WAUKESHA, Wis. – McKendree University men's bowling capped off its 2022-23 season opening weekend here Sunday at the Midwest Collegiate Championships with a fourth place finish out of 49 schools and had two bowlers finish in the Top 10 of the individual standings in the event held at Bowlero Wauwatosa.
 
The Bearcats finished fourth in the tournament prior to the bracket round as they recorded a total of 9,731 pins to finish 11 pins in front of fifth place Lawrence Tech and 197 pins behind third place Wisconsin-Whitewater, who recorded 9,928 pins. Indiana Tech was the top finishing team prior to the bracket round as they tallied 10,173 pins, while Calumet College of St. Joseph was second with 10,117 pins.
 
After Saturday's opening day of action, the Bearcats were in third place with a total of 6,604 pins and was just 173 pins behind the first day leader, Indiana Tech (6,777 pins).
 
During the individual rounds, senior Jorge Rodriguez (Yauco, Puerto Rico/Lincoln Memorial) was the top individual finisher as he recorded a total of 1,489 pins and averaged 248.2 per game. He bowled over 200 in all six games, including a high of 278 in his fifth game. Rodriguez won by 41 pins over Judson's Blaine Hunt, who recorded 1,448 pins and averaged 241.3 per game in six games.
 
In addition to Rodriguez, fifth-year senior Daniel Chin (Daly City, Calif./Calumet College of St. Joseph) also finished in the Top 10 of the individuals as he was seventh after recording 1,383 pins in six games and averaged 230.5 per game. Chin tallied 200 or better in all six games, including a high of 258 in the second game.
 
Junior Nicholas Blagojevic (Belleville, Ontario) placed 53rd individually as he recorded 1,245 pins and averaged 207.5 per game in six games. He had three games of 200 or better, including a high of 242 in the second game.
 
With its fourth place finish in qualifying, McKendree earned a spot in the eight-team match-play portion of the tournament as they fell 2-0 in the first round to No. 5 seed Lawrence Tech. Lawrence Tech would go on to win the bracket portion of the tournament following a win over Calumet College of St. Joseph in the finals.
 
The Bearcats will return to action on Oct. 15-16 as they travel to the Western Bowl in Indianapolis, Ind., to compete in the Columbia 300 Western Shootout.
 
Results:
1 | Jorge Rodriguez | 242-264-243-241-278-221=1,489 (248.2)
7 | Daniel Chin | 223-258-244-246-211-201=1,383 (230.5)
53 | Nicholas Blagojevic | 179-242-228-192-206-198=1,245 (207.5)
130 | Jake Feher | 199-235-X-235-226-193=1,088 (217.6)
203 | Darren Zombro | X-X-238-197-204-212=851 (212.8)
352 | Jeremy Kinealy | X-X-201-X-X-X=201 (201.0)
357 | Seth Gass | 180-X-X-X-X-X=180 (180.0)
365 | Connor Brink | X-167-X-X-X-X=167 (167.0)