Nine-year Professional Bowlers Association veteran Chris Loschetter (pictured left) of Avon, Ohio, averaged 250 over 10 games of qualifying Thursday at AMF West in Milwaukee, Wis., to lead the field of 24 players who advanced to Friday's match play finals in the PBA Wolf Open.

The Wolf Open, bowled on a 32-foot oiling pattern - the shortest ever in the PBA's collection of "animal" lane conditioning patterns - is the second of four events that compose the GEICO PBA Summer Swing presented by Lucas Oil.

In his nine-season career on Tour, Loschetter has yet to win a title, but he has finished second four times and had his best title shot of the 2012-13 season on another short oiling pattern in the Alka Seltzer Cheetah Championship where he finished fourth during the World Series of Bowling in November.

On Thursday, Loschetter jumped into the lead in the five-game morning round and added games of 248, 268, 214, 259 and 238 in the evening session for a 10-game total of 2,508 pins, finishing 41 pins ahead of PBA Tour rookie E.J. Tackett of Huntington, Ind.

Bill O'Neill of Langhorne, Pa., who won the 2012 Alka Seltzer Cheetah Championship, qualified third with 2,454 pins followed by a pair of left-handers, Patrick Allen (left) of Wesley Chapel, Fla., at 2,445, and Ryan Ciminelli (right) of Cheektowaga, N.Y., with a 2,392 total.

After struggling on the longest oiling pattern in PBA history, the 52-foot Badger Open pattern, earlier in the week at AMF Waukesha, Loschetter was looking forward to attacking the Wolf.

"I really felt positive coming into this tournament," Loschetter said. "I generally get a much better ball reaction on the shorter patterns and struggle a little bit on the longer ones.

"Coming into this tournament I admit I was a little rusty, but this is a good confidence-builder. I'm getting sharper with every game so hopefully I'm going in the right direction for the rest of the tournament."

Tackett (left), 20, is a two-time Junior Team USA member who joined under the pro tour under the organization's PBA24 low-cost membership program for aspiring young players. The former Indiana Purdue-Ft. Wayne student converted to full-time membership prior to the Detroit Winter Swing.

His best finish in professional competition was 20th place in the 2011 U.S. Open in North Brunswick, N.J.

"I'm not surprised I've done so well this week," Tackett said. "I've always bowled well on the shorter patterns in Junior Gold tournaments and such. I was a little worried about this pattern only being 32 feet long, but after practice, I thought I'd be all right."

Canadian Dan MacLelland (left) was the best of three international players, who survived the cut to the top 24, in sixth place with 2,371. Finland's two-hander, Osku Palermaa (right), a three-time PBA champion, was 17th with 2,299 and two-time PBA Tour winner Andres Gomez of Colombia was 23rd with 2,249.

The short Wolf pattern proved to be a significant challenge for some of the PBA Tour's most prominent power players, however. Missing the cut to match play finalists were Player of the Year contenders Sean Rash (left) of Montgomery, Ill., who finished qualifying in 54th place and Australia's Jason Belmonte (right), who finished 69th in the 90-player field.

Following Thursday's Wolf Open match play rounds, the GEICO PBA Summer Swing moves to AMF Bowlero in nearby Wauwatosa for the Bear Open, the final qualifying leg leading into the Milwaukee Open May 29-30, also at AMF Bowlero.

The Milwaukee Open will feature the top 28 qualifiers based on total pinfall after 30 qualifying games from the Badger, Wolf and Bear "animal pattern" events.

After 20 of the 30 animal pattern qualifying games, Bill O'Neill (left) led the Milwaukee Open qualifiers with a 4,821 total, 111 pins ahead of Anthony LaCaze (right) of Melrose Park, Ill.

Stepladder finals for all four tournaments, plus the GEICO Summer King of the Swing special event, will be taped over two days by the CBS Sports Network June 1-2 at Bowlero for airing on five consecutive Tuesdays at 7 p.m. ET beginning June 11.

The GEICO Summer King of the Swing will include the four Summer Swing event champions plus the next highest points leader who hasn't won a title. Those five will compete in a $25,000 stepladder final for a $10,000 first prize, concluding the summer series on June 2.

 

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PBA Wolf Open - Final Qualifying Standings

Players with position, hometown and 10-game total. The top 24 advance to round robin match play.

1, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 2,508
2, E.J. Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 2,467
3, Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 2,454
4, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,445
5, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 2,392
6, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 2,371
6, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 2,371
8, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 2,367
9, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 2,353
10, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 2,347
11 (tie), Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., and Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 2,340
13, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 2,339
14, Mike Fagan, Dallas, 2,327
15, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 2,308
16, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 2,304
17, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 2,299
18, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 2,273
19, William Guszczo, Orland Park, Ill., 2,266
20, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 2,262
21, Josh Blanchard, Gilbert, Ariz., 2,254
22, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 2,251
23, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 2,249
24, Kenneth Kempf, Appleton, Wis., 2,244

Missed Cut:
25, Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y., 2,238, $600
26, Jon VanHees, Charlestown, R.I., 2,233
26, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 2,233
28, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 2,231
29, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 2,228
30, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 2,219
31, Andrew Graff, Las Vegas, 2,209
32, Aaron Lorincz, Belleville, Mich., 2,204
33, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 2,197
34, Lee Vanderhoef, Greenville, S.C., 2,194
35, Jake Peters, Decatur, Ill., 2,186
36, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 2,179
37, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 2,164
38 (tie), Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., and Brad Miller, St. Charles, Mo., 2,148
40, Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 2,146
41, Jesse Buss, Belvidere, Ill., 2,145
42, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 2,139
43, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 2,119
44, Patrick Girard, Canada, 2,113
45, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 2,110
46, Brian Robinson, Morgantown, W.Va., 2,099
47, Craig Nidiffer, Trenton, Mich., 2,089
48, Brian Traber, Waterford, Wis., 2,088
49, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 2,073
50, Julio Cesar Blancas, Mexico, 2,072
51, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 2,060
52, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 2,055
53, James Knoblauch, Waukesa, Wis., 2,054
54, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 2,047
55, Darren Andretta, New Hyde Park, N.Y., 2,043
56 (tie), Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., and David Labinski, Milwaukee, 2,037
58, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 2,035
59 (tie), Dom Barrett, England, and Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 2,016
61, Greg Thomas, Oak Creek, Wis., 2,015
62, Paul Moor, England, 2,005
63, Brian Gunn, Chicago, 2,004
64, Stephen Pavlinko Jr., Sewell, N.J., 1,998
65 (tie), Dale Renken, St. Jacob, Ill., and Humberto Vazquez, Mexico, 1,990
67, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 1,972
68, Aaron Ramsden, Pleasant Valley, Mo., 1,965
69, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 1,959
70, Matt Beyer, Manawa, Wis., 1,950
71, T.P. Peterson, Evergreen Park, Ill., 1,939
72, Gary Exner Jr., Racine, Wis., 1,926
73, Scott Radtke, Milwaukee, 1,894
74, Chris Cundiff, Lake Station, Ind., 1,892
75, Quinton Bohlen, Decorah, Iowa, 1,885
76, Mike Dole, Loves Park, Ill., 1,867
77, Andrew DeCaluwe, Mt. Prospect, Ill., 1,860
78, Rob Lange, Waukesha, Wis., 1,847
79, Erik Gulbrandson, Superior, Wis., 1,836
80, Armando Santacruz, Ecuador, 1,835
81, Christopher Glaz, Elmwood Park, Ill, 1,810
82, Kenneth Bland Jr., Lorton, Va., 1,785
83, Justin Bychkowski, Fairfield, Conn., 1,780
84, Ralleigh Grandberry III, Maryland Hts., Mo., 1,708
85, Van McNeil, West Allis, Wis., 1,706
86, Jonathan Russell, Rockwood, Tenn., 1,651
87, Lindell Woolard, Tallahassee, Fla., 1,629
88, Brandon Gronwoldt, LeRoy, Minn., 1,624
89, Mike Larson, Menomonee Falls, Wis., 800
90, Mo Collins, Oxford, Mich., 760

300 Games (2): E.J. Tackett, Chris Barnes.

 

PBA Milwaukee Open Standings

Players with position, hometown and 20-game total. The top 28 after 30 qualifying games in Badger, Wolf and Bear Open tournaments advance to cashers round on Wednesday, May 28, at AMF Bowlero.

1, Bill O'Neill, Langhorne, Pa., 4,821
2, Anthony LaCaze, Melrose Park, Ill., 4,710
3, Mike Fagan, Dallas, 4,645
4, Patrick Allen, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 4,634
5, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 4,625
6, Chris Loschetter, Avon, Ohio, 4,606
7, Jason Sterner, McDonough, Ga., 4,605
8, Chris Barnes, Double Oak, Texas, 4,604
9, Jake Peters, Decatur, Ill., 4,597
10, Dino Castillo, Carrollton, Texas, 4,591
11, Ryan Ciminelli, Cheektowaga, N.Y., 4,588
12, Andres Gomez, Colombia, 4,580
13, E.J. Tackett, Huntington, Ind., 4,574
14, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 4,546
15, Aaron Lorincz, Belleville, Mich., 4,543
16, Josh Blanchard, Gilbert, Ariz., 4,506
17, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 4,493
18, Nathan Bohr, Wichita, Kan., 4,489
19, Mika Koivuniemi, Hartland, Mich., 4,481
20, Dan MacLelland, Canada, 4,478
21, Eugene McCune, Munster, Ind., 4,469
22, Jon VanHees, Charlestown, R.I., 4,457
23, Brett Cunningham, Clay, N.Y., 4,442
24, Sean Rash, Montgomery, Ill., 4,439
25, Tommy Jones, Simpsonville, S.C., 4,429
26, Patrick Girard, Canada, 4,427
27, Kurt Pilon, Warren, Mich., 4,419
28, Osku Palermaa, Finland, 4,411
29, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Ocala, Fla., 4,390
30, Randy Weiss, Columbia, S.C., 4,388
31, Mike Wolfe, New Albany, Ind., 4,384
32, Brian Valenta, Lockport, Ill., 4,367
33, Ryan Shafer, Horseheads, N.Y., 4,362
34, Michael Machuga, Erie, Pa., 4,356
35, Andrew Graff, Las Vegas, 4,353
36, Scott Norton, Mission Viejo, Calif., 4,339
37, Dick Allen, Columbia, S.C., 4,338
37, Tom Daugherty, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 4,338
39, Ronnie Russell, Marion, Ind., 4,320
40, Tom Smallwood, Saginaw, Mich., 4,315
41, Scott Newell, Deland, Fla., 4,312
42, Missy Parkin, Laguna Hills, Calif., 4,310
43, Brad Miller, St. Charles, Mo., 4,308
44, William Guszczo, Orland Park, Ill., 4,291
45, John Szczerbinski, North Tonawanda, N.Y., 4,280
46, Jesse Buss, Belvidere, Ill., 4,214
47, Paul Moor, England, 4,208
48, Jason Belmonte, Australia, 4,201
49, Lee Vanderhoef, Greenville, S.C., 4,195
50, Dom Barrett, England, 4,185
51, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 4,184
52, Mike Dole, Loves Park, Ill., 4,175
53, Craig Nidiffer, Trenton, Mich., 4,140
54, Brian Robinson, Morgantown, W.Va., 4,137
54, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 4,137
56, Julio Cesar Blancas, Mexico, 4,128
57, Greg Thomas, Oak Creek, Wis., 4,126
58, T.P. Peterson, Evergreen Park, Ill., 4,119
59, Kenneth Kempf, Appleton, Wis., 4,108
60, Brian Gunn, Chicago, 4,107
61, Quinton Bohlen, Decorah, Iowa, 4,097
62, Dave Wodka, Henderson, Nev., 4,092
63, Erik Gulbrandson, Superior, Wis., 4,022
64, Johnathan Bower, Middletown, Pa., 4,019
65, Christopher Glaz, Elmwood Park, Ill, 3,958
66, Gary Exner Jr., Racine, Wis., 3,945
67, Humberto Vazquez, Mexico, 3,922
68, Aaron Ramsden, Pleasant Valley, Mo., 3,909
69, Brett Spangler, Niles, Ohio, 3,899
70, Dale Renken, St. Jacob, Ill., 3,880
71, Andrew DeCaluwe, Mt. Prospect, Ill., 3,879
72, Chris Cundiff, Lake Station, Ind., 3,873
73, Kenneth Bland Jr., Lorton, Va., 3,866
74, Darren Andretta, New Hyde Park, N.Y., 3,826
75, Armando Santacruz, Ecuador, 3,798
76, Justin Bychkowski, Fairfield, Conn., 3,779
77, Stephen Pavlinko Jr., Sewell, N.J., 3,778
78, Mike Larson, Menomonee Falls, Wis., 2,712
79, Matt Beyer, Manawa, Wis., 3,588
80, Jonathan Russell, Rockwood, Tenn., 3,523
81, Ralleigh Grandberry III, Maryland, Hts., Mo., 3,471
82, Van McNeil, West Allis, Wis., 3,456
83, Lindell Woolard, Tallahassee, Fla., 3,448
84, Brandon Gronwoldt, LeRoy, Minn., 3,251