New Mexico bowler breaks triplicate record at OC
June 05, 2013
By Aaron Smith and Jim Schroeder
RENO, Nev. - Eric Espinda of Albuquerque, N.M., rolled the highest triplicate in 110 years of United States Bowling Congress Open Championships competition Wednesday on the way to an 837 series at the National Bowling Stadium.
The 29-year-old right-hander struck 30 times during his team event, and his trio of 279 games tops Kevin Shafer of Eaton, Ind., and Gary Exner Jr. of Racine, Wis., who previously held the triplicate record with 248.
"It felt really good, and my main focus all night was just one shot at a time," said Espinda, who made his eighth USBC Open Championships appearance and entered this year with a high set of 692. "I got away with a break earlier in the final game when I tugged it a good three or four boards and it held, so I knew I had some room to play with. I just knew if I got it off my hand clean, it would take care of itself down lane."
Espinda's set is the second 800 of the 2013 event and is tied for third-highest series in the tournament's eight visits to the 78-lane NBS. Dean Billings of Rootstown, Ohio, fired an 813 series during his team event May 8, while Team USA member John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Fla., owns the NBS record with 858, rolled on his way to Regular Singles and Regular All-Events wins in 2004.
T.J. Schmidt of Osceola, Ind., who shot 855 in doubles in 2011, and D.J. Archer of Mineral Wells, Texas, who used the momentum of an 837 series to capture the 2001 Regular All-Events crown, round out the top three scores at the NBS.
The highest series in tournament history belongs to Bo Goergen of Midland, Mich., who rolled games of 299, 299 and 264 for an 862 series on his way to the 2009 Regular Singles title in Las Vegas.
Espinda's effort helped SSDLL of Rio Rancho, N.M., to a 3,153 team total. Janawicz's team, Lodge Lanes Too of Orlando, Fla., leads Regular Team with a record score of 3,538.
Espinda attributed his success to his team's ability to work together to open up the oil pattern.
"We had a game plan going in and 10 really good bowlers," said Espinda, who bowls regularly at Albuquerque's Silva Lanes. "Our game plan was to take something dull and break them down around 5, 6 and 7 and leave the inside alone until we had to get there. Without the other players, I wouldn't have been able to do it."
With a place in tournament history already claimed, Espinda will look to continue his success when he returns to the championship lanes for doubles and singles Thursday night at 10:30 p.m. PDT (1:30 a.m. EDT). His sights will be set on the 2,228 all-events score posted by Team USA member John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, N.Y. Szczerbinski also leads Regular Singles with 789.
Presenting sponsors for the 2013 USBC Open Championships include Circus Circus Reno, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno.
RENO, Nev. - Eric Espinda of Albuquerque, N.M., rolled the highest triplicate in 110 years of United States Bowling Congress Open Championships competition Wednesday on the way to an 837 series at the National Bowling Stadium.The 29-year-old right-hander struck 30 times during his team event, and his trio of 279 games tops Kevin Shafer of Eaton, Ind., and Gary Exner Jr. of Racine, Wis., who previously held the triplicate record with 248.
"It felt really good, and my main focus all night was just one shot at a time," said Espinda, who made his eighth USBC Open Championships appearance and entered this year with a high set of 692. "I got away with a break earlier in the final game when I tugged it a good three or four boards and it held, so I knew I had some room to play with. I just knew if I got it off my hand clean, it would take care of itself down lane."
Espinda's set is the second 800 of the 2013 event and is tied for third-highest series in the tournament's eight visits to the 78-lane NBS. Dean Billings of Rootstown, Ohio, fired an 813 series during his team event May 8, while Team USA member John Janawicz of Winter Haven, Fla., owns the NBS record with 858, rolled on his way to Regular Singles and Regular All-Events wins in 2004.
T.J. Schmidt of Osceola, Ind., who shot 855 in doubles in 2011, and D.J. Archer of Mineral Wells, Texas, who used the momentum of an 837 series to capture the 2001 Regular All-Events crown, round out the top three scores at the NBS.
The highest series in tournament history belongs to Bo Goergen of Midland, Mich., who rolled games of 299, 299 and 264 for an 862 series on his way to the 2009 Regular Singles title in Las Vegas.
Espinda's effort helped SSDLL of Rio Rancho, N.M., to a 3,153 team total. Janawicz's team, Lodge Lanes Too of Orlando, Fla., leads Regular Team with a record score of 3,538.
Espinda attributed his success to his team's ability to work together to open up the oil pattern.
"We had a game plan going in and 10 really good bowlers," said Espinda, who bowls regularly at Albuquerque's Silva Lanes. "Our game plan was to take something dull and break them down around 5, 6 and 7 and leave the inside alone until we had to get there. Without the other players, I wouldn't have been able to do it."
With a place in tournament history already claimed, Espinda will look to continue his success when he returns to the championship lanes for doubles and singles Thursday night at 10:30 p.m. PDT (1:30 a.m. EDT). His sights will be set on the 2,228 all-events score posted by Team USA member John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, N.Y. Szczerbinski also leads Regular Singles with 789.
Presenting sponsors for the 2013 USBC Open Championships include Circus Circus Reno, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno.