STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – The 2023 postseason continued for the University of Pikeville men's bowling team, which competed in the NAIA championship tournament last weekend.  

The men went 2-2 in the event that was eventually won by Lawrence Tech, which beat Marian 3-1 in the final match.  

The Bears opened the event as the eight-seed in the 12-team tournament after the qualification round and matched up with No. 9 Hastings in the opening round. Hastings pulled out a 3-2 win over the Bears, sending them to the consolation round.  

Hastings won the opener 210-208 before the Bears bounced back to win 220-203 and 221-186 to take a 2-1 lead. But Hastings rallied to win 278-204 and then win the decisive game 172-157 to advance.  

Pikeville advanced in the consolation round with a 3-1 win over St. Francis. UPIKE opened with wins by scores of 247-226 and 208-196. St. Francis rallied with a 268-223 win in the third game before the Bears finished it with a tight 213-208 win to advance. 

The Bears next faced SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design. They again jumped out to a 2-0 lead with wins by scores of 216-208 and 275-223. SCAD extended it by winning the third game 202-175 before the Bears closed it out with a 245-203 win.  

But that would be the end of the Bears' rally, as they fell to Indiana Tech 3-0 in Round 5. The scores were 256-182, 236-224 and 262-213. 

The Bears now await the 16-team USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships, which will be held April 19-22 in Las Vegas, Nev., at South Point Bowling Plaza.  

--UPIKE--