JACKSON, Mich. – Some things just seem destined to be. After a rollercoaster Tuesday of bowling, a sixth Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Senior Tour title was just in the cards for Johnny Petraglia.

Petraglia defeated Hugh Miller, 226-213, to win the 2008 PBA Senior Jackson Open at Airport Lanes for his first since PBA Senior Tour title since 2001.

The 61-year-old PBA Hall of Famer was on the ropes in nearly all of his matches Tuesday, nearly squandering a 2-0 lead to Gary Hiday in the best-of-five Round of 24 and falling behind 1-0 in the best-of-three Round of 8 to Dale Traber. Things looked the most bleak in the title match against Miller, however, as Petraglia trailed by 40 pins in the sixth frame.

Miller, looking for his first career PBA Senior Tour title, struck in six of the first seven frames to open up a big lead, but he left the 4-6 split and opened in the eighth to open the door for Petraglia. The Manalapan, N.J., native responded with four consecutive strikes in the seventh through 10th frames to pull close.

A fifth consecutive strike would have forced Miller to double in the 10th, but Petraglia left a solid 8-pin, meaning Miller only needed a strike to win. Instead, Miller left the 3-6-7 split giving Petraglia the win.

“What an interesting win. I lost three different times today,” Petraglia said. “Traber had me dead and I ended up winning. Hiday let me back in the match. And the last game I’m going on a 190 pace in the seventh frame and Hugh’s bowling a 239. Then he leaves the 4-9. I had to get up and throw some big strikes there, but when something like that happens, you just have that feeling. You just feel like you’re going to do it.”

Petraglia indeed threw the big shots when he needed them, not only late in the match against Miller but throughout the day, showing why he won 14 times on the Denny’s PBA Tour and was victorious five times in his first four years on the PBA Senior Tour.