Bowling Green, KY – Reigning MSC Champions UPIKE men's bowling began their 2021-22 season over the weekend, competing in the MSC Baker Bash. The Bears fielded a varsity team which finished third in the field of 18 teams, while in the JV bracket the Bears took second and third.

The MSC Baker Bash is the first of five regular-season events hosted by the Mid-South Conference and consisted of 20 baker-style games on Saturday and 20 more on Sunday. Baker games basically take a set lineup for each team who bowl in a particular order for the first five frames before the lineup flips over for the last five.

Tennessee Southern took the top spot in the varsity bracket with 7765 and Bethel secured runner-up with 7738.

On the varsity side, the Bears wrapped up day one in eighth place with a 20-game score of 3671. Day two saw an unprecedented jump from the Bears who steadily climbed the ranks, holding a tie for fourth place after 35 games. After day two the Bears sat in third with a total of 7536 pins.

The team bowled their best day one score in game six, knocking down 251 pins. The Bears broke 200 six times through the first 20 games but day two would see the Bear's best score of the competition. Deadlocked with Cumberlands through 35 games, the Bears managed a 256 in game 36 to push them ahead. The score was the second highest of the competition.

UPIKE's number one JV squad finished second in the field of 11 teams with a 40-game score of 7018. The Bear's JV2 unit wrapped up the season opener in third with a score of 6797.

The Bears return to action on October 9^th as they head to Beavercreek, OH for the Orange and Black Classic.