By Scott Simon and Aaron Smith
USBC Communications

BATON ROUGE, La. - Strong finishes when it counted most helped a trio of competitors experience the excitement of taking the lead at the United States Bowling Congress Women's Championships.

Stephanie David of Chaska, Minnesota, fired a 615 series in singles at the Raising Cane's River Center to catapult herself into the lead in Ruby All-Events with a 1,763 total, while Lois Davis and Florence Baker of Glendale, Arizona, combined for a 971 total, which earned them the top spot in Amethyst Doubles.

Renzie Kintzler of Cheyenne, Wyoming, previously held the lead in Ruby All-Events with 1,707, and Jean Hall of Elkton, Maryland, and Joeia Moore of North East, Maryland, topped the Amethyst Doubles standings with 919

David, a 53-year-old right-hander, got stronger in each of her sets this week in Baton Rouge. After opening with a 569 series in team, she improved to 579 in doubles, before averaging 205 in singles.

"I was just keeping myself slow and not rushing up there," said David, who had a previous high all-events total of 1,715 at the 2004 USBC Women's Championships in Wichita, Kansas. "Usually I have trouble making myself move when it's not hitting right, and I was able to make myself move, sooner than later. I didn't think anything about an all-events lead, but I was thinking I was bowling well enough to get to the top five."

David also made a run at the Ruby Singles lead, but splits in the seventh and ninth frames of her final game slowed her down, and she settled into third place. Tashia Blue of Hamilton, Ohio, leads with 653.

David made her 13th Women's Championships appearance, with her first trip coming at the 1986 event in Orange County, California, where she lived at the time. Her move to Minnesota is her reason for getting back to the event, including the last seven years.

"I started bowling with all these ladies, and, at one point, just decided to start bowling Nationals, and I'm glad they added me on," David said. "We come here for the fun, and if we bowl well, it's a plus."

Ruby Singles and All-Events includes bowlers with entering averages of 175-189.

Davis and Baker coasted while taking the doubles lead, after starting with a pair of above-average games to put themselves in contention.

In their final game at the River Center, they averaged 184 as a pair to take the lead by more than 50 pins.

Baker led the effort with games of 153, 147 and 189 for a 489 series, while Davis was not far behind with games of 150, 153 and 179 for 482.

"We just felt better today than yesterday in the team event," said Baker, a 75-year-old right-hander who made her 17th tournament appearance.

Davis, a 71-year-old right-hander, thought she was going to find some success early in doubles based on the conditions she saw.

"The ball hooked less today than last night," said Davis, who made her 11th Women's Championships appearance. "I throw the ball straighter, so it was easier to get into the pocket."

Baker and Davis bowl together at Brunswick Zone Glendale and have been competing together at the Women's Championships for several years. They're excited they were both able to connect at the right time to take the lead.

"The other lady I bowled with joined another league, so here we are, on top," Baker said. "It's the biggest thrill for both of us to make the leaderboard."

Amethyst Doubles consists of bowlers with combined entering averages of 260-289.

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