EVANS CITY — If you do it once, you can do it again.

Todd Nelson wasted little time proving that theory.

Nelson, 35, of Evans City had never bowled a 300 game in his 30 years on the lanes before doing it in the Butler County Bowling Association Men’s Tournament Feb. 20 at Sherwood Lanes.

He bowled his second 300 game the next night while subbing in the men’s league at Freeway Lanes in Zelienople.

“Todd sent me a text saying he just bowled another one,” teammate Jason Checkan said. “I thought he was pulling my leg.

“We rode home together from the county tournament (Feb. 20) and he said he felt like he could roll another perfect game. That’s why I thought he was kidding.”

Only this was no joke.

“I was actually more nervous in the 10th frame of the second one (Monday) than the first one,” Nelson said. “I was trying to keep my knees from shaking before that last throw.

“There was less pressure going into the 10th that night because two other guys on my team took perfect games into that frame as well,” he added.

Billy Morgan wound up with a 287 and Chris Creeks had a 278.

Nelson competes regularly in one league, the Tri-Boro at Freeway Lanes, and bowled with teammates Checkan, Scott Davidson and Ron Pappas Feb. 20 in the county tournament.

“I rolled a 299 at Sherwood two years ago,” Nelson said. “I thought the last shot was going to be a strike, but the 7-pin just stood there.

“That was on lanes 3 and 4 — the same two lanes we bowled on Sunday.”

This time, no pins were left standing.

“I don’t think he missed the pocket on a shot during that entire three-game set,” Checkan said. “He buried every shot.”

Nelson’s perfect game occurred in the middle game Sunday. He sandwiched it with scores of 246 and 248 for an 804 series.

His only other career 800 series was an 806, which he bowled during the doubles portion of the county tournament five years ago.

Nelson and his partner won that tournament. His squad won the handicapped team event Sunday.

“Without Todd’s 300, we probably finish fifth or so,” Checkan said. “We all benefitted from that.”

Nelson’s perfect game Monday was in the first game. He wound up with a series in the mid-700s.

Nelson is carrying a 217 average this year, up seven pins from the previous season.

“This is the highest average I’ve ever had,” he said.

Checkan has been a bowler for 20 years and has never rolled a perfect game.

“Todd and I were in the same boat,” he said. “For a guy to never roll a perfect game for 30 years and suddenly do it on back-to-back days is simply amazing. And his first one was bowled on heavy oil because of the tournament, so he wasn’t even dealing with normal lane patterns.

“I’m sure it’s been done before (300s on consecutive days), but I’ve been around bowlers for years and I don’t know anybody who’s done that.”

Nelson still can’t believe he did it.

“I guess, now I wonder what took me so long,” he said, laughing.