Quick Strike on Atlantis: Lauren Drullinger Claims B Finals

Lauren Drullinger Wins Belles & Chimes SATX Summer B Finals

Lauren Drullinger captured the outright victory at the B Finals for Belles & Chimes SATX – Summer 2026 #3 on July 12. In a highly concentrated tournament format consisting of just one four-player group match, Drullinger secured the top position, leaving no room for a comeback from the rest of the field. The entire event was resolved in a mere 13 minutes of gameplay, underscoring how swiftly fortunes can turn when a tournament’s structure hinges on a solitary round.

Outside, the mid-summer San Antonio weather provided a brutal backdrop, featuring broken clouds, 56 percent humidity, and a 93-degree temperature that felt more like 104. Inside the venue, the atmosphere was distinctly different, with a small field of four dedicated competitors ready to face off in close quarters. In this unforgiving, single-game format, one errant drain could unravel a player’s afternoon, while one dialed-in performance was enough to secure the win.

Family Atmosphere and Unforgiving Formats

The competition took place at What’s Brewing Coffee Roasters, located on West Rhapsody Drive in San Antonio. Long celebrated as a family-owned provider of specialty, roasted-to-order coffee beans, the establishment also boasts a dedicated pinball area that draws players from across the region. Patrons frequently note their appreciation for the physical separation between the calm coffee shop and the energetic, quarter-operated game room. The venue operates from 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM on Sundays, providing a welcoming environment for both casual families and competitive events organized by tournament director Christina Cheeseman.

Despite the relaxed setting, the structure of the B Finals was designed for high pressure. The event utilized a Group Match Play format constrained to exactly one round and one single machine. In a standard group of four, points are distributed based on finishing position within that group, meaning the highest score on the selected machine takes all the glory. The field consisted of four seeded participants, bringing a combined 348 career events to the table and averaging 6.5 years of active competitive play. The group carried an average national IFPA rank of 11,414, with three of the four women holding state rankings in the Texas NACS. The average state rank among them sat at a highly competitive 374.

Familiar Faces on the Texas Circuit

The four-woman bracket featured a mix of deep experience and familiar local matchups. Top seed Emily Matson entered the afternoon with an IFPA rank of 8,892 and a strong Texas state rank of 205. She brought 36 career tournaments to her name and an average career finish of 22. Her recent tournament schedule had been busy, with appearances at TNT, Pin-Dependence Day 2026, and National Eyewear Day all taking place within the month prior. Seeded directly below her was Terri Ward, a six-year veteran with 94 total tournaments under her belt.

The second seed, Lauren Drullinger, arrived with serious momentum, pointing to steady rating gains over the past year that had pushed her up to IFPA number 8,478. Drullinger brought the deepest resume to the group, boasting 196 total tournaments, seven years of active play, and three outright wins over the last three years. Rounding out the group was the third seed, Zoie Strong, who holds an IFPA rank of 16,873. Strong and Matson are no strangers on the local scene, having crossed paths nine times across various tournaments. Over their shared history, Matson has typically finished ahead of Strong more often than not, establishing a familiar dynamic whenever the two find themselves on the same playfield.

Thirteen Minutes on Atlantis

With the bracket set, the entire tournament came down to a single four-player game on Atlantis. Released in January 1975, this classic Gottlieb machine was designed by Jeff Brenner and features iconic mythological artwork by Gordon Morison. During its initial production run, 2,225 units were manufactured, featuring a playfield equipped with two flippers, two pop bumpers, two slingshots, and a prominent ten-bank of drop targets. Notably, the right side of the playfield is defined by two parallel lanes of serial rollovers.

Because the event was decided in a single game, maximizing every available scoring opportunity was paramount. Strategy on Atlantis dictates careful attention to the rollover lanes; players know that any lit rollover awards 3,000 points. Because of this generous scoring rule, competitors are smart to consistently target those lit lanes even when the special has already been collected. For 13 minutes, Drullinger, Matson, Ward, and Strong battled against the classic 1975 geometry, trading plunges on a machine where ball times are traditionally short and every point matters.

A Clean Finish on the Gottlieb Classic

When the final ball drained on Atlantis, Lauren Drullinger stood safely at the top of the scoreboard. Drullinger earned 7 points for her first-place finish in the group, cleanly taking the tournament title. Emily Matson finished right behind her in the second position, collecting 5 points for the single game. Terri Ward landed in the third spot to walk away with 3 points, while Zoie Strong finished in fourth place, earning 1 point.

Drullinger’s performance was a perfect execution of high-stakes, single-game match play, validating the rating gains she has steadily accumulated over the past year and rewarding her deep seven-year commitment to the competitive circuit. The brief but decisive tournament ended with Lauren Drullinger claiming first place, Emily Matson securing second, and Terri Ward taking third to complete the final podium.