COLUMBUS — Ryan Liederbach, a 26-year-old two-handed left-hander, averaged 236 over eight games during the afternoon shift to take the overall lead in the $10,000 Shovel City Motorsports HP Lanes MEGA Singles event Saturday at HP Lanes.
Liederbach, who had a high game of 268 and a low of 214, held just a two-pin lead over first-shift leader Andre Gonzales, a Saginaw, Mich., thumbless left-hander. The former finished with 1,888 total pinfall during qualifying to Gonzales’ 1,886.
Sitting third is defending champion Mykel Holliman with 1,882, just six pins behind Liederbach. The remainder of the top five, both off the second squad, are Justin Knowles (1,873) and Fero Williams (1,872), who captured the doubles title Thursday night.
The tourney drew a field of 183 bowlers, with the top 36 players advancing to the Cashers Round, which begins at 10 a.m. Sunday. Remaining players will bowl six more games with the top eight players after 14 total games advancing to a modified, eight-player stepladder finals in the race for the $10,000 top prize.
Mikey Tang secured the final spot off the first squad with 1,729, just two pins ahead of Brandon Mooney.
High game of the day went to Jimmy Cook off of the second squad with 280.
