April 22, 2021 ddziomba

Lehigh Acres, Fla.– Ryan Shafer from Horseheads, N.Y., defeated PBA Hall of Famer, Walter Ray Williams Jr., 259-247, to win the PBA50 Lehigh Open and his 24th Regional title.

Shafer, who qualified as the second seed knew he had to bring his best effort to defeat the winningest bowler in PBA history and he did just that. Shafer started the championship match with six straight strikes to take an early lead to Walter’s four bagger. Shafer then sealed the deal when Williams failed to double in the tenth frame.

Shafer earned the $2,200 first-place prize while Williams earned $1,100 as the runner-up.

In the semifinal round, Shafer eliminated Eddie Graham of Kettering, Ohio, 254-223, while Williams took out Tournament host Chris Keane of Cape Coral, Fla., 279-278.

The PBA South Region’s next tournament will be the PBA Myrtle Beach South Open in South Carolina, May 7-9.

PBA50 LEHIGH OPEN
Lehigh Lanes, Lehigh Acres, Fla., April 16

Championship:
Ryan Shafer, Horesheads, N.Y. ($2,200), def. Walter Ray Williams Jr., Oxford, Fla. ($1,100), 259-247.

Semifinal Round (losers earned $925):
Shafer def. Eddie Graham, Kettering, Ohio, 254-223.
Williams def. Chris Keane, Cape Coral, Fla., 279-278.

Round of 8 (three games total pinfall, losers eliminated and earned $750 each):
Graham def. John Shreve, Vermillion, Ohio, 783-661.
Williams def. Bruce Hall, Westborough, Mass. 749-721.
Keane def. Tom Baker, King, N.C., 679-631.
Shafer def. Stoney Baker, Canton, Ga. 812-741.

Round of 12 (three games total pinfall, losers eliminated and earned $650 each):
Keane def. Frank Gallo Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., 685-684.
Hall def. Parker Bohn III, Jackson, N.J., 629-617.
S. Baker def. Michael Haggitt, Springfield, Ohio, 661-593.
Shreve def. Ricky Schissler, Brighton, Co., 688-659.

Round of 16 (three games total pinfall, losers eliminated and earned $600 each):
Keane def. Mitch Beasley, Clarksville, Tenn., 690-643.
Bohn def. Darryl Bower, Middletown, Pa., 677-673.
Schissler def. Gary Faulkner, Norfolk, Va., 759-722.
Haggitt def. Harry Sullins, Chesterfield, Mich., 731-683.

300 Games: Eddie Graham