FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Missouri Baptist University bowling competed at the McKendree University Baker Challenge over the weekend. The women's team pulled off multiple upsets on their way to a runner-up finish, and the men took 10th place.

The tournament consisted of 40 baker games, including 24 on Saturday and 16 on Sunday, leading into bracket play.
 
The women's varsity team qualified as the fourth seed heading into the bracket with 5,972 total pins. They took down Illinois State University 2-0 (189-171, 211-135) in the first round and upset the first-seeded Lindenwood University Lions 2-0 (168-159, 194-193) in the second round to head to the championship. They were defeated by the tournament host McKendree Bearcats 2-0 (188-212, 169-170) in the finals. Lindenwood was ranked 11^th in the United States Bowling Congress RPI and McKendree currently holds the 12^th spot in the NCAA rankings.
 
The junior varsity women's team finished in third place and was knocked out by Lindenwood in the first round. The Spartans were down to their anchor bowler, who needed to strike out to tie the game. She pulled it off, but MBU lost the total pinfall tiebreaker.
 
The men's varsity team did not qualify for the bracket after posting a total pinfall of 7,332. The JV men qualified for the bracket as the fourth seed but lost in the first round to the eventual champion McKendree Bearcats.
 
Next up for MBU bowling is the Hoosier Classic hosted by Indiana University in Indianapolis, Ind., beginning on Saturday, Feb. 15. It is their final regular season match before the Heart of America Conference Championship beginning on Friday, Feb. 21, in Columbia, Mo.