RENO, Nev. - Bowling ball technology has grown exponentially during the past 25 years and has revolutionized the way competitors prepare and attack the lanes at the United States Bowling Congress Open Championships.

Gregory Staubs of Harpers Ferry, W.V., took a step back in time as he switched to a plastic ball for his final game of singles Wednesday and finished with the 18th perfect game of the 2013 event at the National Bowling Stadium.

The 40-year-old right-hander started singles with games of 153 and 199 before firing 12 consecutive strikes for a 652 series. He added 551 in team and 512 in doubles for a 1,715 all-events score. Team USA member John Szczerbinski of North Tonawanda, N.Y., leads Regular Singles and Regular All-Events with 789 and 2,228, respectively.

Staubs changed to the plastic ball after struggling to find a look inside with the rest of the bowlers on his pair. A move to the outside part of the lane and a straighter trajectory helped him find the right angle to the pocket. Staubs is comfortable using less-aggressive equipment and notes that about half of his honor scores over the course of his career have been with plastic equipment.

"Everybody's ball was pushing, so I just moved outside of everybody else," said Staubs, who made his third USBC Open Championships appearance. "I knew where the breakpoint was so the adjustment was getting the ball to that spot. Crossing the lanes wasn't working. I went straighter and switched to a plastic ball."

Staubs also cashed in on some good fortune during his run at perfection as his 10th and 11th offerings crossed the headpin. After the Brooklyn strikes, he made a slight adjustment with his eyes for the final ball and sent all 10 pins back as he hit the pocket flush.

"I had at least four Brooklyn strikes that game, including the 10th and 11th," said Staubs, who bowls regularly at Northside Lanes in Winchester, Va. "But the 12th one was high flush. I didn't hit my mark on the first two, so I stayed in the same spot but looked about five feet farther down the lane. I didn't move in and didn't move out. I just moved my eyes and hit my spot. It was a good one."

It had been more than three years since Staubs had last bowled a 300 game. Breaking the streak at the Open Championships made the accomplishment even more meaningful as friends and family cheered him on.

"It's the first one I've had in three years, so it feels pretty good," Staubs said. "It always feels good to bowl one at a tournament, but rolling one at the Open is the best one you can achieve. Everybody will be ribbing me for years about it because they'll say all I'm doing is showing off again but it was really good to share it with family and friends and all the guys I've been bowling with for years. It's an honor and a really big achievement."

NEW CLASSIFIED DOUBLES LEADERS EMERGE

Before Staubs made his historic run Wednesday morning, Jose Rivera of New Sharon, Iowa, and Ronnie Licht of Montezuma, Iowa, broke a long-standing tie atop the Classified Doubles standings.

The two combined for a 1,209 total to surpass Wayne Sakai and Glen Yagi of Lodi, Calif., and Tom Musante of San Mateo, Calif., and Ryan Riewer of Fargo, N.D., who previously held the top spot with 1,150.

Licht led the way with a 620 series, while Rivera added 589 to the leading effort.

Rivera's performance also helped him into a tie for fourth place in Classified All-Events. He added 576 in singles and 541 in team for a 1,706 total. LeRoy Krein of Mandan, N.D., leads with 1,762. Licht added 582 in singles and 415 in team for 1,617.

The Classified Division is for bowlers with entering averages of 180 or below, doubles teams with combined averages of 360 or below and teams with combined averages of 900 or below.

Presenting sponsors for the 2013 USBC Open Championships include Circus Circus Reno, Eldorado Hotel Casino Reno and Silver Legacy Resort Casino Reno.