FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. --- Tusculum University freshman Raycine Mortensen bowled a 188.2 average on Saturday as the Pioneers are 10th after day two of the Hammer Bearcat Open. The two-day, 17-team tournament is being held at the St. Clair Bowl and hosted by McKendree University.
The Pioneers finished with a 1-3 record on Saturday to go to 5-4 in the tournament and 10-12 on the year in Tusculum's inaugural season of women's bowling.
Mortensen's average is ranked 20th individually in the tournament as four TU bowlers finished the day listed in the top-50.
The Pioneers opened the day dropping a 904-821 decision to Prairie View A&M. TU sophomore Tacey Ballen paced the Pioneers with a 186 as she finished the day with a 182.4 average which has her listed 26th in the tournament.
Tusculum bounced back in its second match of the day with an 891-872 victory over St. Francis-Brooklyn. Mortensen led the Pioneers to the win with a 202, while freshman Alexa Tieto bowled a 192 and Ballen added a 181 tally as TU knocked off a Terriers team that upset fourth-ranked Nebraska on Friday.
The Pioneers would close out Saturday's head-to-head competition against a pair of nationally-ranked programs in No. 18 Maryville (Mo.) and second-ranked McKendree. TU fell 964-885 to Maryville as Mortensen stayed hot with a 191.
McKendree remained undefeated on the young season with a 1,067-917 decision over the Pioneers. In that contest, Erin Burkart posted a 205, while Mortensen added 197 for the Black & Orange.
Burkhart finished the day with a 170.2 average which has her listed 39th individually, while Tieto's 164.2 average has her ranked 46th. Tusculum's Abbygale Hunt bowled in only four games Saturday and finished with a 175.5 average which has her listed at 61st.
Tusculum heads into Sunday's bracket play and will open with a rematch against St. Francis-Brooklyn in the first match of the day with a chance to finish as high as seventh in the tournament.