FORT WORTH, Texas -- One of four teams to knock down 13,000 pins over a two-day span covering 64 Baker games between Saturday and Sunday, the University of St. Francis men's bowling team needed every one of those pins to claim the fourth and final bid from the Fort Worth, Texas Sectional to the US Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Team Championships April 13-18 in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Fighting Saints beat out University of Northwestern Ohio by 207 pins (13,072-12,865) to earn the last berth.  Wichita State University (Kan.) blew past Newman University (Kan.) for the team title by a 13,719-13,199 pin count.

Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) placed third with its 13,166 total.  19 teams in all made up the field.

A total of four sectionals across the nation took place this weekend with the top four teams from each tournament advancing to the 16-team USBC Championships at the South Point Bowling Plaza in Las Vegas April 13-18.

Five Saints in all placed among the top 60 bowlers competing with Trevor Anifer leading the way finishing in a tie for 12th place after dropping 1,300 pins (216.7 avg.).  Jacob Gunther was 19 pins better than teammate Jalen Pfaff for a tie for 27th place.  Gunther knocked down 1,268 pins (211.3 avg.) to Pfaff's 1,249 (208.2 avg.).  Pfaff placed 33rd with his high game being a 237.  Gunther's high was a 247, while Anifer posted a high of 245.

Juniors Avram Savage and Christopher Bald also fared quite well.  Savage placed in a tie for 40th with his 1,238 total (206.3 avg.), while Bald was 58th (1,212, 202.0 avg.) out of 195 bowlers.  Savage posted a 249 game with Bald notching a 236.

Up Next
The NAIA National Championships in Lansing, Mich. await the Saints next from March 19-21.

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