By Nolan Hughes
PBA Communications
HOUSTON - After all four squads completed their seven games of qualifying at the Storm PBA/PWBA SABC Mixed Doubles tournament, Nate Stubler and Breanna Clemmer stood above the pack.
Stubler, a rookie on the PBA Tour shot 1,620 for his seven games, while the one-time PWBA Tour champion Clemmer added 1,484, totalling 3,104 (+304) combined.
The tournament features the best of the PBA and PWBA Tours competing in a mixed doubles format while raising money to support the fight against breast cancer.
Stu Williams and Josie Barnes, who led A- and B-squads on Friday, sit in second place at +277.
They are followed by Sean Rash and Stephanie Zavala, defending champions EJ Tackett and Diandra Asbaty, Ryan Ciminelli and Dasha Kovalova, and Tommy Jones and Shannon Pluhowsky.
Stubler and Clemmer said their recent experience at the college ranks allowed them to work well together as a team.
“When I was in college, I tried to learn the right side a little bit more,” said Stubler, a left-hander who competed at St. Ambrose University from 2017-2022. “I felt like that made me better as a teammate. At the PBA/PWBA level, every move is so crucial, so I just tried to make sure I could help and be the best support system possible.”
“Being able to trust each other, that’s a big thing for me,” said Clemmer, a four-time All-American at McKendree University. “No matter what happens, he’s got my back and vice versa. There were many times today where we just looked at each other like ‘I’ve got you; it’s my turn.’”
Clemmer, 25, won her first career title last season at the PWBA St. Petersburg-Clearwater Open. During qualifying for that event, she threw consecutive games of 289, 300, 300 and 279 and nearly broke the PWBA six-game scoring record.
With his highest finish of eighth coming in May at the Roth/Holman PBA Doubles Championship with Benjamin Martinez, Stubler said his rookie season has been a struggle. He said his two best performances coming in doubles competition is no coincidence.
“When I'm bowling by myself on tour, I feel like every shot has to strike,” he said. “But when it’s doubles and I’m back in that team setting, I can relax a bit. Then for me it’s just about making good shots and stringing strikes when I can.
“She’s got a title, so I feel a lot less pressure knowing that,” Stubler added.
Kendle Miles and Mary Orf earned the final berth in Sunday’s semifinal field. Orf’s 267 helped them defeat Marissa Allison and Casey Cohagan in a one-game roll-off to break the tie for 40th place at +17.
Competing on a 41-foot oil pattern, the top five individuals on the men’s side were EJ Tackett (1,637), Tommy Jones (1,633), Austin Boulds (1,625), Matt Kuba (1,624) and Dom Barrett (1,624).
Verity Crawley paced the women’s field with 1,619, followed by Dasha Kovalova (1,597), Stephanie Zavala (1,537), Bryanna Coté (1,523) and Carlene Beyer (1,500).
Those individuals will compete in next year’s Beauties vs. Beasts pre-tournament exhibition match.
The semifinals will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday. Following the five-game round, the top eight teams will advance to a round-robin match play finals to crown the champions.
All rounds will be livestreamed on BowlTV.
