Throwing two pressured-filled strikes in the 10th frame of the title match, Lennie Boresch Jr. of Kenosha, Wis., beat PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke of Clermont, Fla., in the championship match to win the PBA50 National Championship presented by Spanish Springs Lanes and Radical Saturday for his first PBA50 Tour major and fourth career title.

Boresch (right and above), a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer, defeated Duke, 198-192, to also win his third title at Spanish Springs Lanes after winning the Sun Bowl In The Villages in 2017 and also in his 2012 rookie season.

“It’s something you dream about your whole life,” said the 56-year-old Boresch. “To win a major especially against a great player like Norm – it’s something special for sure. This is going to take a while to sink in.”

Both players struggled to find a shot in the title match but Boresch had an opportunity to win when Duke (left), the top qualifier for the finals who was trying for his fifth PBA50 Tour title, failed to strike on his first ball of the 10th frame. Boresch made a one board move to the right and increased his speed slightly for the first shot in the 10th frame on the right lane and it turned out to be the right adjustment.

“I was visualizing what I wanted to do but I can tell you I was a nervous wreck,” said Boresch. “Fortunately I was able to get the ball to the area of the lane I wanted and came through with two of the biggest shots of my life.

“Throughout my career I’ve been in a lot of pressure situations where I needed a strike or a double to win but this was at a whole different level,” he added.

Boresch, who qualified third for the finals, defeated PBA Hall of Famer and four-time PBA50 Tour titlist Parker Bohn III (right)of Jackson, N.J., in the second stepladder match, 248-221, to advance to the semi-final match.

In the semi-final match, Boresch beat 2018 PBA Hall of Fame inductee and two-time PBA50 Player of the Year Ron Mohr (left) of Las Vegas, 242-232, to advance to the title match against Duke. Mohr was trying for his 10th PBA50 Tour title.

In the opening stepladder match, Bohn beat No. 5 qualifier PBA Hall of Famer Walter Ray Williams Jr. (right) of Oxford, Fla., 257-221. Williams, who finished second in the season-opening PBA50 Lucas/Magazine Classic, was trying for his 12th PBA50 Tour title.

The next stop for the PBA50 Tour will be the PBA50 Mooresville Open presented by Columbia 300 April 29-May 2 at George Pappas’ Victory Lanes in Mooresville, N.C.

Fans can catch all the action on PBA’s online bowling channel Xtra Frame. For subscription and schedule information click here.

Related Articles

Norm Duke, Pete Weber top PBA50 National Championship Qualifying
Pete Weber moves into PBA50 National Championship lead
Brian Kretzer takes first round lead in PBA50 National Championship
Warren Eales out strikes WRW to win PBA50 Lucas Magazine Classic
2018 PBA50 Tour Season kicks off with Florida Open, National Championship

PBA50 National Championship – Stepladder Results

Spanish Springs Lanes in The Villages, Fla., United States (April 24-28, 2017)

Championship Round:
1, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 688 (3 games), $10,000
2, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 192 (1 game), $6,000
3, Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 232 (1 game), $4,500
4, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 478 (2 games), $3,500
5, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 221 (1 game), $3,000

Playoff Results:
First Match: No. 5 Bohn def. No. 4 Williams, 257-221
Second Match: No. 3 Boresch def. Bohn, 248-221
Semi-final Match: Boresch def. No. 2 Mohr, 242-232
Championship Match: Boresch def. No. 1 Duke, 198-192.

PBA50 National Championship – Fifth Round Standings

Players with position, hometown, match play record and 34-game pinfall total including bonus pins. Top five players advance to stepladder finals.n-non-member, ss-PBA 60 player ages 60 and over.

1, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 11-4-1, 8,313
2, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 11-5, 8,158
3, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 12-4, 8,115
4, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 10-6, 8,021
5, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 11-5, 7,992

Missed Cut:
6, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 9-7, 7,990, $2,500
7, ss-Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 11-5, 7,929, $2,200
8, Rolando Sebelen, Dominican Republic, 8-8, 7,774, $1,900
9, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 7-9, 7,713, $1,800
10, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 9-7, 7,710, $1,750
11, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 7-9, 7,685, $1,700
12, Gary Alstott, Washington, Ill., 10-6, 7,609, $1,650
13, n-Dennis Rakauskas, Apopka, Fla., 8-8, 7,586, $1,625
14, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 7-8-1, 7,560, $1,600
15, ss-Sam Maccarone, Williamstown, N.J., 7-9, 7,539, $1,575
16, George Gomez, Orlando, Fla., 4-12, 7,449, $1,550

PBA50 National Championship – Fourth Round Standings

Players with position, hometown, match play record and 26-game pinfall total including bonus pins. Top 16 players advance to second match play round.

1, Norm Duke, Clermont, Fla., 6-1-1, 6,255
2, Lennie Boresch Jr., Kenosha, Wis., 7-1, 6,055
3, Pete Weber, St. Ann, Mo., 5-3, 6,013
4, ss-Ron Mohr, Las Vegas, 5-3, 5,986
5, Michael Haugen Jr., Phoenix, 5-3, 5,979
6, Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 6-2, 5,963
7, Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla., 4-4, 5,944
8, Rolando Sebelen, Dominican Republic, 4-4, 5,900
9, Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 4-3-1, 5,821
10, ss-Mark Williams, Beaumont, Texas, 4-4, 5,811
11, Bo Goergen, Sanford, Mich., 4-4, 5,803
12, Gary Alstott, Washington, Ill., 6-2, 5,778
13, n-Dennis Rakauskas, Apopka, Fla., 5-3, 5,768
14, Mark Sullivan, Indianapolis, 5-3, 5,767
15, George Gomez, Orlando, Fla., 3-5, 5,758
16, ss-Sam Maccarone, Williamstown, N.J., 5-3, 5,742

Missed Cut:
17, John Conroy, Mahopac, N.Y., 4-4, 5,729, $1,450
18, Dave Sill, Titusville, Fla., 3-5, 5,717, $1,440
19, John Burkett, Southlake, Texas, 2-6, 5,716, $1,430
20, Brian Kretzer, Dayton, Ohio, 5-3, 5,712, $1,420
21, Don Herrington, Ballston Lake, N.Y., 5-3, 5,710, $1,410
22, Joe Scarborough, Charlotte, N.C., 3-5, 5,660, $1,400
23, ss-Christopher Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 4-3-1, 5,597, $1,385
23, Eddie Graham, Kettering, Ohio, 2-5-1, 5,597, $1,385
25, Don Breeden, Clive, Iowa, 3-5, 5,575, $1,370
26, Bryan Goebel, Shawnee, Kan., 3-5, 5,563, $1,360
27, ss-Henry Dawson, Elma, Wash., 1-7, 5,526, $1,350
28, Doug Becker, Clermont, Fla., 4-4, 5,521, $1,340
29, ss-Bob Kelly, Dayton, Ohio, 2-6, 5,505, $1,330
30, Ricky Schissler, Brighton, Colo., 2-6, 5,459, $1,320
31, n-Rich Garner, Hudson, Fla., 2-6, 5,435, $1,310
32, Johnny Petraglia, Jackson, N.J., 3-5, 5,395, $1,300