Mike Mullin - Scratch Champion
February 21, 2010
Garden City, NY: The LIGBT, sponsored by Columbia 300, crowned two new champions while breaking a one-day entry record for the club at AMF Garden City. A total of 174 bowlers competed and when the day was done Mike Mullin of Congers, NY earned $1,000 and his first LIGBT scratch title. The handicap title, with its $650 top prize, went to Vincent Baliski of Elmhurst, NY.
For the Garden City event the PBA Cheetah Pattern was put down and the scoring was playable but on the low side. It only took a 209 average in the 49 & under scratch division to advance while a 191 average in the senior division got you into the finals. The pattern definitely favored the left side but the right side was still competitive.
Mike Mullin’s title had to wait until the last ball of the tournament. Joey Serrapico, Lindenhurst, NY was the qualifying leader with a 953 four game series and was seeded into the final shootout. Joey needed all 3 strikes in the tenth frame to tie Mike and force a rolloff but a stubborn 7 pin, on what looked to be a perfect shot, gave Mike the title and Joey a second place finish ($750.) The final score in the shootout was Mike Mullin- 217, Joey Serripico- 216, and finishing third was the high senior bowler Tim Regan of E. Northport, NY who shot a 199 and earned $500.
The 210 and under handicap event had an incredible turnout of 101 bowlers which meant 25 would advance to the finals. Vince Baliski got to the winner’s circle in style by shooting a 294 game (267 scratch!) Vince’s day almost ended in the first round of the finals as he just squeaked in with a 198 which was the cut score. Finishing second was LIGBT loyalist Damon Gizzi of St. James, NY who earned $350 with a 236, 58 pins behind the champion. Rounding out the four man shootout was third place finisher Joe Hoenig of East Meadow 198 ($300) and Alex Padmore of Jamaica, NY who earned $250 with a 181 game.
The LIGBT has three events scheduled in March; AMF Babylon on Sunday, March 7
th (noon), Cozy Bowl (Queens) on Sunday, March 14
th (2pm) and AMF Sayville on Sunday, March 21
st (2pm). For more information on the LIGBT, and complete results of the AMF Garden City event, please visit our website at
www.ligbtour.com or call the tournament office at 1.877.900.6464.