Akiko Fukushima and Nancy Scranton, two of the three first-round co-leaders, again shared the lead after Saturday's second round of the Firstar LPGA Classic.

Fukushima, a rookie on the LPGA Tour from Japan, and Scranton both shot 2-under-par 70s Saturday and were tied at 7-under 137.

Hiromi Kobayshi and Kris Monaghan were one stroke back and seven players were tied for fifth at 139 after two trips around the 6,302-yard Country Club of the North course built by Jack Nicklaus in suburban Dayton.

Tracy Hanson, who had started the day tied with Fukushima and Scranton, slipped to a 75 and was in a tie for 23rd at 142.

Fukushima, who played in a tournament in Japan last week and then had other sponsor-related duties until Tuesday, said she was so tired after Friday's first round that she overslept and almost missed her morning tee time.

Speaking through an interpreter, she said she needed to improve in Sunday's final round because another 70 was unlikely to be enough to win the tournament.

Scranton, who decided late last week to play in this tournament and had to pay a $100 late entry fee, birdied Nos. 9 and 18 and parred the other 16 holes.

"I hit it pretty well today," she said. "I just didn't hit it as close as yesterday. I didn't putt that badly."

Defending champion Meg Mallon, who played at Ohio State, said "Go Buckeyes" cheers helped her shoot a 69 that put her among the group at 139.

Sunny weather made the course somewhat faster than it was on the tournament's opening day, when water lingering from a rainstorm slowed it down.

Fourteen players shot a 69 or lower in the second round, led by Becky Iverson and Jill McGill with 66s. Iverson is at 140 and McGill at 142.

The cut was at 2-over 146.

Kris Tschetter was at 6 under before taking a triple bogey 7 on the 397-yard 18th. She drove into the left rough and her next shot found its way to a reed-clogged marsh just to the front and right of the green. She finished with a 70 and was among eight players at 141.

AP