Pool: Round Two Day 12

Here's the first of the really short days. I'm aiming for 40 games today, but we'll see if time permits. We begin in...

Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: Tori v. Kiwi. These two players with short names start the morning with 10-ball. Victoria's Tori dominated game 1 of the series, making the 1 on an unlikely follow carom from the 6, and then finishing with a brilliantly-positioned three-ball run-out. Tori added on for the Spurs after Modernistic's Kiwi missed the 7 to the bottom right, allowing Tori to tap-in on the 7 before converting an 8-10 combination in the bottom left for a 2-0 lead. Tori came into game 3 blazing, and had a four-ball run near the end, but missed the 10. The Union's Kiwi saw the 10 rattle off the side of the top side pocket and run to the top right, falling illegally. With the 10 replaced, Tori cut it into the bottom left to take a 3-0 series lead. Kiwi again proved to be her own worst enemy, struggling around a 6-8 combination before eventually seeing Tori snooker her completely. Tori converted the 6, and then got position for a 7-10 combination to the top left, taking a 4-0 lead with the successful combination shot. In game 5, Kiwi again left a juicy shot for Tori, who pulled off a carom off the 3 from distance, bumping the 10 on the run into the top left for the win. Tori took the series 5-0, and takes her #72 ranked 10-ball bid into the third round on a strong note.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Sydnee v. Paps. We're onto 8-ball now in the southeast. Royal's Sydnee managed to hold off Pronger's Paps making a furious run late, as he whiffed on the 8, allowing Sydnee of the Crowns to bank it off the bottom rail into the top side for the win. The Tridents' Paps navigated a scratch-filled game 2 to pull off a three-ball run-out via strong positioning and accuracy, tying the series. Paps took a 2-1 series lead with a four-ball run and a three-ball run, enough to stave off a late three-ball run by Sydnee so Paps could make the 8. Sydnee tied the series in game 4, running out the final four balls of a tightly contested game. In a showcase of skill, she put the 10 in the bottom side, poked the 15 just past the defensively-placed 8 in the bottom left, shot the 12 to the bottom right, but killed the follow enough to tap in the slightly displaced 8 into the bottom left. Paps peaked at the right time in game 5, using a five-ball run to establish a lead. Sydnee gradually worked back, but her separating shot on the 10 and 8 resulted in Paps getting a good line to the top left for the 8, and he didn't leave the 8 short this time. Paps, ranked #104 for 8-ball, is into the third round on a 3-2 win, opposing Shannon at Microsoft Center in Del Sur for that series.

Ebay Center, Queens: Paige v. Tigerette. This is a rematch from yesterday's 8-ball series, with the two meeting again at the same venue for 10-ball. Commerce's Tigerette took game 1, which went smoothly until the 10. Between the two players, they attempted four bank shots on the 10, none of which came close. Paige of Queens had the last failed shot, setting Tigerette up for the win. The Flames' Paige tied the series in game 2, which had another sloppy ending. Tigerette of the Tradewinds attempted to kick the 10 to the bottom side, but it rattled off the jaws of the pocket, and settled in position for Paige to cut it into the top right. Once again, the finish was the problem in game 3, and Tigerette took advantage of Paige's errant bank on the 10 by cutting a left-handed shot into the top right for a 2-1 series lead. Tigerette secured the series at 3-1 when Paige failed to bank the 10 off the bottom rail to the top left, leaving it short and allowing Tigerette a simple cut for the win. Paige had a four-ball run late in the game, but she left the 10 short at the bottom right, allowing Tigerette to tap in for a 4-1 series win. Tigerette, ranked #41 in 10-ball, gets her revenge for yesterday's defeat in 8-ball, and moves along to the third round in this event.

Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Gabe v. Kiwi. We start the afternoon with 7-ball. Modernistic's Kiwi struck first with a game 1 win, as Infinity City's Gabe saw his three-ball run end with a scratch as he attempted to get position on the 7. The Torpedoes' Gabe controlled possession in game 2, including a double pot of the 2 and 6, sinking the 2 straight into the bottom left with the carom driving the 6 into the top left, in the process of tying the series at 1. Gabe took the lead with a game 3 win driven by positioning as both players are reluctant to miss much. Game 4 took a defensive twist as snookered positions took hold, but it was Gabe's failed kick off the top rail toward the bottom right that queued up Kiwi of the Union for the equalizing tap-in. Gabe redeemed himself with two highlight reel shots to win the series 3-2 in game 5. Gabe banked the 4 cleanly off the bottom rail to the top left, and then converted a 5-7 combination to the bottom right for the defining shot. Gabe, ranked #43 in 7-ball, is into the third round.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. Goldy. Back across the Intercity, we play the second half of a 7-ball doubleheader. Everton's Goldy took a game 1 where both players fired off three-ball runs, but it was Royal's Frosty tossing an errant shot at the 7 that rattled off the jaws of the bottom right to allow the Eagles' Goldy a tap-in for victory. The Crowns' Frosty equalized the series at 1 in game 2, allowing Goldy's misplay on the 7 to set her up for a distance shot down the breaking line to the top right. Frosty weathered an early storm by Goldy, who ran four balls on her first turn, to secure game 3 and a 2-1 series lead. Frosty had a highlight early, using the 6 as an insurance policy when shooting the 4, but the shot went so well that the 4 ended up in the top left and the 6 went to the top side. This actually happened to be a bad thing, as it started a run-around on the 5, and Goldy was the first to corral it, and then the 7 to tie the series at 2. In game 5, Frosty was done in by a poorly-executed cut shot on the 7, scratching to allow Goldy to choose destination for the 7. Goldy won the series 3-2, and carries her #55 ranked 7-ball efforts into the third round. With the loss, Frosty is the fifth player eliminated from the tournament this year, but she will return to the Royal Crowns as captain next season as an unmovable player due to ranking in the top quarter of the league for Cricket. Goldy picked up her first kill of the season with the win.

Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Smudge v. Twinkie I. Returning to Infinity City, we begin a doubleheader of 10-ball. Infinity City's Smudge weathered a storm of a five-ball run by Twinkie I of Lighton, ending the game with a three-ball run-out for a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Smudge doubled the lead, using a three-ball run with good positioning and a poorly chosen bank shot by the Prestige's Twinkie I to set her up for a 2-0 series lead. Smudge had strong possession in game 3, but it wasn't everything as Twinkie I picked up the scraps to make it 2-1 in the series. Twinkie I tied the series at 2 in game 4, using Smudge's late scratch as the catalyst for a three-ball run-out, with an 8-10 combination to the bottom left as the knockout shot. Twinkie I completed the comeback with a slightly stronger game 5. Smudge's scratch on a failed kick to the bottom side off the left rail was what did her in, allowing Twinkie I a tap-in to the victory. Twinkie I is ranked #99 in 10-ball, and advances into the third round with a resilient comeback.

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Shelley. The other half of the 10-ball doubleheader is back in the urban southeast. Infinity City's Shelley pulled off a low-percentage shot to win game 1, caroming the cue off the 5 and into the 10, which bounced off the left rail and spun off the 7 protecting it nearby, spinning even more on its way to the top left pocket where it fell for a 1-0 lead as called. Boston's Sweetheart won game 2 in wild fashion, watching the cue ball flit all around the table after potting the 9, only to get a decent position on the 10, which was good enough to tie the series at 1. Shelley shot back for the Torpedoes in game 3, winning on a bank of the 10 from the top rail to the bottom side after the players jostled at the 7 earlier in the game. Sweetheart retied it for the Swifts with an impressive display of skills in game 4. First, Sweetheart chose to defer a tough cut shot to Shelley after an uncalled ball was potted by the latter. Then, Sweetheart cleaned up the rebound on that 7, but received an unfavorable lie on the 8. She made the most of it, banking it to the bottom right perfectly, and getting a straight shot on the 10 as the equalizer. In game 5, Sweetheart controlled possession throughout the game, and made the most of it with a carom off the 6 with back-left english to graze the 10 enough to drive it to the top left pocket. Sweetheart won the series 3-2, and her #20 ranked 10-ball bid continues to the third round.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Dani v. Sally. We're onto 15-ball with the last appearance by the red cue for the day, and it appears we'll play more than anticipated today. Capital City's Dani jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a surprising 4-15 carom shot, using the cue as the intermediary. Even making contact on the 15, it didn't look aligned with the top right pocket until it got in motion. Archtown's Sally tasted misfortune in game 2, looking set to win as her 15 shot was on target on a bank from the top rail to the bottom side, but it just poked out at an angle favorable for a tap-in by the Sharpshooters' Dani for a 2-0 lead. The Arrows' Sally didn't shy away from tough shots, scoring a three-ball run-out that saw her poke the 13 narrowly past the 15, with the reward being great position to end the game. In game 4, Dani tried to finish strong, running four balls before getting stuck on the 15, and her scratch on a second attempt at it sealed the deal for Sally to tie the series at 2. Game 5 was a little tighter than the rest of them, and at the end it was Sally's mistake of leaving the 15 short at the bottom side that did her in, with Dani tapping in to take the game and series, 3-2. Dani, ranked #34 for 15-ball, advances into the third round.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Dusky. For the third time today, we're in Royal, with this series being 7-ball. It took a little bit to get going, but Jake of Royal ran out the final five balls to take game 1 and a 1-0 series lead with a stretch of dominance. The Crowns' Jake took little time in game 2 to double his series lead, running out the final six balls after Archtown's Dusky missed on her only shot. Jake claimed the series with a win in game 3, taking advantage of a missed shot on the 7 by the Arrows' Dusky. In game 4, Dusky avoided the sweep despite Jake running four balls beginning at the break. He couldn't find a good angle after that, allowing Dusky to mop up the rest to make it 3-1. Dusky also took game 5, driving possession with two off the break and two more at the end for a 3-2 series final in favor of Jake. Jake is ranked #9 in 7-ball, and he will host the Victoria Spurs' Tori at this same venue in the third round.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Strawberry v. Twinkie I. Closing out the short day, we have a series of 9-ball on the clock. Lighton's Twinkie I pulled out a win in game 1 with late excellence in positioning. The game lacked accuracy throughout on both sides. The Prestige's Twinkie I made it 2-0 in game 2 after Pronger's Strawberry failed to knock in the 9 late in the game on a shot from distance. Twinkie I took a more crisp shot in this instance, and it worked to secure the game. The Tridents' Strawberry looked ready to get going, running five balls in game 3, but she didn't get the one that counts, as she left the 9 in line to the top side for a tap-in by Twinkie I, who secured the series with the win. Twinkie I proved relentless, taking game 4 on a three-ball run-out via more solid positioning. Strawberry got one back in game 5, but she made the highlight reel before the win, making an impossible angle cut on the 6 to the bottom side from almost at the top side, with the shot originating near the top left. Strawberry's late win made it 4-1 for Twinkie I, the #80 ranked 9-ball player, who is through to the third round now.

Tomorrow's schedule may be accordingly lighter given today going above and beyond expectations. Regardless, Sunday will be back at full speed.