An XXXcel-ent series of games

"Earn without leaving your house" or "make money while you sleep" are claims that even the most gullible e-mail reader wouldn't think twice about deleting.
But if you saw this one: "Throw five 300 games with a new Ebonite XXXcel," would you believe it?
Matt Clipse of Austintown did, without any online pitch.
The 19-year-old University of Akron student rolled three during his Outdoorsmen League at Camelot and two during practice at Wedgewood -- all in five weeks' time.
Clipse's sequence started at Camelot on Dec. 28, then continued Jan. 11 (300-816 set) and Jan. 18. His unsanctioned 300s at Wedgewood were two weeks apart. He used the XXXcel for all five, which brings his perfect-game total to six.
His first 300 was in May 2005 in a summer trio league at Camelot.
Better ball
Clipse, a 2005 graduate of Fitch High, bought the ball to get different reaction under different lane conditions.
"My old ball was made for medium oil conditions, mostly league shots around here," he said. "I bowl in tournaments where heavy oil is used and I couldn't get the ball to come back to the pocket."
The XXXcel gave him better reaction.
The Outdoorsmen experience -- Clipse's first full-season league -- has been his best bowling ever.
Clipse was a member of the Fitch boys team that placed fifth in the state in 2005. Before he graduated, Clipse joined two leagues for the last quarter of the season.
His brother, Dan, encouraged him to join Outdoorsmen and, since, he's been on the Balkan Home Improvement team with Dino Balkan, Tony Balkan, Mike Stitt and Don Morrison. So far, they've won the second and third quarters.
Clipse, who has bowled at Wedgewood since he was 8 years old, considers Camelot easier than Wedgewood and West Side more difficult than both.
"With the ball return exposed, it's kind of a distraction," he said of West Side's setup. "Whether it's that or not, the lanes are more difficult to master."
Clipse owes much of his bowling knowledge to his old high school coaches -- Morrison and Art Berquist.
Besides the Outdoorsmen at Camelot and Kernan Insurance Classic at West Side, the right-hander also bowls in the Max Belchyk/Dr. Ferkula Classic at Holiday.
High marks
Mark Ferrara, Matt Roscoe and Adam Barta were Spiech Classic bowlers rolling 800s at Bell-Wick on Feb. 27.
Ferrara had 833, Roscoe 815 and Barta 805. Ferrara's 287 was the high single among the lot.
Nick Gabrick had 300-805 in Monday Night Men's Classic at Wedgewood on Feb. 27, and Gary O'Malley also had 805 in D & amp; R Garage Door at Wedgewood during week 27 of 32.
Matt Bertolette rolled 805 including an 11-in-a-row 290 during the Feb. 20 session of the Excalibur/Monday Knights League at Camelot and Nick Terbovich threw 299-805 in G.E. Mixed at Wedgewood on Feb. 27.
Nick Evans had 804 in Shooting Gallery at Holiday where Bob Eisenbraun Jr.'s 801 led Max Belchyk/Dr. Ferkula Classic on Feb. 16.
Also on the 16th, at Wedgewood, Al Yakimoff Jr. had a 300 in Thursday Night Sportsman. It was Yakimoff's second perfect game ever.
Carol Pennington's 277-737 was tops for three games in Wedgewood Ladies Trio on Feb. 28, while Paula Pecorelli's 965 was the highest four-game series.
Brianna Ozias' 709 led both men and women in the Woodchoppers at Wedgewood on Feb. 17 and Patty Duffy's 700 topped Holiday Ladies.
The Strikers of Darlene Sabo and Bonny Malsch won Hi-Lo Ladies' third quarter at Wedgewood, where Deramo's Florist of Frances Verini, Joyce Hamilton, Audrey Pinciaro, Kimberly Verini and Joanne Fish did likewise in Thursday Nite Ladies.
Also at Wedgewood, third-quarter winners in Lucianno's Restaurant Mixed were (American Div.): Haefke Incorporated of Teri Haefke, Paula Pecorelli, Jim Haefke and Steve Pecorelli and (National Div.): Alley Cats of Amanda Strong, Roberta Whippo, Butch Whippo and Merrill Whippo II.
B & amp; S Home Improvement was Doughton Businessmen's third-quarter winner at Bell-Wick.
bassetti@vindy.com