Malott survives 10-pin blues, wins at Hawthorn

One frame, one shot and one stinking 10 pin made all the difference.

Wes Malott won his fourth career title Sunday afternoon in the PBA CLR Carmen Salvino Scorpion Championship at Brunswick Zone Hawthorn Lanes in Vernon Hills.

Michelle Feldman won her second title this year in the women's final.

Malott, from Arglye, Texas, defeated Ken Simard of Greenville, S.C., 216-212 in the men's final after sitting and watching as Simard left a stone-solid 10 pin.

Malott had needed to strike out to assure himself of victory but left the 10 pin after the first strike in the 10th frame. Simard followed with the same opportunity - to strike out and win his first title - but he, too, left the 10 on his second shot.

"I don't know what the deal is with 10 pins," said Malott, who was the event's top seed and won for the second time in three years at Vernon Hills. "I didn't want it to be a factor. Ken did the same thing. That's not the way to win, sitting on the bench. I haven't won striking out. It's something that we all want to do."

"I felt like I had nothing to lose, just throw the bowling ball," said Simard of trying to strike out in the 10th frame.

Simard reached the final by rolling a 289. He started with 10 strikes in a row before leaving an 8 pin on his 11th shot.

Feldman, from Auburn, N.Y., won the women's event by topping Missy Bellinder of Fullerton, Calif., 200-147.

"I had no idea I'd win it," said Feldman. " I'm fortunate to bowl well. My goal was to win two. Hopefully, I can do this again next week."