HARAHAN, La.—Jax State won its Conference USA Semifinal mega match 2-0 over Sam Houston to return to the championship, but it was much closer than that final score may indicate.
After winning the traditional match by 39 pins, the Gamecocks had to erase a 54-pin deficit after two Baker games, getting a strike on the final roll of the fifth game for a 1,007-999 victory to avoid the best-of-seven tiebreaker.
Erin Klemencic led the way in traditional play with a 224 followed by
Anna Warkel's 214.
Sam Houston built a 54-pin advantage in the total pinfall five Baker games by scores of 225-188 and 227-210. The Bearkats left the third open in the second game but rattled off seven straight strikes to close the match.
A 217-202 win by the Gamecocks cut the deficit to 39 and then to 27 with a 198-186 win in the fourth.
In the final match, Sam Houston faced a big four split and only picked up two with
Annalise OBryant coming through in the 10
th with a strike on her final throw to win the final game 194-159 and win the Baker total by eight pins.
Jax State will have a chance at its second Conference USA title in as many seasons Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. against the winner of Saturday afternoon's final elimination match between Wichita State and Sam Houston.
