Wednesday, March 18
Colonial Lanes | Harahan, La.
Jax State
vs
Conference USA Championship
Bowling Claims Second CUSA Title in Three Years
3/22/2026 6:06:00 PM | Bowling
HARAHAN, La.—It was far from easy for the No. 1 team in the country in the Conference USA Bowling Championship on Sunday.
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Jax State bounced back after dropping the Mega Match final to Arkansas State to come away with the title after the Baker best of seven series tiebreaker went to a modified Baker game to determine the winner.
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The Gamecocks won the traditional portion of the match 1,061-930 behind a 244 from Emma Yoder and a 212 from Erin Klemencic. Jax State fell behind 41 pins after two Baker games but cut it to nine with a 235-203 advantage in the third. Arkansas State pushed the lead right back to 31 after going perfect once through the lineup in the fourth in a 244-222 win. In the fifth, the Gamecocks made a run but two open frames in the early going hurt their pin total and were only able to cut off 20 from the deficit, dropping the Baker total pinfall 1,082-1,071.
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In the first game of the best of seven Baker series, Jax State sent a message with a 245-185 win with six straight strikes to open. They struggled to string strikes together in the following matches, falling behind 3-1 after 217-190, 202-175, and 211-186 losses. They were able to force a sixth game with a 257-165 win. The Red Wolves responded with a 233-192 win, getting a huge spare pickup in the sixth to stay in control of the match and send the tournament to a winner-take-all Baker best of seven series.
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Arkansas State opened the first game of the final series with four consecutive strikes in a 201-194 win, but the Gamecocks rallied to tie in the second at 217. The Red Wolves also took the third 193-185 after Jax State left two frames open. A strike by Yoder in the fourth to double when Arkansas State left the frame open on a 7-10 split was crucial to come away with a 179-172 win to get the Gamecocks within a game.
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A 228-191 win in the fifth tied the match, then a 205-177 win in the sixth gave the top seed a chance to clinch, but didn't record their first strike until the fifth frame having already left four open in a 225-203 loss to force the modified Baker game tiebreaker with each team recording 3.5 wins in the best of seven.
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Strikes by Annalise OBryant, Abbie Leiendecker, and Gianna Brandolino were enough to secure the match and the conference title.
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Brandolino, Klemencic, and Kaitlyn Stull were named to the all-tournament team with Brandolino claiming Tournament MVP honors.
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The Gamecocks secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship and will learn their regional location and opponents on Wednesday.
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Jax State bounced back after dropping the Mega Match final to Arkansas State to come away with the title after the Baker best of seven series tiebreaker went to a modified Baker game to determine the winner.
Â
The Gamecocks won the traditional portion of the match 1,061-930 behind a 244 from Emma Yoder and a 212 from Erin Klemencic. Jax State fell behind 41 pins after two Baker games but cut it to nine with a 235-203 advantage in the third. Arkansas State pushed the lead right back to 31 after going perfect once through the lineup in the fourth in a 244-222 win. In the fifth, the Gamecocks made a run but two open frames in the early going hurt their pin total and were only able to cut off 20 from the deficit, dropping the Baker total pinfall 1,082-1,071.
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In the first game of the best of seven Baker series, Jax State sent a message with a 245-185 win with six straight strikes to open. They struggled to string strikes together in the following matches, falling behind 3-1 after 217-190, 202-175, and 211-186 losses. They were able to force a sixth game with a 257-165 win. The Red Wolves responded with a 233-192 win, getting a huge spare pickup in the sixth to stay in control of the match and send the tournament to a winner-take-all Baker best of seven series.
Â
Arkansas State opened the first game of the final series with four consecutive strikes in a 201-194 win, but the Gamecocks rallied to tie in the second at 217. The Red Wolves also took the third 193-185 after Jax State left two frames open. A strike by Yoder in the fourth to double when Arkansas State left the frame open on a 7-10 split was crucial to come away with a 179-172 win to get the Gamecocks within a game.
Â
A 228-191 win in the fifth tied the match, then a 205-177 win in the sixth gave the top seed a chance to clinch, but didn't record their first strike until the fifth frame having already left four open in a 225-203 loss to force the modified Baker game tiebreaker with each team recording 3.5 wins in the best of seven.
Â
Strikes by Annalise OBryant, Abbie Leiendecker, and Gianna Brandolino were enough to secure the match and the conference title.
Â
Brandolino, Klemencic, and Kaitlyn Stull were named to the all-tournament team with Brandolino claiming Tournament MVP honors.
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The Gamecocks secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship and will learn their regional location and opponents on Wednesday.
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Players Mentioned
/ Bowling
/ Bowling
/ Bowling
/ Bowling
/ Bowling
/ Bowling
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Sunday, September 20
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