Epan, Cruz prevail in PBA-Budweiser tourney

Ronald Epan and Benjie Cruz took the Class B and C division championships in the 2015 Philippine Bowling Association-Budweiser Classified Tournament held over the weekend at the Saipan Bowling Center.

Epan won the Class B crown after beating Janice Camacho in Game 1, 150-137, of the stepladder finals, while Cruz got the Class C title after topping Gigi Zapanta, 178-118.

Cruz’s victory denied Zapanta’s bid for back-to-back championships in the division. Zapanta defeated Marie Candado in two games in the 2014 finale, 154-126 and 200-141. The 2014 winner had a chance to defend her title after placing second in the six-game qualifier, while Cruz ruled the preliminary roll-off, and Simeon Eparwa rounded out the Top 3.

Cruz registered 165, 193, 153,187, 172, and 127 in the qualifier for a total of 997 pins and average of 166.17. Zapanta averaged 162.17 and collected 973 pins as she logged 194, 133, 141, 146, 156, and 203 in six games. Eparwa also recorded 900-plus pins (964) and averaged 160.67 after registering 137, 188, 182, 140, 137, and 180 in the qualifier.

With Cruz finishing on top of the 11-player field, he automatically moved into the championship game, while Zapanta and Eparwa were left to battle for the second and last finals berth. Zapanta went on to eliminate Eparwa in the semis, 161-147, to advance to the finals where she needed to beat Cruz twice to defend her division crown. However, Zapanta did not stand a chance against Cruz, who took only one game to dethrone the former.

In the Class B stepladder finals, four qualified with Epan getting the top spot and the outright finals berth and Camacho, Arnel Ibarreta, and 2014 champion Roger De Guzman completing the cast.

Epan bested 21 others in the preliminary roll-offs after gaining 1,072 pins off his 169s, 191, 234, 160, and 149 in six games and averaging 178.67. De Guzman was ranked second as he collected 1,063 (321, 170, 156, 176, 169, and 161) and averaged 177.17. Camacho and Ibaretta were tied for third after registering 1,056 in six games and averaging 176. Camacho got 183 in Game 6 to add with her 140, 186, 221, 170, and 156 and force a deadlock, while Ibarreta recorded 152, 198, 193, 185, 174, and 154 in six games.

With Camacho and Ibaretta tied for third, they joined De Guzman in the semifinals with the former prevailing in the three-way fight for the last finals berth. Camacho earned 178 pins in the semis to beat the 156 and 152 of Ibaretta and De Guzman, respectively. However, Camacho failed to keep her momentum in the finals, as Epan defeated her by 13 pins.