by Jerry Schneider

PBA League quarterfinal action returns to ESPN on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET when Chris Hardwick’s Silver Lake Atom Splitters presented by Spiceworks takes on Terrell Owens’ Dallas Strikers presented by the USBC from Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, Mich.

The Atom Splitters and Strikers will be competing in the third quarterfinal match of the second PBA League season in hopes of moving on to the semifinals.

In each PBA League round, PBA League teams are competing for points in a head-to-head series of single-elimination team matches that include singles, alternate-ball doubles, Baker trio and Baker team contests. One point is awarded for a win in the singles, doubles and trios matches with three points awarded for a Baker team win. Should there be a tie at the conclusion of the four contests, a one-ball sudden-death roll-off will determine the winner.

In Sunday’s opening singles match, PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke, the Strikers’ team manager and captain, will meet former Player of the Year Chris Barnes, the Atom Splitters’ team captain.

In the alternate-ball doubles match, Barnes and 2003 USBC Masters Champion Bryon Smith will pair up against Duke and two-time Tour winner Michael Machuga.

In the trios match, the Atom Splitters lineup will include former Player of the Year Tommy Jones, three-time Tour winner Dom Barrett and another former Player of the Year, Wes Malott, against the Strikers’ lineup of three-time Tour winner Rhino Page, Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli and Tour winner Dave Wodka.

The Baker team match will include the Strikers lineup of Duke, Machuga, Monacelli, Wodka and Page bowling against the Atom Splitters lineup of Smith, Barnes, Barrett, Malott and Jones.

After Sunday’s quarterfinal, the field will be down to five teams with the final quarterfinal round between LaMarr Woodley’s Pittsburgh Jack Rabbits presented by HotelPlanner.com vs. actor/comedian Kevin Hart’s Philadelphia Hitmen presented by High 5 Gear. The Pittsburgh-Philadelphia match will air on March 23 at 1 p.m. ET.