LANSING, Mich. -- No. 2-seed Pikeville (Ky.) will bowl for a national championship on Saturday at the NAIA Women's Bowling National Championship at Royal Scot.

The Bears won twice today to advance to the finals. Pikeville beat No. 11-seed Cumberland (Tenn.) 2-1 in the winner's bracket finals and then beat No. 7-seed Ottawa (Kan.) 2-0 in the Red Bracket finals to punch their ticket to the championship.

Cumberland suffered the Mega Match loss to Pikeville to drop into the consolation bracket. The Phoenix then fell 4-2 to Ottawa in a best-of-seven Baker match.

The national tournament uses the Mega Match format in the Winner's Bracket. The Mega Match consists of a best two out of three sets.

-        The first set is the total number of pins from five bowlers in a traditional game.

-        The second set is the total pinfall in five Baker team games

-        The third set, if necessary, is a best-of-seven Baker match.

A Baker match is a team-based format where five bowlers combine to bowl a single 10-frame game, with each player responsible for two specific frames.

 

Pikeville vs. Cumberland

Pikeville grabbed the first set of Mega Match, knocking down 1,033 pins compared to Cumberland's 958. Cumberland evened the match 1-1 by taking the second set 1,074 to 974. In the decisive set, Pikeville won four of the five games (198-190, 214-194, 220-259, 225-182, 184-182) to remain unbeaten in the Red Bracket.

 

Cumberland vs. Ottawa

Cumberland's national tournament run ended with a 4-2 Baker loss to Ottawa. After the two teams split the first two sets, Ottawa seized the advantage, winning games three and four to take a 3-1 lead. The Phoenix dominated the fifth game, 212-166, but the Braves closed out Cumberland in the sixth game, 177-162.

 

Pikeville vs. Ottawa

Pikeville cruised into the championship with a 2-0 Mega Match win over Ottawa. The Bears won the first set 969 to 808 and closed out Ottawa 1,014-859 in the second set in the win.

 

Pikeville advances to face the winner of No. 1-seed Mount Mercy (Iowa) and No. 4-seed SCAD Savannah (Ga.) in the Mega Match championship match at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Mount Mercy and SCAD Savannah will bowl in an if-necessary Baker match at 8:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.