BUTLER TWP — Being one-upped isn’t so bad.

Just ask Jim Hepler.

The longtime bowler rolled a 299 April 1 in the Fox’s Pizza Den League at Sherwood Lanes, leaving the 7-pin on his final shot.

His daughter, Autumn, a freshman on the Ursuline (Ohio) College bowling team, rolled a 300-game five days later in the Pennsylvania State Youth Tournament at the new Great Valley Lanes in North Versailles.

“If someone’s going to beat me, I’m glad it’s her,” Hepler said. “I’ve gotten the text messages kidding me, some of the ‘old man’ comments, the ‘now your daughter’s beating you’ stuff.

“It’s fun. I’m proud of her, especially the way she fought back.”

The perfect game was Autumn’s first. Her father has rolled two 300-games — the last occurring eight years ago. The latest 299 was the sixth of his lifetime.

“I knew he bowled the 299 because my mom sent me the video of the last shot,” Autumn said. “I was so excited and celebrating after I bowled the 300 that I had forgotten about it.

“Then I remembered, ‘Dad just threw a 299.’ That was ironic.”

What may be stranger yet is the way Autumn’s series began Saturday at Great Valley Lanes. She rolled a 127 in the first game before following with a 185.

“I was hitting the pocket. I just wasn’t carrying anything,” she said. “I was having problems with my spare shot — particularly the 10-pin — and had a few splits. It was just one of those games.

“I did better on spares in the second game, but still got a couple of splits.”

Her father, an assistant coach with the Butler High bowling team during Autumn’s four years there, suggested she change balls for the third game.

“She said she was getting a little tired, so I suggested she switch to a ball that would play longer so she wouldn’t have to throw it as hard,” Hepler said. “I didn’t think it’d have as much carry ... boy, was I wrong.

“What impressed me was she never got upset about that first game. She knew what she did wrong and she adjusted. She was on her target all day long.”

After being part of a state championship team with Butler her senior year, Autumn moved on to Ursuline and had to adapt to a higher volume of bowling.

A weekend collegiate tournament consisted of six regular games and 16 baker games one day, then repeat the process the next day.

“Going through those tournaments helped me realize the importance of not giving up on yourself after an early bad game,” Autumn said. “I used to do that. If you give up early in these college tournaments, you’re really in trouble.”

The closest Autumn had come to a perfect game before was 10 consecutive strikes. She said all 12 of her shots were solid pocket hits Saturday — but she was still nervous as she pulled her ball from the rack for the 12th and final shot.

“My hands were shaking and I had to force myself to take some deep breaths, get some air,” she said. “I stood on the approach and kept telling myself to take my time. When I start rushing, I mess up.

“When I saw the ball heading into the pocket, all I could think was, ‘please carry .... don’t leave the 10-pin.’ They all went down and for a couple of seconds, I was in shock. My brother ran out and hugged me.

“It was cool. I’m surprised I didn’t cry,” she added.

The perfect game came on the heels of Autumn’s victory in the Frank Matta Memorial Scholarship Tournament at Pines Plaza Lanes two weeks ago. She shot a 604 in the three-game qualifier and a 694 in the three-game stepladder finals to claim the $500 first-place scholarship.

She won the tournament for the second straight year, defeating youth state champion Amanda Balas in the finals both times.

“Watching Autumn bowl that 300 matched the feeling I had watching her and the other girls win the state high school championship,” her father said.

“I’m getting old. My daughter is passing me up. I’m using her old bowling bag now — her hand-me-downs — while she uses all of the high-tech stuff.

I’m fine with all of it. Her game’s taking off and I couldn’t be happier,” he added.