Another abbreviated set : )

Well, heavy rains in the Midwest forced my girls' softball team to play its regional semifinal tilt Monday afternoon instead of Saturday morning. As such, I, yet again, missed Game 1. Oh well, the girls played their hearts out and fell 7-6 to the top-seeded team, so it was worth it! In any event, here's how things shook out during my two-game set.

Game 2

X 9/ 9/ 72 9/ X X 9/ 9/ XX7 - 200

Because I was coming in with no warm up, I decided to go with my Brute Strength. It has given me a very nice look on this league pattern thus far, so I thought that would be the smartest play from the start. I struck on the first ball, but it still took me a few shots to get completely lined up. I crept high for a 4-pin in the second, went light for a 7-pin in the third, and went really light for a 2-4-5 in the fourth. My spare ball hung just a bit on the conversion attempt, which caused me to take out the 2-5 without getting the 4 out with it. From there I made a slight move back right and went 4-pin, double, ring-10, half-10, double, 7 to salvage 200 on the nose. The score was disappointing, but I really felt like I was throwing good shots and could easily have been 220-230 here.

Game 3

6/ 9/ X X X X X X 8- XX8 - 241

Well, this was the first time this season I haven't started the final game with the front 5, which was a bummer. I missed the first shot at the bottom, which resulted in a bucket. Thankfully, I converted this one. I followed that up with a half ten, and then I pured the next six in a row. I felt like 279 was still a very real possibility after I let the ball go in the ninth, but the ball read a bit quicker than I anticipated, which caused the ball to finish high flush for my seventh 4-9 in 7 games this season! Yet again, I came within an inch of converting, but I managed to just barely hook by to the left, so it was eight out. I responded with two very good shots for a double in the tenth before missing the last ball off my hand for a 2-5 and 241.

Basically, tonight was what the first two nights have been as well. It's taken me a few shots to find myself during the opening game, and then I've really turned it on with the Brute Strength during Game 3. Thus far, I'm averaging 247 and change during the final game so far this season. I highly doubt I'll keep going at that pace, but I am confident that the Brute Strength will continue giving me an awesome look as the night goes along.

Now that softball season is officially over, I should be able to get back to the normal routine of bowling all three games in the set, which will be nice! I really can't wait to get out there next week to see if our house pattern can handle the strength of the new Nirvana that Brunswick sent me - Thanks, Ron Bragg and Brian Graham! Until then, thanks for reading. Good luck and good bowling to all!