times. You have everybody bowling multiple times, where you only get one chance over there. I sort of feel like this is kind of in the same realm of difficulty to win, since it’s not one and done.
“Winning this would mean the world to me. I am just some kid from Idaho that started bowling, and this has been an exciting roller coaster ride.”
The Bowlers Journal Championships features divisions for Open Singles, Senior Singles, Super Senior Singles and Handicap Singles. There also are options for Open Doubles, Senior Doubles and Handicap Doubles.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.
Hoskins, a 30-year-old right-hander, rolled games of 267, 238 and 267 to put his name at the top of the standings just moments after Nick Kruml of St. Peters, Missouri, had taken the lead with 755. Jesse Buss of Belvidere, Illinois, had held the lead entering the squad with 752.
The performance was paired in doubles for Hoskins with former Team USA member David Haynes of Las Vegas, and they moved into third place in Open Doubles with 1,412.
Professional Bowlers Association Tour star Bill O’Neill of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and two-time Eagle winner Kenny Abner of Cincinnati took the lead in Open Doubles earlier in the week with 1,430. O’Neill and Abner also helped Cincinnati’s Riding Kenny’s Coattails to the top spot in Regular Team and Regular All-Events at the 2023 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships on Wednesday and Thursday.
By entering singles and doubles during the same session, Hoskins’ score now sits at the top of the standings for the event’s Dual Entry prize fund.
Hoskins was bowling his first session of the Bowlers Journal Championships, and like many competitors at the USBC Open Championships, he was using the entry as a chance to prepare for his doubles and singles event later in the day, which is contested on the same oil pattern.
“This was my first time bowling, and I really just wanted to use this as a warmup for tonight,” said Hoskins, who rolled sets of 694 in team, 641 in doubles and 632 in singles for a 1,967 total in his appearance at the 2023 Open Championships. “Everything just ended up going the right way.”
He started off his squad strong, rolling eight strikes out of the gate in Game 1. He was able to start to the right with urethane, and he was able to stick with it while moving left by staying softer with his ball speed to make sure it shaped to the pocket.
Hoskins stayed clean in Game 2, finishing with the final five strikes to set the stage for the exciting finish at the NBS. He posted another five strikes in a row to start Game 3, before a pair of spares in the sixth and seventh frames.
He struck again in the eighth and ninth frames, while Kruml continued to keep pace.
Kruml, who had made the turn at 520, finished off Game 3 with three strikes in the 10th frame to post 235 and pass Buss by three pins.
Moments later, Hoskins stepped up in his final frame needing the first strike for the opportunity to take the lead from Kruml. He rolled three strikes to go around him to claim the top spot with just under two months left to go in the 2023 event.
With all the pressure that comes along with needing to strike to take the lead in a tournament, Hoskins was focused on his process and unaware that Kruml had just raised the bar in Open Singles.
“I didn’t know that at all – that’s wild,” said Hoskins, who finished in third place at the 2017 USBC Masters and as the runner-up at the major in 2018. “That probably would have made it worse. I was in my own little world. I thought I saw a 750 up there and thought I needed the first hit in the 10th. When I got the second one, I knew it was probably enough to be up there.”
Hoskins not only is an accomplished competitor, but he plays a big role in helping others find success on the lanes as the Director of Research and Development for Storm Products Inc.
While he’s around bowling equipment all day, he admitted that he doesn’t go out to practice too often. But, he’s always keeping a watchful eye.
“I’m not too big on practice, but I did get a little bit in before I left to come here,” Hoskins said. “Being around it all the time and watching balls go down the lane, it definitely helps keep you mentally sharp on what you need to see.”
With his score set, Hoskins has until July 23 to see if anyone else coming to Reno can reach his score. Winning a title at the Bowlers Journal Championships would rank near the top of his list.
“Honestly, winning an Eagle (at the Open Championships), to me, is one of the hardest things you can do in bowling,” Hoskins said. “On the other side over here (at the Bowlers Journal), you can bowl this multiple times. You have everybody bowling multiple times, where you only get one chance over there. I sort of feel like this is kind of in the same realm of difficulty to win, since it’s not one and done.
“Winning this would mean the world to me. I am just some kid from Idaho that started bowling, and this has been an exciting roller coaster ride.”
The Bowlers Journal Championships features divisions for Open Singles, Senior Singles, Super Senior Singles and Handicap Singles. There also are options for Open Doubles, Senior Doubles and Handicap Doubles.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships page.