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Balduf's 300--836, Sprague Jr.'s first 300 top league bowling 'hit parade'

By Mike Pettinella

As we get closer to Christmas, it seems that even the pins have caught on to that “spirit of giving.”

Led by a pair of Mancuso Bowling Center kegler, league high scores around the Genesee Region for the week ending Dec. 16 included three 300 games, an 800 series, a 299 game, two other 11-in-a-row games and a pair of women’s 700 series.

At Mancuso’s in Batavia, Matt Balduf of South Byron notched his seventh USBC-certified 300 game and fourth USBC-certified 800 series with 247-289-300—836 in the Toyota of Batavia Thursday 5-Man League.

The 50-year-old right-hander had eight strikes in the opener, the front 11 in game two before leaving the 6-pin and all 12 in the finale.

Balduf said a couple of errant shots at the end of the first game cost him a chance at the GRUSBC-association record of 858.

“I screwed up in the 9th and 10th frames … I broke for seven in the ninth and seven in the 10th,” said Balduf, a longtime employee of Mitchell Machine in Rochester. “I could have gone out for 280.”

Still, he took over the league high series with the consistent effort on lanes 19-20, which raised his average to 218.

He said he used a Roto-Grip Idol – a ball he just got from a bowling buddy, Ron Brown.

“We talked Ron into buying it but he was having trouble with it, so last Thursday I tried it in the last game and threw 268,” Balduf said. “So Ron said, ‘I can’t seem to throw it, so why don’t you take it, and he gave it to me.”

Two nights earlier, Ron Sprague Jr. of East Bethany had a “career night” with 245-300-202—747 in the Antique World Coed League – his first 300 game and his first 700 series.

“My goal for the night was 600 because I had a bad night the week before,” said Sprague, a righty and once-a-week bowler who entered the session with a 173 average.

He said he finished strong in the opening game and “the strikes just kept rolling in.” But going into the 10th frame of the second game, nerves set in.

“My legs were shaking,” he said, noting that the last two strikes were of the Brooklyn variety. “Both of them crossed over but the pins went down. Someone was helping me there.”

Sprague, 26, an employee of Lor-Rob Dairy, bowls on the Rolling Thunder team that includes his father, Ron Sr.

Other high rollers for the week:

-- Diane Hurlburt and Michele Larson, who posted 715 and 712 series in the Monday Nite 5 League at Perry Bowling Center and the Synergistic Online Solutions League at Mancuso’s, respectively.

-- Curtis Foss of Medina, with a 300 game and 783 series in the Friday Night Mixers League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion.

-- Mike Johnson of Batavia, with a 299 game and 734 series in the Toyota of Batavia League (he is Balduf’s teammate).

-- Brian Weber and John Huntz, who each had 11 in a row in the Monday Night 5 League at Perry Bowling Center. Weber, coming back from an injury, had 279—692 and Huntz posted 295—688.

For a list of scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of this page.

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