It's the final day of the numbered rounds, with the named rounds beginning tomorrow. Today, there's just 28 games, four series, to close up the round. We begin in...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Goldy v. Mams. The first series is in 9-ball. Everton's Goldy struck first with a big game 1 win, settling in comfortably with a four-ball run-out capped by a 2-9 combination after caroming off the 2 to take the 7 at the top side and again using the 2 to take out the 4 at the top left, where she also buried the 9 for a 1-0 lead. Viewpoint Sound's Mams had a three-ball run early in game 2, but the Eagles' Goldy answered on a three-ball run-out late, hitting the 7 and 8 hard and at bad angles to take them while getting a nice line on the 9 to make it a 2-0 series lead. It wasn't pretty in game 3, but Goldy did finally center herself before the Meteors' Mams could, scoring a four-ball run-out to move into a 3-0 series lead. Mams stayed alive in game 4, scoring a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand after Goldy scratched on the 6, making it 3-1 in the series. Mams had luck on her side in game 5, hitting the 4 three rails around the table to strike the 9 into the bottom right to make it a 3-2 series. The accuracy has been a problem throughout the series, as neither player is hitting simple shots straight, and there appears no easy solution to the problem. Mams tied the series at 3 with a game 6 win, cashing in on Goldy's miss on the 9 with a sharp shot of her own in a much stronger game. Mams left the 6 short at the top left in game 7, and this spelled the end of her unlikely comeback, with Goldy taking the 6 and positioning on the 9, which she buried to the bottom left to win the game and take the series 4-3. Ranked #42 in 9-ball, Goldy will host Precious of the Pronger Tridents at this venue in the quarterfinals. With the loss, Mams is the seventy-seventh player to be eliminated, and her Viewpoint Sound Meteors are the seventh team knocked out. With her season numbers, Mams is a likely candidate to stay on the Meteors, being the lone bright spot for them in pool and a strong complement to Mr. Snowman for cricket when she can play well. Goldy picked up her third kill of the season in the win.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Chris. Next up, a doubleheader of 8-ball, beginning in the urban core between two quiet top performers. Capital City's Chris took a loss in game 1 after letting Whitewater's Twinkie III rally back from five balls down. Then, the Sharpshooters' Chris used a strategic scratch, but missed the 8 from point-blank range, allowing the Shores's Twinkie III to tap it in the top right and go up 1-0 in the series. Chris tied the series at 1 with a game 2 win, rallying from behind on two separate three-ball runs, the last one finishing the game on a 1-5 bank combination to the top left, a positioning shot that knocked the 1 in the top left, and a sharp cut on the 8 to the top left for the winner. Twinkie III played a dominant game 3, not allowing Chris a clean shot the entire game, while finishing on a four-ball run-out so he couldn't take advantage of the extra table space, giving Twinkie III a 2-1 series lead. Chris came into the later stages of game 4 pretty strong, but Twinkie III held him off long enough to use a three-ball run-out to take the game and move to a 3-1 series lead. Chris pulled back with a game 5 win, using a three-ball run-out to end the sloppy game and make it a 3-2 series. Twinkie III played patiently in game 6, then attacked with a five-ball run that Chris countered with a luck-fueled four-ball run that ran out at the 8. Twinkie III iced off her last ball and the 8 to claim the series at 4-2. Game 7 went pretty close on both sides, but Twinkie III again gained a late upper hand, working the last two balls to make it a 5-2 series win for herself. Ranked #10 for 8-ball, Twinkie III will host Debby Ryan of the Southridge Defenders at this venue in the quarterfinals. With the loss, Chris is the seventy-eighth player out of the tournament. Chris has no doubts as to where he'll play next season, with protection as an MVP candidate from cricket. Twinkie III grabbed her second kill of the season.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Gizmo. The second half of the 8-ball doubleheader is the first half of a personal doubleheader for Everton's Puff III, who will be the star of the show for the last two series. Game 1 started well for both players, but after some chasing of the 8, Gizmo of Central took it to the bottom right from ball-in-hand after missed contact, going up 1-0 in the series. The Eagles' Puff III thought she had played it safe leaving the 7 near the top right, but the Warriors' Gizmo banked the 11 to the top side, buried the 15 in the top left, and positioned himself well enough to knock the 8 in the top left, going up 2-0 with the three-ball run-out to win game 2. Gizmo continued to dominate in game 3, using a mid-game four-ball run to pace his attack, and then scoring the last two for the win, putting him up 3-0 in the series against a northeastern regional rival. Puff III weathered Gizmo's game 4 storm late, burying the 8 on her second attempt at it to cut off Gizmo's comeback, and pushing the series to 3-1 in the process. Puff III continued the comeback with a win fueled by accuracy in game 5, shooting very sharp shots to keep Gizmo at bay as she won the game and moved to a 3-2 deficit for the series. Gizmo clinched the series in game 6 with a four-ball run-out, stemming from Puff III leaving the 8 short off a bad angle cut toward the bottom left that allowed Gizmo one more turn with four easy shots all lined up, making it a 4-2 series. Gizmo won a very casual game 7, as both players didn't have much left to give in the game, with a tap-in to the bottom side on the 8 making it a 5-2 series win. Gizmo, ranked #53 in 8-ball, will host Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades at Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central in the quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Puff III. The final series comes from the southeast in 9-ball. After exchanging reasonable runs in game 1, the players had issues with the 9. Boston's Sweetheart took three shots at it, all misses, and a well-played bank by Everton's Puff III from top rail to bottom side made it 1-0, with just enough pace on the shot to work. Two late scratches in game 2 helped grease the wheel for the Eagles' Puff III, who took three of the last four balls after a previous four-ball run early in the game, dominating possession to take a 2-0 series lead. Sweetheart got one back in game 3, after the players exchanged three-ball runs early. Puff III nearly closed it out, but rattled the 9 off both side pockets, and Sweetheart converted it to the bottom left to make it 2-1 in the series. Sweetheart tied the series at 2 in game 4, using a four-ball run-out fueled by impressive accuracy to get her equalizer and put the series back on level terms. Sweetheart cashed in on a miss on the 8 by Puff III, which ended her three-ball run and allowed Sweetheart excellent positioning for the 8 and the 9, making both shots and going ahead 3-2 in the series. Puff III couldn't bank the 9 from the top rail to the bottom left on her shot at it, but she thought the defensive positioning would work. It didn't, as Sweetheart kicked the 9 to the top left to win the game she had dominated throughout, and take the series at 4-2. Puff III got one back in game 7, using an impressive kick off the bottom rail, causing the 7 to bounce off both long rails and carom off the 9 into the top left on one turn before more traditional shooting prevailed for the 8 and 9 a turn later to make it a 4-3 series. Sweetheart, ranked #30 in 9-ball, will host Princess of the Tysini Hummingbirds at this venue in the quarterfinals. A fairly certain future for Puff III disappeared by going 5-9 in the last two series, wiping out her decent record as she became the seventy-ninth player ousted from the tournament, the last of thirty-four in the fourth round alone. The Eagles, a low-offense team in cricket, may try shaking things up now, although they will reserve all decisions until the end of the season. Sweetheart earned her first kill of the season with the win.
Fifty players remain, holding sixty-four bids in the quarterfinals. Next up for the blog: scheduling, standings, and an added bonus to the history page to be drawn up soon. See you all tomorrow.
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