SMYRNA, Tenn. – The top-ranked Jacksonville State bowling team rolled through its five Baker matches on Friday, finishing the first day at the Columbia 300 Music City Classic with a 5-0 record and in first place.
The Gamecocks (87-21) claimed wins over four ranked opponents and closed the day by edging second-ranked Arkansas State to secure the top spot in the standings headed into Saturday's traditional matches.
The Gamecocks' lineup of
Isabel Allen,
Anna Warkel,
Maranda Pattison,
Rebecca Hagerman and
Crystal Elliott bowled all five matches on Friday, totaling 5,385 pins – an average of 215.4 per game. They lead second-place ASU by 246 total pins.
The day opened with a pair of convincing wins, starting with a 1,158-924 rout of 22
nd-ranked Oklahoma Christian. The Gamecocks rolled five games of 218 or better, starting with a 231 and 233 in the first two games. By the end of the first game, they had a 68-pin lead and never looked back.
The second match of the day was another lopsided one, this coming in a 1,034-754 triumph over Adelphi. Jax State opened a big lead in the first game again, using a 203 to take an early 65-pin advantage. The Gamecocks outscored Adelphi by at least 42 pins in each of the five games in the match.
Match three was a little closer, with Jax State working back from an early deficit to hand No. 14 Newman a 1,080-981 defeat. Newman took an early lead with a 212-192 in the first game, but the Gamecocks clawed back with a 217-202 win in the second game and took control with a 232-168 third game. After giving a few pins back in game four, Jax State rolled to a 245 in game five that sealed the win.
The final two matches of the day were against top-10 opposition, starting with a 1,051-1,004 win over ninth-ranked Maryville in match four. Jax State fell behind in game one again, spotting MU an early 13-pin lead. A 200-165 difference in the second game turned the tide, and the Gamecocks held on before a 262 in the final game put the win on ice.
The final match was the most anticipated one of the day, with the top two teams in the polls squaring off. Arkansas State seemed to take control early, winning 223-194 and 226-214 in the first two games and claiming a 41-pin lead. Jax State got 16 of those back in the third with a 216 and used a 236-205 advantage in game four to take its first lead of the match. The Gamecocks closed the match with a 202-180 advantage in the fifth game.
Jax State will continue play in the Music City Classic on Saturday with five traditional matches to set up seeding for Sunday's bracket portion of the event.
