INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 8 ranked Saint Xavier University men's bowling team placed 23^rd out of 78 teams this weekend at the 56^th Annual Columbia 300 Hoosier Classic at Western Bowl in Indianapolis, Ind. The Cougars totaled 4,850 pins after five individual games on Saturday, finishing 34^th. SXU improved by 10 spots after 15 Baker Games on Sunday, collecting 3,047 pins for a two-day tally of 7,897, missing the cut for the eight-team tournament championship. No. 2 seeded SCAD-Savannah (Ga.) defeated No. 4 Mount Mercy University (Iowa) in the finals, 3-2.

• Saint Xavier rotated seven bowlers in and out of the lineup for the Baker Games: senior Timothy Novak (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg), junior Daniel Esguerra (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech), junior Bobby Habetler (Park Ridge, Ill./Indiana Tech/St. Patrick), junior Spencer Mosher (Ormond Beach, Fla./Concordia/Seabreeze), sophomore Tyler Pedersen (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest), sophomore Andrew Rossini (Streamwood, Ill./South Elgin) and freshman Joseph Blonski (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest).
• The Cougars averaged a score of 203.1 in the Baker Games, hitting a high of 246 pins in game 13. They also eclipsed the 200-pin mark in eight other games (212 in game one, 219 in game two, 203 in game three, 235 in game five, 223 in game six, 232 in game 10, 217 in game 12 and 210 in game 14).
• Habetler had the top individual score for SXU, knocking down 1,057 pins over five games. He hit an average of 211.4 pins with a high of 257 in game five. He also topped 200 pins with 216 in game one and 214 in game two.
• Blonski bowled in four games, collecting 836 pins for an average of 209.0. He hit a high of 235 pins in game four, along with 203 pins in game two and 202 in game three.
• Esguerra competed in four games as well, hitting 794 pins. He averaged a score of 198.5 with a high of 209 pins in game four. He also hit 204 pins in game two and 201 in game five.
• Mosher recorded a score of 616 pins over three games. He averaged 205.3 pins with a high of 221 pins in game one and he hits 216 pins in game two.
• Pedersen saw action in three games, totaling 535 pins for an average of 178.3. he hit a high of 215 pins in game one.
• Novak also bowled in three games. He recorded a score of 525 pins with an average of 175.0. Novak hit a high of 209 pins in game four.
• Senior Nicholas Sternes (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Stevenson) competed in three games as well, toppling 487 pins for an average of 162.3. He hit a high of 185 pins in game five.

Saint Xavier concludes the regular season and now prepares for the Intercollegiate Team Championship Sectionals that begin on March 7. Location to be announced.