BUCYRUS — Brittany Slagle and Heather McLaughlin went toe to toe at Suburban Lanes Saturday afternoon in the 54th Bucyrus Ladies Invitational bowling tournament. When it was decided, by a one-game roll off, McLaughlin prevailed, 187-185, to take her fourth title.
“Some nerves play into it sometimes, obviously. A lot of times you are pulling the ball or pitching it out,” McLaughlin said of her unsteady play.
McLaughlin started off hot, winning the first game 259-241. Slagle came back to lose by one pin in game two, 182-181 and then captured the third game 254-192.
McLaughlin finished game 4 with 8 consecutive strikes and a 290-244 win.
“At that point I kind of figured it was gonna go into a roll off, so I kind of relaxed a lot more, McLaughlin said. “The third game (with 3 open frames) kind of killed me. I just wanted to finish well, and I did.”
She joined husband Don, who won the 56th Bill Rahm Invitational a month ago at the same site, as a tourney champion.
Both women are veterans of the tournament, this being Slagle’s fifth event and McLaughlin’s 15th. Slagle was champion in 2019 and 2020 and runner-up last year.
McLaughlin won the tourney in 2007, 2011 and 2012 and was runner-up in three others.
Slagle knows it was a tough victory.
“Heather is a great competitor. I’ve looked up to her since I started bowling,” Slagle said.
“To be in the finals and then go to a roll off with her, I’ll take a win from that.”
Sometimes switching lanes and adjusting to the different oil patterns can alter a bowler’s game, said the five-year veteran.
“Making the adjustment to a new set of lanes is tough when you have just one game to make the adjustment.”
Slagle has been in the finals the last four years but said she may not bowl competitively anymore. “Kids are getting busy.”
McLaughlin appreciates the competition and the camaraderie.
“All of us girls, we are like family together. We bowl outside of here in tournaments together. We travel together and bowl in leagues together,” she said.
Their son Levi, 12, is also into bowling and aspires to be a pro bowler.
“My dad helped run the Bill Rahm tournament. A lot of work goes into both tournaments. We’re very thankful for each one of those committees that help put them on, so we do have a chance to have a local tournament.”
In the last winners’ bracket match on Tuesday, McLaughlin defeated 2021 champion Patricia Horsley, 1009-892. McLaughlin rolled a nearly perfect 299 in the fourth game.
In the losers’ bracket, Slagle topped Michelle Stahl, 976-932, to qualify for the finals.
McLaughlin was sponsored by North American Equipment Sales and Slagle by Breezzy’s Pizza.