Mitch Beasley tosses perfect game at 2017 USBC Open Championships
April 30, 2017
LAS VEGAS - Mitch Beasley of Hermitage, Tennessee, is coming off the best season of his professional bowling career, and that momentum continued Saturday at the South Point Bowling Plaza, where he rolled the second perfect game of the 2017 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.
The 48-year-old right-hander waited patiently for the right look to develop on the lanes as he posted games of 185 and 197, but once he saw the ball motion he was hoping for, he took advantage and tossed 12 consecutive strikes in the finale.
Beasley's 300 was the first in team competition this year at the Bowling Plaza. The event's other perfect game belongs to Todd Lathrop of Colchester, Connecticut, who achieved the feat during singles March 31.
"I was really focused on just blocking everything out and trying to make really good shots," said Beasley, who made his 10th USBC Open Championships appearance. "I've never shot an honor score or anything here at Nationals, so it's kind of special to do."
Before things fell into place for Beasley, he did his best to keep up with the moves that were needed but felt like he was behind them the first two games, despite being around the pocket.
A mix of 4 pins and 10 pins let him know he was close, and a ball change for the final game proved to be the difference.
"I shot 180, 190 hitting the pocket fairly consistently, but I never got ahead of the moves," Beasley said. "I made a bigger move and switched balls, which helped blend out the lane perfectly. Then, I kind of relaxed because the ball finally made the shape I was looking for. I was trying to stay right and not get too far left too quickly against the team and mess the lanes up the first two games. Then, I got the look I was looking for. I didn't get nervous until the last shot."
Beasley's 682 series helped Motion Plus Lanes J of Milwaukee to games of 975, 889 and 1,051 for a 2,915 total, which is just inside the top 90 this year. He was joined by Scott Salinas (608), Camden Rokita (570), Chad Kloss (530) and left-hander Eric Fritton (525).
The group's companion team, Motion Plus Ladies Plus 1, posted games of 1,002, 916 and 1,023 for 2,941. Charly Boelter led the effort with a 644 series and was followed by Beasley's wife, Ingellimar, with a 627 set, Samantha Kelly (583), Leea Haworth (570) and Antwon Alston (517).
Team NABR leads Regular Team this year with 3,266.
The revamped Motion Plus Lanes team is captained by Kloss, the only remaining member of the team that finished second at the 2014 Open Championships with a 3,561 total, the second-best score in tournament history.
Kloss also owns a perfect game on the tournament lanes, which came in the 2013 team event.
"As you're with a team for the first year, you try to give your insight and input, but you don't want to overstep, especially when someone has been team captain for a while," Beasley said. "Some of the team knows me really well, and some of the team doesn't. I give my insight when somebody needs it, but I try not to overstep. I'm glad to help when somebody's lost or has second thoughts about ball changes or moves."
Beasley's career year on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour in 2016 included his first title and earnings of more than $74,000, which nearly doubled his previous best earnings. His PBA Tour career spans more than two decades.
He started the 2016 season with a runner-up finish at the PBA FireLake Tournament of Championships and went on to win the 2016 PBA Chameleon Championship presented by HotelPlanner.com, part of the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VIII, presented by Silver Legacy Resort & Casino, at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
Saturday's series in Las Vegas was Beasley's best in Open Championships team competition by almost 50 pins. He and his teammates will be back on the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza for doubles and singles Sunday at noon Eastern.
On the other side of the Plaza, two well-known teams also found success Saturday evening, as The Lakers 1 and The Lakers 2 of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, moved into a tie for seventh place and 23rd place in Regular Team, respectively, with 3,160 and 3,058.
The Lakers 1 includes four of the 2002 and 2006 Team All-Events champions.
The team's 2017 effort was led by USBC Hall of Famer Todd Savoy (674), non-champion Luke Voaklander (657), USBC Hall of Famer Sam Lantto (637), John Eiss (608) and Charles Vashaw (584).
The Lakers 2 performance included Robert Clements (654), Joseph Robillard (604), Gary Green (603), Tom Corbett (602) and Scott Sodergren (595). Green is the fifth member of the 2002 and 2006 Team All-Events-winning team.
Both Lakers teams will be back on the lanes Sunday at 4 p.m. Eastern.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.
The 48-year-old right-hander waited patiently for the right look to develop on the lanes as he posted games of 185 and 197, but once he saw the ball motion he was hoping for, he took advantage and tossed 12 consecutive strikes in the finale.
Beasley's 300 was the first in team competition this year at the Bowling Plaza. The event's other perfect game belongs to Todd Lathrop of Colchester, Connecticut, who achieved the feat during singles March 31.
"I was really focused on just blocking everything out and trying to make really good shots," said Beasley, who made his 10th USBC Open Championships appearance. "I've never shot an honor score or anything here at Nationals, so it's kind of special to do."
Before things fell into place for Beasley, he did his best to keep up with the moves that were needed but felt like he was behind them the first two games, despite being around the pocket.
A mix of 4 pins and 10 pins let him know he was close, and a ball change for the final game proved to be the difference.
"I shot 180, 190 hitting the pocket fairly consistently, but I never got ahead of the moves," Beasley said. "I made a bigger move and switched balls, which helped blend out the lane perfectly. Then, I kind of relaxed because the ball finally made the shape I was looking for. I was trying to stay right and not get too far left too quickly against the team and mess the lanes up the first two games. Then, I got the look I was looking for. I didn't get nervous until the last shot."
Beasley's 682 series helped Motion Plus Lanes J of Milwaukee to games of 975, 889 and 1,051 for a 2,915 total, which is just inside the top 90 this year. He was joined by Scott Salinas (608), Camden Rokita (570), Chad Kloss (530) and left-hander Eric Fritton (525).
The group's companion team, Motion Plus Ladies Plus 1, posted games of 1,002, 916 and 1,023 for 2,941. Charly Boelter led the effort with a 644 series and was followed by Beasley's wife, Ingellimar, with a 627 set, Samantha Kelly (583), Leea Haworth (570) and Antwon Alston (517).
Team NABR leads Regular Team this year with 3,266.
The revamped Motion Plus Lanes team is captained by Kloss, the only remaining member of the team that finished second at the 2014 Open Championships with a 3,561 total, the second-best score in tournament history.
Kloss also owns a perfect game on the tournament lanes, which came in the 2013 team event.
"As you're with a team for the first year, you try to give your insight and input, but you don't want to overstep, especially when someone has been team captain for a while," Beasley said. "Some of the team knows me really well, and some of the team doesn't. I give my insight when somebody needs it, but I try not to overstep. I'm glad to help when somebody's lost or has second thoughts about ball changes or moves."
Beasley's career year on the Professional Bowlers Association Tour in 2016 included his first title and earnings of more than $74,000, which nearly doubled his previous best earnings. His PBA Tour career spans more than two decades.
He started the 2016 season with a runner-up finish at the PBA FireLake Tournament of Championships and went on to win the 2016 PBA Chameleon Championship presented by HotelPlanner.com, part of the GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling VIII, presented by Silver Legacy Resort & Casino, at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada.
Saturday's series in Las Vegas was Beasley's best in Open Championships team competition by almost 50 pins. He and his teammates will be back on the lanes at the South Point Bowling Plaza for doubles and singles Sunday at noon Eastern.
On the other side of the Plaza, two well-known teams also found success Saturday evening, as The Lakers 1 and The Lakers 2 of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, moved into a tie for seventh place and 23rd place in Regular Team, respectively, with 3,160 and 3,058.
The Lakers 1 includes four of the 2002 and 2006 Team All-Events champions.
The team's 2017 effort was led by USBC Hall of Famer Todd Savoy (674), non-champion Luke Voaklander (657), USBC Hall of Famer Sam Lantto (637), John Eiss (608) and Charles Vashaw (584).
The Lakers 2 performance included Robert Clements (654), Joseph Robillard (604), Gary Green (603), Tom Corbett (602) and Scott Sodergren (595). Green is the fifth member of the 2002 and 2006 Team All-Events-winning team.
Both Lakers teams will be back on the lanes Sunday at 4 p.m. Eastern.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Open Championships Facebook page.