The final playoff Tournament has converged upon Diamond's two facilities for today. We'll begin indoors with the series featuring even-numbered better seeds, and alternate outdoors for the rest. We begin with the tournament hosts playing their series inside at...
Intel Center: Diamond Gems v. Southridge Defenders. Southridge's Bianca was the first to find her footing in 7-ball, easily squashing an error-prone Citrus of Diamond. The start was shaky for both sides, but Bianca settled down to get the win on a five-ball run-out, putting her side ahead 1-0 in the series. The Gems' Pedey had a bit of a rough start in 8-ball as well, struggling with a difficult distribution from the break. The Defenders' Stephanie had some better play early, and both players exchanged collateral damage before Pedey executed a four-ball run-out to get the win, tying the series at 1. Citrus looked a lot more comfortable in 9-ball for Diamond, striking the ball well and making a few shots this time, but at the end, Southridge got the win through a three-ball run-out by Bianca. The rookie ended on an 8-9 combination to the bottom right to push her side ahead 2-1. Hughbert did just about everything he could for the Defenders in 10-ball, making all but the first and last balls on an eight-ball run. Unfortunately for him, the Gems' Citrus would not miss a straight shot on the 10 at the end, as she buried it to retie the series at 2 for her side. Rosalina wasn't happy with her break in 12-ball, as it left Stephanie with a more favorable spread, evidenced by the Southridge rookie's quick three-ball run. Rosalina pulled back toward the end of the game, but she couldn't get an angle for her last shot, and Stephanie made her last two shots from ball-in-hand to take a 3-2 series lead over Diamond, the visitors' third lead so far. Rotation saw Rosalina stay at the table, and she put up a good fight for the Gems in this appearance. The Defenders' Hughbert struggled quite a bit with getting his offense going until late in the game. Rosalina couldn't make her lead hold up as Hughbert charged from way back to win on a three-ball run-out for an 8-6 result. This pushed the series lead to 4-2, the visitors on the brink of advancing. Rosalina and Bianca tangled quite fiercely in 15-ball, which seemed to favor Bianca a bit later in the game. Rosalina had trouble developing runs, and it looked as if Bianca would have a couple of chances to get the win, but Rosalina made the last two balls, keeping Diamond alive as Southridge's lead is cut to 4-3. Pedey missed only once for the Gems in Accuracy, but Stephanie made that stand with a brutally efficient game for the Defenders, winning 0-1 to secure the series for them at 5-3. For the home fans, it's an early exit for their side, while Southridge plays on into the quarterfinals.
The Intel Pitch: Capital City Sharpshooters v. Harrison Specters. Missy did well in attack for Capital City in 7-ball, making a pair on the first and second turns of the game. Harrison's Twinkie II countered each time, but neither held up that well, and Missy kicked the 7 in after Twinkie II missed the same play, putting Capital City ahead 1-0. The Sharpshooters' Missy had a rougher start in 8-ball, as the Specters' Lexi dominated the early offense with a six-ball run. Missy chipped back later in the game, getting a late three-ball run to fall, but her miss on the 6 allowed Lexi to take a tap-in on the 8, tying the series at 1. Capital City's Sprinkles played dangerously in 9-ball, trying twice to get the 3 and 9 to connect at the bottom right. Unfortunately for her, Harrison's Twinkie II countered those attacks the second time, making the 9 off a deflection from the 3 to put the visitors ahead 2-1 in the series. Sprinkles tried to settle herself down after the abrupt end in the previous game, but she didn't get much offense. The Specters' Sugar enjoyed a three-ball run early on after Sprinkles scratched on the break. The rest of the game was mostly even, but the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles surrendered possession late, and Sugar went on a three-ball run-out to extend the series lead to 3-1. Missy got her revenge against Lexi in 12-ball, as the Capital City veteran used a good break and a three-ball run on her second turn to establish offense. Lexi shot back with a three-ball run for Harrison, but Missy made quick work of her last two shots for the win, pulling back to a 3-2 series. Rotation went very quickly, as Capital City's Nicole played well in her debut. She did fall behind early on after the Specters' Nicole wrangled a four-ball run, but Nicole shot back with a three-ball run and a four-ball run on consecutive turns to take the 8-6 win, tying the series at 3 for the Sharpshooters as the series approaches a close finish. Sprinkles again put Capital City in unnecessary and very real danger in 15-ball, her insistence on pushing the 15 around being her downfall. Harrison's Sugar struck efficiently on the 2-7-15 combination to the bottom right to give her team another shot at the series lead at 4-3. Nicole again saved the Sharpshooters, battling back and forth with the Specters' Lexi early in the game, before Lexi faltered with three late misses. Nicole held on for a 2-5 win in Accuracy, tying the series one more time at 4 and forcing the tiebreaker. That tiebreaker is left-handed 8-ball, and Nicole takes on Twinkie II in it. Twinkie II seemed to have the early advantage for Harrison, but Nicole stunned her out of nowhere with a four-ball run to get onto the 8. Twinkie II would scratch later, and Nicole made the 8 from the kitchen to the bottom right to get the win and a 5-4 series win. Capital City enjoys the trip to the quarterfinals thanks to Nicole's 3-0 performance.
Intel Center: Archtown Arrows v. Boston Swifts. Boston's Sweetheart wasted little time in establishing her side in 7-ball, using a three-ball run to pace the attack. Archtown's Ruby quickly replied with a pair of shots, but Sweetheart locked in on the last two balls to give her team the win and the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts got a hot start from Gradley in 8-ball as well, as he made a five-ball run with a bit of collateral damage. This helped the Arrows' Dusky, who followed up with a five-ball run to pull even, but her shooting late in the game, including a scratch and a miss on the 8, made it relatively easy for Gradley to take the win and a 2-0 series lead for his team. Ruby had a five-ball run from the break in 9-ball, but this ended in a scratch on the 4, an unfortunate turn of events for the Archtown star. Sweetheart made the 6 from ball-in-hand, and added the 7-9 combination to the bottom right for the win, putting Boston up 3-0 in the series. Sweetheart continued to have the upper hand on her opponent Ruby in 10-ball, using an early three-ball run to set the tone, but Ruby wouldn't break under pressure. Ruby instead stayed in the battle and managed to pull away with the win late, cutting the series to 3-1 with her play. Neither played seemed to grab control of 12-ball at first, but after a scratch, Gradley found a three-ball run on his next turn, and this paved his way to success. He set up his last two shots, and while Dusky made a pair in an attempt to catch up, Gradley closed her out and earned the win, putting the Swifts ahead of the Arrows by a 4-1 score. Boston's Patches had a slow start against Archtown's Sleepy B. in their first of two meetings in Rotation. The offense was glacial at first, but when Patches took a three-ball run for the lead, she would continue with more pace going forward. At the end, Patches had a three-ball run-out, including a double-pot of the 9 to the bottom right and the 13 to the top right, for a 9-2 win that secured the series at 5-1 for Boston. The Swifts' Patches stepped up again in 15-ball against the Arrows' Sleepy B., combining for short bursts of offense and general frustration late in the game before Patches could cap a three-ball run-out on a 14-15 combination to the top right to give the Swifts a 6-1 series lead. Dusky and Gradley had a tight battle in Accuracy, as Dusky played for the Arrows' pride more than anything. She managed to force overtime, erasing Gradley's late lead, and then finally got him to miss a second time in overtime after exchanging shots for most of the extra rack. Dusky won 3-4, but the Swifts took the series 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals.
The Intel Pitch: Pacific Volcanoes v. Swordpoint Blades. Outside, the fourth series is played. Ms. Kitty did well to make Pacific proud in 7-ball, as the veteran cranked the 7 into the top left on the break, never letting Swordpoint's Bandit take a shot in his first playoff game. Pacific holds a quick 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Stealth made more of an impact in 8-ball, countering a four-ball run from the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil, which ended in illegal contact, with a four-ball run of his own. From there, Stealth had better position, and he won a few turns later on a three-ball run-out, while Chicky Phil's offense had run dry. The series is now tied at 1. Save for a good break in 9-ball, Pacific's Leonette had very little to show for her performance. Instead, it was Swordpoint's Bandit who had a four-ball run, and he also made the last two shots in the game to get the win, giving his team a 2-1 series lead. Leonette had another slow start in 10-ball, and while she enjoyed a nice bit of possession in the middle of the game, the Blades' Snowball generally had the better game. Snowball capitalized on this advantage with a three-ball run-out at the end to get the win, lifting her team to a 3-1 lead in the series. Ms. Kitty's previous meeting with Bandit didn't even register in 12-ball, as she made a ball on the break, but the game was such a mess that the first shot didn't echo for long. Eventually, Bandit was able to scoop out enough shots for a three-ball run-out to get the win, putting Swordpoint ahead of Pacific by a 4-1 score. The Blades couldn't close out the series in Rotation, as Snowball's effort fell just a bit short in a rapidly-changing back-and-forth with the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil, who took the 8-7 win on a three-ball run-out at the end. Chicky Phil's bold play cut the series to 4-2. Ms. Kitty picked up the baton for Pacific, maintaining a strong offensive presence against Swordpoint's Snowball in 15-ball. Snowball got her shots in when she could, but Ms. Kitty had a greater share of the offense and won on a three-ball run-out to pull her side closer again in the now 4-3 series. Stealth made an absolute mess of Accuracy for Swordpoint, squandering the rest of the series lead away as well. The Volcanoes' Chicky Phil played quite well, only missing a couple of times late in his 2-7 win that tied the series at 4 to force a tiebreaker. Leonette and Stealth will have their only direct meeting in this game, playing 13-ball. Pacific's Leonette made the push forward in 13-ball, as Swordpoint's Stealth stalled out after a five-ball run and a later scratch. Leonette had a four-ball run in response, and then had the positioning to make her last ball and the 8 for the win, giving the Volcanoes a 5-4 series win. Pacific's high-wire act worked to make it to the quarterfinals.
Intel Center: Central Warriors v. Tysini Hummingbirds. The Legend of Zelda matchup between Central's Twilight and Tysini's Princess lasted for a single shot, as Twilight made the 7 on the break to win 7-ball for Central. They lead 1-0, while Princess sees one of her two appearances vanish. The Warriors' Mario got off to a hot start in 8-ball with a four-ball run, only committing collateral damage once at the end. The Hummingbirds' Leandra sparked to life with a four-ball run right after that, but the rest of the game was slow to develop until Mario made a three-ball run-out for the win, putting the Warriors ahead 2-0 in the series. Central's Dustin had a decent performance in 9-ball, but Tysini's Princess wanted to get the win more for her side, playing an excellent game that featured a couple of short runs on her way to victory. The series is now at 2-1. The Warriors' Twilight played an excellent game of 10-ball, helped greatly by the Hummingbirds' Brownie having a propensity for scratching. Brownie's struggles with errors popped up late, and led Twilight to a classical finish, banking the 10 to the bottom side for the win that put the Warriors up 3-1 in the series. Mario couldn't hold up in 12-ball, as he gave away two wild-card balls to Leandra in their second meeting. Leandra would return one of those and give one away herself, putting the players on level terms at the end. Mario made a late push but missed the 13 at the bottom side, and Leandra buried the 3 in the top left to get the win, making it a 3-2 series now. Brownie charged forward for the Hummingbirds in Rotation, establishing the early lead through a close duel with the Warriors' Dustin. They sparred a bit longer, but Brownie pulled away to strengthen the lead, and she made it hold up at the end, making the last pair of balls for an 8-4 win, tying the series at 3 with her effort. Dustin and Brownie battled again in 15-ball, but this game was much sloppier. Neither player could get a true run going, and scratches, illegal contacts, and fouls persisted through the game. At the end, tempers flared, but Dustin settled enough to make a three-ball run-out, restoring Central's lead at 4-3 in the series. In Accuracy, Twilight played an inspired effort, missing just once late in the game to easily bury the Hummingbirds' Leandra to give the Warriors a 5-3 series win with her 1-4 win in the game. Central is ready to renew the Sisterhood Derby in the quarterfinals against the Pacific Volcanoes.
The Intel Pitch: Pronger Tridents v. Westside Rockers. The Gems fans may not have a team to root for, but they can root against their division rivals, who act as hosts in this series. Pronger's Spot rallied for a chaotic four-ball run from the break, but a scratch gave Westside's Slinks a chance. She went bold at the end, missing contact on her kick toward the 7, and Spot made it from ball-in-hand to give Pronger a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Goatee had a better start in game 2, establishing her offense with a three-ball run, but it would be the Tridents' Potter who battled through the middle of the game to get a four-ball run-out at the end, giving his team a 2-0 lead in the series. Pronger looked to be en route to a huge lead when Zach opened the 9-ball game with an eight-ball run, but he missed wide on the 9, and Westside's Slinks redeemed herself from earlier by tapping it in for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. The Rockers' Slinks played a different style in 10-ball, choosing to dominate possession rather than make a timely counterattack against the Tridents' Zach this time. Zach thought he could change the game by taking possession when Slinks potted an uncalled ball, but Zach's turn ended two shots later, and Slinks took over with a four-ball run-out to win, tying the series at 2 in the process. Goatee had a nice surge of offense early in 12-ball for Westside, but Pronger's Zach refused to drop three straight for his team. He defended Goatee's final pocket, which he also needed, and when the time came, he made his last two shots to pick up the win, giving his team a 3-2 series lead. Midnight never left any doubt as to who would come out on top in Rotation, with the Westside veteran not quite dominating, but the Tridents rookie Spot didn't have enough offense to influence the game at all. Midnight walked away with an 8-3 win, retying the series at 3. Spot played better in 15-ball against the Rockers' Goatee, who had a decent performance herself. Things remained pretty even for much of the game, without anything spectacular until Spot won with a double-pot of the 8 to the top right and the 15 to the bottom right from ball-in-hand after Goatee had scratched. Spot's win put Pronger in the driver's seat at 4-3. Potter stepped up to the challenge in Accuracy, facing Midnight. The Rockers veteran Midnight fell behind early on, and while Potter faltered and even scratched on his last shot, it was too late to save midnight, who lost 3-4. Potter's win gave the Tridents a 5-3 series win to advance to the quarterfinals against the Boston Swifts, much to the home fans' displeasure.
Intel Center: Everton Eagles v. Atlantic Pirates. The #2 team will be the fan favorites here in the second-to-last series of the day. Everton's Goldy had the majority of the offense in 7-ball, but she didn't sink the 7 after a three-ball run, leaving it up at the bottom right for Atlantic's Klaus to tap in for the win, giving his team a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Blizzard showed up quite well for 8-ball, matching an early burst of offense from the Pirates' Americus to keep things close in the middle. Blizzard made a big impact at the end with a four-ball run-out to get around Americus for the win, tying the series at 1. The Eagles' Blizzard put on a huge surge with a seven-ball run to open up the game of 9-ball, but her miss on the 8 would be the last shot for her in the game. Klaus countered with a pair of shots at the end to get the win, regaining the series lead at 2-1 for Atlantic. The Eagles' Goldy made a ridiculous shot to cap a four-ball run-out in 10-ball, getting her revenge on the Pirates' Klaus with a spinning deflection off the 3 and 8 that bumped the 10 to the bottom side. She had called that shot, and nearly made the 3 and 6 as well, but it was legal the way it was. Goldy's world-class play tied the series again at 2. Blizzard put in a good effort for Everton, making a three-ball run at one point, but Americus showed up in a big way at the end for Atlantic. She was trailing, with Blizzard having just one ball left but out of position. Americus made a pair of shots, and then boldly used Blizzard's 10 as a deflector to put the 6 in the top left for the win. Americus will be hailed as a hero for gaining a 3-2 series lead for Atlantic before a tripleheader between Puff III and Isabella. The Pirates' Isabella made the first impact, absolutely dominating in Rotation against the Eagles' Puff III. Isabella had an early five-ball run and a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand on her next turn, sandwiched around Puff III making one shot before a scratch. Isabella won 8-1, putting the Pirates ahead 4-2 in the series. Puff III played much closer to Isabella's level in 15-ball, making for a close game between the highly-talented youngsters. Puff III took full advantage of Isabella's scratch on the 11 near the end, making a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to get the win, pulling the series back to a pivotal 4-3 score. Puff III and Isabella battled about as closely in possibly in their third match, playing Accuracy pretty well. The score was tied at the end of the rack, forcing overtime, where Puff III missed on the break and Isabella made the 15 and 6 to secure a 2-3 win and 5-3 series win. The Atlantic Pirates pull off a massive upset, again to the chagrin of the home fans, and they'll meet the Capital City Sharpshooters in the quarterfinals.
The Intel Pitch: Freedom Cascades v. Golden Pilots. The Cascades, neighbors and rivals of the Gems, got a few of their own fans to support the Governor's Cup winners in their first series. Freedom's Nikolai got off to a nice start with a three-ball run, and he added two more on his next turn, but Golden's Valencia poked the 7 to the top left to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty had a strong start in 8-ball with a three-ball run, but she chipped a lot of her remaining shots in the game. The Cascades' Roxy didn't immediately pick up the slack in offense, but she rallied at the end with a six-ball run-out to get the win, tying the series at 1. Golden's Valencia seemed like the better player in 9-ball, but Freedom's Nikolai flipped the script from their earlier meeting, striking for the last two balls after Valencia had a three-ball run to own the possession advantage. Nikolai's 8-9 combination to the bottom side sealed the win and put Freedom ahead 2-1 in the series. Valencia had another solid performance for the Pilots in 10-ball, but the Cascades' Jasmine kept with her just about perfectly. Valencia pulled away on a three-ball run late in the game, but her bank attempt on the 10 was terrible. Jasmine made the 10 straight in for the win, putting the Cascades up 3-1. Golden's A. Charlton stepped up well in 12-ball, battling early on before slowly finding herself some positive positioning. She made Freedom's Roxy look silly for playing defense at the end, making a well-executed three-ball run-out for the win to cut the series back to 3-2. The Cascades' Jasmine did not mess around in Rotation, making a five-ball run from the break. Stunned, Charlton had little offense for the Pilots, ending up getting shut out despite playing decent defense to slow Jasmine down. Jasmine still won 8-0, pushing the series lead to 4-2. Jasmine put everything she had into 15-ball, dominating in possession with the highlight being a four-ball run at the start and near the end, including three on the break. Still, Charlton survived those surges to pick up the 15 at the bottom right, keeping Golden alive in the 4-3 series and passing the baton to the team's legend. Roxy and Dusty engaged in a great second battle in Accuracy, with Dusty holding the lead deep into the game for the Pilots until she faded, missing three late shots to allow Roxy to win 2-4, clinching the series at 5-3 for Freedom. The Cascades will host the Southridge Defenders in the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Tomorrow, the 2017 Tournament comes to a full stop with the last three rounds of the City Cup. This can't miss action will also be on Twitter @UnitedPCL, as will any cricket played tonight.
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