Tremendous showing by SSU women's bowling leads to runner-up finish at AHBA No. 4's Fort Wayne Classic

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The women's bowling program at Shawnee State has been showing marked improvement throughout the course of the 2024-25 season.

On Saturday, Bryan and Jani Sturgell's group put it all together at the American Heartland Bowling Association's No. 4 event -- also known as the Fort Wayne Classic.

In her final bowling event before graduating, Hannah Rearick made her swan song collegiate appearance one to remember as Rearick knocked down 853 pins to finish as the Fort Wayne Classic Runner-Up, Onesti Evans added in a top-10 finish and Olyvia Bittner and Morgan Higgins each obtained top-15 showings en route to allowing Shawnee State to come away with a second-place finish in the nine-team event, which was held at Pro Bowl West Lanes in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Shawnee State, who knocked down 5,480 pins as a team, got a terrific effort as the Bears outperformed Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Alma (Mich.), Bowling Green State, Adrian (Mich.), Grand Valley State (Mich.), Ohio Northern and Kent State-Tuscarawas in the event. The Bears finished only 220 pins back of eventual winner Trine (Ind.) in the event.

Rearick, who averaged 213.25 pins per rack in her terrific effort, posted performances of 217, 223 and 224 in Games 1, 2 and 3 and added in a final game 189 to conclude a performance where Rearick was one of only two bowlers in the entire 55-bowler field to collect three games of over 200 and a single game above 180.

Evans, who finished in sixth by collecting a four-game 801, posted a 200.25 average in her own strong showing. The freshman started out on a tear by posting a 216 in Game 1 -- then closed out a terrific day with a massive 258 in Game 4 en route to posting the best individual game of anybody in Fort Wayne.

Having been consistent all season long, Bittner, who claimed a 189.5 average for the tournament, dropped 758 pins in four contests. Bittner didn't bowl below 180 in her own series, ripping off pin marks of 183, 180, 191 and 205 in Games 1 through 4 -- and finished 11th to finish inside the top-fifth of the Fort Wayne Classic field.

Higgins, who made it four top-15 bowlers for Shawnee State, finished 14th with a consistent effort of her own. Not bowling below 171 in any game, Higgins posted a 182 in Game 3 and a 197 in Game 4 to round out a four-game 726.

Behind the quartet, Maria Mara also enjoyed a positive day, posting a three-game 564 for a strong 188 average. Mara dropped 222 pins in Game 2 as part of her effort.

Emma Billenstein's 51st place finish rounded out the Shawnee State bowlers that competed Saturday.

In Baker games, Shawnee State dropped 1,639 pins across its 10 Bakers to hold second place in a firm manner.

The Bears will bowl next on Saturday, Jan. 11 and Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 -- when Shawnee State heads to Hillview Bowling Lanes in Greensburg, Pa. to participate in the Greater Pittsburgh Collegiate Classic and the Western Pennsylvania Baker Classic.