We're on to a new set of games today, beginning with...
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Wings v. Shawn. The red cue gets the first look, playing 10-ball in the opening series today. Midland's Shawn had the best sequence in game 1 with a five-ball run, but he didn't make it count for much as Central's Wings took the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Wings had an obvious advantage in possession in game 2, a three-ball run the highlight of that, but the Predators' Shawn took the win as he made the 10 on his second try. This play tied the series at 1. Wings had two instances of illegally potted balls in game 3, the first seeing Shawn pass on possession and the second seeing the visitor bury the 10 to the bottom left to win. Shawn took the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Vladimir Vasilyev. Two young players go at it in 8-ball with the blue cue. Stonebridge's Vladimir had a strong start to game 1, giving up some collateral damage to Commerce's Niki. This almost backfired when Niki had a five-ball run, but Vladimir closed the game victorious for a 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Vladimir had a four-ball run early in game 2 to pace his attack, and while the Tradewinds' Niki came close to catching up, she was a bit too slow again. Vladimir shut things down late and secured the series at 2-0 in his favor. Vladimir started game 3 with a six-ball run, but Niki would pick up a five-ball run on her third turn of the game, and she beat him to the finish to take her only win. Vladimir advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Graham v. Noelle. The blue cue remains at the table for 12-ball between two of Empyre's most popular players. Central's Noelle answered a pair of early balls from Eastside's Graham with her own four-ball run. This put Graham into an ultimately futile defensive posture, as his scratch paved the path for Noelle to take the win and 1-0 series lead. Noelle bombed a three-ball run just on the break of game 2, all solids dropping. This shook the Sharks' Graham, who never fully covered that damage, and Noelle patiently put the other three balls away to grab the win and the 2-0 series lead. Noelle had another blistering break, but she illegally potted one of the stripes this time. Graham rallied from here, making it a closer finish than before, but not close enough as Noelle tapped her last shot in at the top side. Noelle swept the series 3-0 to move into the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Sweetheart v. Paps. Back in 8-ball, the blue cue administers a series between veterans. Tysini's Paps burst forward on a four-ball run early in game 1, but it wouldn't be enough, as Boston's Sweetheart matched that at the end on a four-ball run-out for the win. Sweetheart leads the series 1-0. In game 2, the Swifts' Sweetheart burst forward with a six-ball run on the break with a little collateral damage. The Hummingbirds' Paps pulled back close in the game, but he missed on the 8, and Sweetheart buried it on her second try to take the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Paps outran Sweetheart in a competitive and exciting game 3, using a couple of three-ball runs and a two-ball finish to get the win. Sweetheart took the series at 2-1 to advance into the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Jennifer Livilotti v. Neopolitan. A couple of stars shine in 7-ball with the red cue. Terrace City's Jennifer needed only three shots to win in game 1, getting the 1 on the break and finishing with a 3-7 combination to the top left to take a 1-0 series lead over Pearl's Neopolitan. In game 2, the Surfers' Neopolitan countered with ferocity, using a six-ball run-out after an unsuccessful turn by the Knights' Jennifer to take the win. This made Jennifer's win earlier look wise by being finished so early, as Neopolitan's effort here tied the series at 1. Game 3 was the closest in the series, and while Neopolitan did have a three-ball run, she also had a late scratch, and Jennifer made the last two balls for the win. Jennifer took the series 2-1, moving on to the second round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Tigerette v. Pauline. The blue cue returns to action in another 12-ball series. Commerce's Tigerette conquered Capital City's Pauline in game 1, getting a three-ball run from the break and a strong enough positioning set for a three-ball run-out in the end. Tigerette's shutout effort gives her a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Pauline was better in game 2, in that she made a ball during the game. The Tradewinds' Tigerette still dominated throughout the game, with a three-ball run early on and an impressive bank to the bottom left to win after a scratch had set her back. Tigerette took the series at 2-0, with nearly 100% of the possession. Pauline avoided a total embarrassment with her win in game 3, a four-ball run highlighting the performance. Tigerette had a chance to get the win, but she couldn't keep her run going, and she settled for a 2-1 series win.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Cassie v. Bells. A rookie meets a veteran in 7-ball, the silver cue's first series today. Royal's Cassie did a lot of things right in game 1, but she still needed a massive mistake by Todavía's Bells, who missed the 7 at tap-in range, to get the win. Cassie leads 1-0 in the series thanks to Bells' blunder. In game 2, the Crowns' Cassie had a three-ball run ended by illegal contact, but the Stills' Bells missed on the 7 to give her a three-ball run that would go to waste. Cassie took the 7 on the last shot, winning the game and the series at 2-0. Bells had a three-ball run early in game 3 before it turned into a gritty ending. Bells did get the win over Cassie this time, driving the 7 off the left rail and into the bottom right. Cassie claimed the series 2-1 to advance to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Waluigi v. Easter. A sophomore takes on a stronger captain in Rotation with the blue cue. Lighton's Waluigi started pretty well in game 1, but he couldn't sustain it against a good defensive effort by Todavía's Easter, who rallied late and won 8-4 for a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter had an easy go of it in game 2, as the Prestige's Waluigi committed three errors during the game, leading to most of Easter's points. Easter would take the win at 8-1, clinching the series with a 2-0 lead. Waluigi had no trouble in game 3, as he battled closely with Easter in the early part of the game before erupting for a five-ball run-out that secured an 8-2 victory for him. Easter still won the series handily at 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Hoot v. Mario. The silver cue is back for more 7-ball in this series. Central's Mario took advantage of the scraps Viewpoint Sound's Hoot left behind in game 1. There were plenty of those, none better than Mario taking the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot had to fight hard in game 2 to get himself back into the series, but he pieced together a four-ball run-out to stymie the Warriors' Mario at the end. Hoot's strong finish this time tied the series at 1. Mario had two pairs of successful shots in game 3, the latter earning him the win after Hoot whiffed badly on the 3. Mario took the 3 from ball-in-hand, and then made the 4-7 combination to the top right to secure the series at 2-1 in his favor. Mario heads to the second round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gal Gadot v. Gabe. The blue cue gets a taste of 9-ball in this series. North Modernistic's Gal had control of game 1 from the start with three balls on the break. Maplewood's Gabe tried to battle back, but Gal won with an 8-9 combination to the bottom right for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Gal couldn't replicate that effort in game 2, as the Lumberjacks' Gabe took a much more significant role in the game. Gal had a late push with a pair of shots, but Gabe made the last pair of balls for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw another competitive effort on both sides, as Gabe had a three-ball run over the middle only to see Gal make a three-ball run-out to deny him the series. Gal won the game and advanced to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Brownie v. Watermelon. The blue cue stays on for another 9-ball series between these two veterans. Tysini's Brownie found a burst of strength in game 1 on her second turn, stunning Pearl's Watermelon with a six-ball run-out culminating in a 6-9 combination to the bottom right. Brownie leads the series 1-0 after the impressive finish. The Hummingbirds' Brownie lightly hounded the 9 for parts of game 2, while the Surfers' Watermelon elected to keep her shooting strategy simple. Brownie got the better of Watermelon at the end, glancing a shot off the 5 to make the 9 in the top right for the win and the 2-0 series lead. Game 3 started a bit slower than the others, and Watermelon had her chances to make a run, but Brownie took over at the end on a three-ball run-out, earning the win and a 3-0 series sweep as she heads to the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Mario. The final series today is in 10-ball with the silver cue. Central's Mario had a jumbled start to game 1, but he passed on possession after Midland's Americus illegally potted a ball. Americus extended her run to seven balls, good for the win as she drained the 10 in the top right to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Warriors' Mario would make the same decision in game 2 as the Predators' Americus illegally potted the 6. She didn't make him pay for it this time, but Americus still got the win in the natural flow of play, defeating Mario and clinching the series at 2-0. Mario got one back in game 3, battling Americus to the end to get his only win in the series. Americus advances on a 2-1 series win, moving into the second round.
That's all for today's games. We'll be back with more of the same tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Tournament 2018 - Round 1 Day 14
We're back with a new day of games, and we should have four days in a row before the next off day. We begin with...
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Wario. These two cousins and personal rivals meet in Accuracy with the red cue. Central's Mario had a strong outing in game 1, holding his lead throughout the game and winning 2-4 after a late miss induced by Victoria's Wario. Mario holds a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Wario had a big lead in game 2 after a horrendous start by the Warriors' Mario. Things started to slip as Wario scratched and inched closer to a hard-charging Mario, but a strong finish on both sides gave Wario the 3-4 win to tie the series at 1. Wario put together another good game in game 3, challenging Mario closely this time. Mario planned a route to force a tie, but Wario got a lucky bailout when the final ball found the top side for his 1-2 win. Wario takes the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Rudolph. The red cue gets another Accuracy series between Brute Force members. Harrison's Rudolph really established himself, forcing Midland's Rainmane into a series of misses in the middle of the game. This gave him an ample cushion to win 2-4 after his own late fade, and Rudolph took the series lead at 1-0. Game 2 saw the players stay tight with each other, as the Specters Rudolph frequently held the lead, but the Predators' Rainmane was within reach. Rudolph made a move late, getting Rainmane to miss so that he could win 2-3 and clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, Rudolph held a stronger lead for much of the game as he placed the ball well defensively. Rainmane had no counterattack for that, falling 2-4 again as Rudolph swept the series 3-0 to advance to the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Bright. The sophomore hosts another series today, bringing in a veteran to oppose in Rotation with the blue cue. Central's Mario got off to a good start and looked to hold a dominating lead in game 1, but a five-ball run by Pearl's Bright changed that. Bright battled hard toward the end, winning 8-5 to take a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Mario again jumped out to a lead in game 2, and the Surfers' Bright tied it with a three-ball run this time, leading to a hard battle to the finish. Mario prevailed here, making the 15 when Bright couldn't for an 8-7 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 provided plenty of fireworks, as the players started off close. Mario erupted for a six-ball run featuring three impressive multi-stage shots, only to be outdone on a seven-ball run-out from Bright for the 8-7 win. Bright took the series 2-1 to move into the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Sparkles v. Marsell. The silver cue debuts for the day in 10-ball between these solid veterans. Whitewater's Marsell justified his rising star status, overcoming a slow start in game 1 to answer a three-ball run by Golden's Sparkles. Marsell fired off a four-ball run-out with good positioning for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Marsell was on another deep five-ball run in game 2 when he illegally potted the 5. The Pilots' Sparkles elected to take possession from here, winning on a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Sparkles had a decent game 3, but Marsell did enough to muck up her shooting plans throughout the game. This culminated in a scratch on the 10, and Marsell took it from ball-in-hand for the win and the 2-1 series win. Marsell is in the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Shaggy. The blue cue is back for a 10-ball series between a rookie and a veteran. Oceanside's Jason looked outright dominant early in game 1, but he faded toward the end of the game, and Whitewater's Shaggy took advantage with a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy took a more aggressive approach in game 2, playing with a bit of ferocity. She frequently left the Waves' Jason with no shot, and he didn't get much out of the few clear looks he had. Shaggy secured the game with three balls over her last two turns, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw mostly a going-through-the-motions theme, as Shaggy and Jason lazily exchanged shots. Shaggy had a nice run late in the game to pick up the win for a 3-0 series sweep to put her in the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Gabe. The red cue pops up for some 7-ball in this series. Maplewood's Gabe had a three-ball run after Southridge's Debby scratched on the break, and Gabe remained strong all game, picking up the win easily for a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Debby had a better effort in game 2 with a three-ball run, but her scratch in pursuit of positioning allowed the Lumberjacks' Gabe to take off. He rallied with a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, taking the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Gabe had a good share of possession in game 3 as well, but he couldn't corral the rascally 7, which Debby put down on her second try to get the win. Gabe advances on a 2-1 series win to the second round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Vincent Sullivan. The silver cue gets the call for Rotation between these two tough players. Viewpoint Sound's Vincent broke the cagey start with a four-ball run early on, and while Freedom's Nikolai got some of it back, Vincent closed the door at 8-4 for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 took a different route to get to the same spot, as the Meteors' Vincent played well early on, getting two balls on the break and two more shortly after. The Cascades' Nikolai cut into a deficit with a three-ball run, but his scratch allowed Vincent to make the last two shots to win 8-4, securing the series at 2-0. Vincent and Nikolai had an energetic game 3, each exchanging four-balls runs before Nikolai surged forward to get the 8-6 win in the end. Vincent claimed the series at 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Frosty v. Dominic. The silver cue stays in action for 8-ball between veterans. Southern's Dominic had a crafty game 1 effort, although he was nearly too generous to Stonebridge's Frosty. Dominic had some collateral damage on his middle burst, but overcame it in the end to take the win and a 1-0 series lead after Frosty couldn't finish off her suit. The Monarchs' Dominic had a strong start in game 2, but he couldn't corral the last two solid balls, and the Wolves' Frosty mounted a remarkable comeback, winning with a three-ball run-out. Frosty's win tied the series at 1. A slow start to game 3 quickly gave way to a race between the players, with Frosty picking up steam on a late four-ball run only to fall in the end as Dominic made two shots for the win. Dominic secured the series at 2-1 to put himself into the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Luigi. The red cue is in play for this series of 12-ball. Royal's Kayla had a fine start to game 1, getting two balls early, but she was quickly pushed out of position. North Modernistic's Luigi had a three-ball run to set himself up, and then a three-ball run-out of well-played shots to get the win for a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 took a lot longer to play through, as the Nighthawks' Luigi tried to play defensively against a surging effort from the Crowns' Kayla. In the end, Kayla got better positioning for her last shot and eventually took the win to tie the series at 1. Kayla and Luigi had a lot to play for in a fast game 3, which Kayla started with two balls on the break. She made the best of poor positioning, and got a little help when Luigi missed contact with one of his balls. Kayla made the last two balls from ball-in-hand, winning the series 2-1 to make the second round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: B. Chapman v. Cheddar. An all-Nighthawks series sees these two veterans meet in 7-ball with the blue cue. Cheddar couldn't keep her shots clean in game 1, a problem that plagued her to the point of Chapman easily taking the win from ball-in-hand for a 1-0 series lead. Cheddar worked on her play with a four-ball run in game 2, but her attempt to add the 7 to an already-potted 4 failed with a scratch. Chapman mopped up the results of that, taking the last two balls from ball-in-hand for the win, securing the series in her favor at 2-0. Chapman eased up significantly in a slow-moving game 3, which gave Cheddar the time to find her shot and pick up the win on a four-ball run-out. Chapman took the series 2-1 to move on to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Summer v. Caitlin. The silver cue returns to action for this 12-ball series with a rookie and a veteran. Maplewood's Summer took a ball on the break, and while Southridge's Caitlin matched that on her first turn, Summer surged with a five-ball run-out on her second turn for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Summer gave away a wild-card ball on her active break, but the Defenders' Caitlin matched that with one of her own later in game 2. This put them on even footing, and a three-ball run-out by Summer after her strong defense held up was all she needed to top Caitlin again to clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Summer give away a wild-card ball, but she made up for it with impeccable defense that frustrated Caitlin all game. Summer secured the sweep on a pair of late shots, using a deflection off of Caitlin's ball to seal it.
Apple Center, Todavía: Prism v. Mams. The final series today is in 15-ball with the red cue between these Coastal rivals. Todavía's Prism had a nice burst in the middle of game 1, helping to keep things moving in the game, but her finishing skills lacked. Viewpoint Sound's Mams took advantage of that, making the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Mams left the Stills' Prism a good shot from the break, and Prism nearly got the 15 in combination with the 8 after deflecting off the 1. Prism didn't wait long to strike, making the 3-15 combination to the bottom right when Mams left it lined up. Prism's win tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw Prism take another large portion of the early attack, only to falter at the end when it mattered most. Mams cleaned up this one as well taking the win for a 2-1 series win, propelling her to the second round.
That's all for the games today. We'll be back tomorrow with another slate of action.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Wario. These two cousins and personal rivals meet in Accuracy with the red cue. Central's Mario had a strong outing in game 1, holding his lead throughout the game and winning 2-4 after a late miss induced by Victoria's Wario. Mario holds a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Wario had a big lead in game 2 after a horrendous start by the Warriors' Mario. Things started to slip as Wario scratched and inched closer to a hard-charging Mario, but a strong finish on both sides gave Wario the 3-4 win to tie the series at 1. Wario put together another good game in game 3, challenging Mario closely this time. Mario planned a route to force a tie, but Wario got a lucky bailout when the final ball found the top side for his 1-2 win. Wario takes the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Rainmane v. Rudolph. The red cue gets another Accuracy series between Brute Force members. Harrison's Rudolph really established himself, forcing Midland's Rainmane into a series of misses in the middle of the game. This gave him an ample cushion to win 2-4 after his own late fade, and Rudolph took the series lead at 1-0. Game 2 saw the players stay tight with each other, as the Specters Rudolph frequently held the lead, but the Predators' Rainmane was within reach. Rudolph made a move late, getting Rainmane to miss so that he could win 2-3 and clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, Rudolph held a stronger lead for much of the game as he placed the ball well defensively. Rainmane had no counterattack for that, falling 2-4 again as Rudolph swept the series 3-0 to advance to the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Bright. The sophomore hosts another series today, bringing in a veteran to oppose in Rotation with the blue cue. Central's Mario got off to a good start and looked to hold a dominating lead in game 1, but a five-ball run by Pearl's Bright changed that. Bright battled hard toward the end, winning 8-5 to take a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Mario again jumped out to a lead in game 2, and the Surfers' Bright tied it with a three-ball run this time, leading to a hard battle to the finish. Mario prevailed here, making the 15 when Bright couldn't for an 8-7 win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 provided plenty of fireworks, as the players started off close. Mario erupted for a six-ball run featuring three impressive multi-stage shots, only to be outdone on a seven-ball run-out from Bright for the 8-7 win. Bright took the series 2-1 to move into the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Sparkles v. Marsell. The silver cue debuts for the day in 10-ball between these solid veterans. Whitewater's Marsell justified his rising star status, overcoming a slow start in game 1 to answer a three-ball run by Golden's Sparkles. Marsell fired off a four-ball run-out with good positioning for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Marsell was on another deep five-ball run in game 2 when he illegally potted the 5. The Pilots' Sparkles elected to take possession from here, winning on a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Sparkles had a decent game 3, but Marsell did enough to muck up her shooting plans throughout the game. This culminated in a scratch on the 10, and Marsell took it from ball-in-hand for the win and the 2-1 series win. Marsell is in the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Shaggy. The blue cue is back for a 10-ball series between a rookie and a veteran. Oceanside's Jason looked outright dominant early in game 1, but he faded toward the end of the game, and Whitewater's Shaggy took advantage with a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy took a more aggressive approach in game 2, playing with a bit of ferocity. She frequently left the Waves' Jason with no shot, and he didn't get much out of the few clear looks he had. Shaggy secured the game with three balls over her last two turns, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw mostly a going-through-the-motions theme, as Shaggy and Jason lazily exchanged shots. Shaggy had a nice run late in the game to pick up the win for a 3-0 series sweep to put her in the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Debby Ryan v. Gabe. The red cue pops up for some 7-ball in this series. Maplewood's Gabe had a three-ball run after Southridge's Debby scratched on the break, and Gabe remained strong all game, picking up the win easily for a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Debby had a better effort in game 2 with a three-ball run, but her scratch in pursuit of positioning allowed the Lumberjacks' Gabe to take off. He rallied with a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, taking the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Gabe had a good share of possession in game 3 as well, but he couldn't corral the rascally 7, which Debby put down on her second try to get the win. Gabe advances on a 2-1 series win to the second round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Nikolai v. Vincent Sullivan. The silver cue gets the call for Rotation between these two tough players. Viewpoint Sound's Vincent broke the cagey start with a four-ball run early on, and while Freedom's Nikolai got some of it back, Vincent closed the door at 8-4 for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 took a different route to get to the same spot, as the Meteors' Vincent played well early on, getting two balls on the break and two more shortly after. The Cascades' Nikolai cut into a deficit with a three-ball run, but his scratch allowed Vincent to make the last two shots to win 8-4, securing the series at 2-0. Vincent and Nikolai had an energetic game 3, each exchanging four-balls runs before Nikolai surged forward to get the 8-6 win in the end. Vincent claimed the series at 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Frosty v. Dominic. The silver cue stays in action for 8-ball between veterans. Southern's Dominic had a crafty game 1 effort, although he was nearly too generous to Stonebridge's Frosty. Dominic had some collateral damage on his middle burst, but overcame it in the end to take the win and a 1-0 series lead after Frosty couldn't finish off her suit. The Monarchs' Dominic had a strong start in game 2, but he couldn't corral the last two solid balls, and the Wolves' Frosty mounted a remarkable comeback, winning with a three-ball run-out. Frosty's win tied the series at 1. A slow start to game 3 quickly gave way to a race between the players, with Frosty picking up steam on a late four-ball run only to fall in the end as Dominic made two shots for the win. Dominic secured the series at 2-1 to put himself into the second round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Luigi. The red cue is in play for this series of 12-ball. Royal's Kayla had a fine start to game 1, getting two balls early, but she was quickly pushed out of position. North Modernistic's Luigi had a three-ball run to set himself up, and then a three-ball run-out of well-played shots to get the win for a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 took a lot longer to play through, as the Nighthawks' Luigi tried to play defensively against a surging effort from the Crowns' Kayla. In the end, Kayla got better positioning for her last shot and eventually took the win to tie the series at 1. Kayla and Luigi had a lot to play for in a fast game 3, which Kayla started with two balls on the break. She made the best of poor positioning, and got a little help when Luigi missed contact with one of his balls. Kayla made the last two balls from ball-in-hand, winning the series 2-1 to make the second round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: B. Chapman v. Cheddar. An all-Nighthawks series sees these two veterans meet in 7-ball with the blue cue. Cheddar couldn't keep her shots clean in game 1, a problem that plagued her to the point of Chapman easily taking the win from ball-in-hand for a 1-0 series lead. Cheddar worked on her play with a four-ball run in game 2, but her attempt to add the 7 to an already-potted 4 failed with a scratch. Chapman mopped up the results of that, taking the last two balls from ball-in-hand for the win, securing the series in her favor at 2-0. Chapman eased up significantly in a slow-moving game 3, which gave Cheddar the time to find her shot and pick up the win on a four-ball run-out. Chapman took the series 2-1 to move on to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Summer v. Caitlin. The silver cue returns to action for this 12-ball series with a rookie and a veteran. Maplewood's Summer took a ball on the break, and while Southridge's Caitlin matched that on her first turn, Summer surged with a five-ball run-out on her second turn for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Summer gave away a wild-card ball on her active break, but the Defenders' Caitlin matched that with one of her own later in game 2. This put them on even footing, and a three-ball run-out by Summer after her strong defense held up was all she needed to top Caitlin again to clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw Summer give away a wild-card ball, but she made up for it with impeccable defense that frustrated Caitlin all game. Summer secured the sweep on a pair of late shots, using a deflection off of Caitlin's ball to seal it.
Apple Center, Todavía: Prism v. Mams. The final series today is in 15-ball with the red cue between these Coastal rivals. Todavía's Prism had a nice burst in the middle of game 1, helping to keep things moving in the game, but her finishing skills lacked. Viewpoint Sound's Mams took advantage of that, making the last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Mams left the Stills' Prism a good shot from the break, and Prism nearly got the 15 in combination with the 8 after deflecting off the 1. Prism didn't wait long to strike, making the 3-15 combination to the bottom right when Mams left it lined up. Prism's win tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw Prism take another large portion of the early attack, only to falter at the end when it mattered most. Mams cleaned up this one as well taking the win for a 2-1 series win, propelling her to the second round.
That's all for the games today. We'll be back tomorrow with another slate of action.
Select Cricket 2018 - Week 11
We're back with Select action early in Week 11 across the league. We begin with...
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks go without Gizmo in the opener for the week, while the visiting Defenders give Bianca a game off to refocus. Debby did well for Southridge with 575 on the opening turn, giving them a nice start in the game. Graham answered even stronger for Eastside with 759, giving them the initial lead. Stephanie belted 1070 for the Defenders in response, carrying them into a strong lead on the second attack. Chelsea had no chance to parry a deflected ball, watching helplessly as it clipped the boundary behind her to end her turn with only 20 points for the Sharks. Caitlin tapped another 400 to strengthen the Southridge lead, keeping them in control at this stage. Cubby had no response for that, falling at a measly 41 points for Eastside as the game slips from the hosts' grip. Hughbert tacked on 670 for the Defenders at the end, icing their offense at 2715. Salmo pulled in 599 for the Sharks at the end, but they lost with 1419. Southridge jumps to 16-2, while Eastside falls to 12-12.
Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves try to slow down a recently powerful offense in the Monarchs. Frosty sits for the hosts, while Pounce sits for the visitors in a pair of tough lineup choices. Avril had a solid effort with 367 for Southern on the opening turn. Juno answered with 599 for Stonebridge this time, giving them a distinct lead. Hoppy had an even bigger 870 for the Monarchs, the pacey and lengthy attack giving the visitors a better lead. Hershey couldn't get going for the Wolves on his turn, faltering to 164 as they fall behind halfway through. Panda had a shaky 270 for Southern this time, but their lead remains strong. Vladimir shot back with 513 for Stonebridge, cutting into the deficit before the final players' turns. Dominic tapped 144 for the Monarchs, leaving their total at 1651. Cobalt completed the rally with 688 for the Wolves, giving them the win at 1964. Stonebridge rises to 9-13, while Southern is down to 13-9.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks are back in action, facing a weaker foe in the Spurs. Cubby sits for the hosts, while Wario takes a game off for the visitors in their third of four straight on the road. Spice put in a good effort with 537 for Victoria initially, giving them a stable foundation. Graham answered with 593 for Eastside this time, carrying them ahead on the first turn. The Spurs got 735 from Yekaterina on the second attack, reclaiming a stronger lead. Chelsea had a slow pace for the Sharks, falling at 327 as they slip behind at the halfway mark. Sage kept Victoria's attack significant with a big 904 on her turn, extending their lead. Gizmo had an important backhand early in his turn to stay at bat, but he fell at 532 as Eastside remains behind. Strawberry tacked on 624 for the Spurs at the end, icing their offense at 2800 even in what should be a win. Salmo had a pacey 1047 for the Sharks at the end, but he couldn't quite reach the target, and they fell at 2499. Victoria survives a thriller game, going to 9-11, just a bit behind the 12-13 Eastside squad.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters begin a doubleheader with Rudolph on the bench, while Hershey takes rest for the Wolves after a tough previous outing. Juno finally had a down outing for Stonebridge, taking a middling 313 this time. Sydney had 585 for Harrison in response, giving them a good lead to start off the game in form. Frosty fell at 257 for the Wolves, unable to cover the deficit with the mediocre appearance. Twinkie II made a lot of her turn despite a slow pace, churning 631 to extend the Specters' lead significantly. Vladimir grabbed 405 for Stonebridge this time, but they remain behind for now. Lexi kept things steady with 401 for Harrison. Cobalt couldn't keep up for the Wolves, his 404 giving them a total of 1379 in the loss. Mitchell took 480 for the Specters at the end, giving them a total of 2097 in the win. Harrison gets a boost to 10-12, while Stonebridge drops to 9-14.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters complete the doubleheader with their captain Twinkie II resting against the Gems, who have Rosalina on the bench this time. Citrus bumped 534 for Diamond on a firm opening turn for a team not known for such plays. Sydney answered with 619 for Harrison, rallying to put them ahead by a thin margin at the start of the game. Pedey couldn't control a backhand, but he scored some more before it registered an out, ending at 304 for the Gems. Lexi countered with 450 for the Specters on her turn, giving their lead a bit more meat. Smokey fired back with a fierce 818 for Diamond, covering the deficit easily this time. Rudolph skimmed a shot off his bat tip, ending at 263 as Harrison finds themselves in a dangerous position. Cassandra got beaten on a deflection at 110 after a backhand save crippled her pace, leaving the Gems at 1766. Mitchell was hardly better at 111 for the Specters, giving them the loss at 1443. Diamond rises to 6-18, while Harrison drops back to 10-13.
UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Defenders and Lumberjacks meet two games in a row in the Northeast. Diddley sits for the hosts in the first game, while Caitlin rests for the visitors. Bianca got over her earlier benching well, smashing 893 for Southridge in a productive turn here. Whiskers answered with 517 for Maplewood, a good turn but not enough to counter the deficit this time. The Defenders got 490 from Debby on the next turn, keeping their lead strong. Bryant got beat when he misjudged his swing height on a ball, ending at 311 as it wiped out his wicket. Stephanie faltered with 106 for Southridge, weakening their lead at an inopportune time. Gabe sliced 711 for Maplewood, attacking with pace to cover the deficit with a player each to go. Hughbert fought back with 777 for the Defenders, restoring their lead and forcing the hosts into a big response as they finish with 2266. Summer was solid with 407, but the Lumberjacks lost game one of the pair with 1946. Southridge jumps to 17-2 for now, while Maplewood is down to 9-14.
UPS Ground, Maplewood: In game 2, Summer takes the bench for the hosts, while the visitors give Stephanie just her second game off all season. Bianca had 578 for Southridge this time around, another strong start from the reliable sophomore. Whiskers took a step back as well, but her 487 keeps Maplewood in the range initially. Debby carried her swing a bit too much for the Defenders, dropping at 141 as their lead weakens badly. Diddley fired back with 593 for the Lumberjacks, stepping into this short-term rivalry to give the hosts the lead. Caitlin had 444 for Southridge in response, keeping them in the fight as she recovers the deficit. Bryant regained the lead for Maplewood with 253, but their lead is fragile heading into the final players' turns. Hughbert had only 145 for the Defenders at the end, leaving them with a total of 1308. Gabe had a poor 112, but the Lumberjacks won anyway with a final score of 1445. Maplewood gets revenge to go to 10-14, while Southridge slips to 17-3.
UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks switch back to their primaries to face the Gems. Cassandra takes the bench for the visitors, while Gabe rests for the hosts. Rosalina put in a challenge with 509 for Diamond on the opening turn, giving the hosts something to aim for. Whiskers had a powerful swing on her turn, but a bad angle downed her at 328 for Maplewood, exiting earlier than expected. Citrus pounded 587 for the Gems on the second attack, extending their lead. Diddley couldn't defend his wicket well, falling at a meager 94 for the Lumberjacks this time. Pedey gathered 408 for Diamond, extending their lead a bit more with the nice haul. Bryant raked in 697 for Maplewood on the counterattack, cutting into the deep deficit. Smokey tacked on 304 at the end for the Gems, hoping their total of 1808 will hold up in the end. Summer tried to recover from a technical error, but her 361 left the Lumberjacks at a total of 1480 in the loss. Diamond is up to 7-18, while Maplewood sinks to 10-15.
Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors take on a busy Wolves team this time. Nibbles sits for the hosts while Juno takes her rest for the Wolves now. Frosty tallied 471 for Stonebridge in a solid opening turn from the veteran. Mams had 277 for Viewpoint Sound in response, unable to cover the deficit. Hershey had a couple of nice swings in a fairly standard turn for the Wolves, and he grabbed 399 by the end of his appearance to pad the lead. Hoot nearly matched that with 381 for the Meteors, but they still trail halfway through the game. Stonebridge got another big performance from Vladimir, as he tacked on 632 to their lead this time out. Vincent cut into the deficit with 743 for Viewpoint Sound, trying to close the gap late in the game. Cobalt poked 336 for the Wolves, putting their final score at 1838. Dani failed to take the win for the Meteors, her paltry 128 leaving them at a loss with 1529. Stonebridge jumps to 10-14, while Viewpoint Sound drops to 9-9.
GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders return home to face the Prestige in their third of four straight on the road. The visitors sit Waluigi for this critical battle, while the hosts have their captain Debby on the bench. Acorn started with 487 for Lighton in this one, a solid performance form the captain. Bianca countered with a gritty 510 for Southridge, playing a long turn at a patient pace. Spirit took a rough 208 for the Prestige, covering the deficit only by a slight margin. Stephanie started out on an electric pace for the Defenders, rallying to 664 to extend their lead greatly. Katelynn made a push with 455 for Lighton, keeping things close for now. The similarly-named Caitlin answered with 786 for Southridge, boosting their lead with a player each to go. Nicole had no response for that with 66 for the Prestige, letting them take a hard loss at 1216. Hughbert tapped 202 to give the Defenders a win with 2162. Southridge is 18-3 on the year, while Lighton falls back to 11-6.
Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves and Spurs clash twice to end the week in a home-and-home. For this one, Cobalt and Wario are on the bench for the hosts and visitors, respectively. Spice hammered 933 on a fast pace for Victoria, putting them well ahead on the initial attack. Juno answered with a pacey 663 for Stonebridge, but they are behind after the first turn. Yekaterina wasted no time in extending the Spurs lead with a huge 888 on the second attack. Frosty couldn't keep up with the established pace for the Wolves, taking only 368 in this track-meet game. Sage got jammed at 147 for Victoria, weakening their lead a bit with the sub-par outing. Hershey made a dent in the deficit with 512 for Stonebridge, but they'll need a lot more on the final turn. Strawberry tapped 167 for the Spurs at the end, leaving them a bit vulnerable at 2135. Vladimir accidentally flicked a ball into his stump, ending at 375 as the Wolves lose with 1918. Victoria takes part one of this doubleheader to go to 10-11, while Stonebridge drops to 10-15.
Sprint Pitch, Victoria: At the other venue, the benched players are Vladimir for the Wolves and Sage for the Spurs. Juno performed well with 570 to open for Stonebridge this time, giving them a nice advantage for now. Spice has found her form at mid-year for Victoria, drilling another 932 to take the lead initially in this game. Frosty buckled at a meager 55 for the Wolves, leaving them at a steep deficit after the second attack. Yekaterina had only 6 points for the Spurs on her turn, the game taking a low-scoring turn at the halfway mark on both sides. Hershey hauled in 392 for Stonebridge on his turn, denting the deficit quite well. Wario covered the deficit but only just with 147 for Victoria, their lead fragile heading into the final players' turns. Cobalt took 270 for the Wolves at the end, their final score resting at 1287 to force a modest response from the hosts. Strawberry had 277 for the Spurs, securing their win at 1362. Victoria is even at the midway mark at 11-11, while Stonebridge sinks again to 10-16.
We're done with Select action this week, their season now halfway done. Tournament play resumes this afternoon.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks go without Gizmo in the opener for the week, while the visiting Defenders give Bianca a game off to refocus. Debby did well for Southridge with 575 on the opening turn, giving them a nice start in the game. Graham answered even stronger for Eastside with 759, giving them the initial lead. Stephanie belted 1070 for the Defenders in response, carrying them into a strong lead on the second attack. Chelsea had no chance to parry a deflected ball, watching helplessly as it clipped the boundary behind her to end her turn with only 20 points for the Sharks. Caitlin tapped another 400 to strengthen the Southridge lead, keeping them in control at this stage. Cubby had no response for that, falling at a measly 41 points for Eastside as the game slips from the hosts' grip. Hughbert tacked on 670 for the Defenders at the end, icing their offense at 2715. Salmo pulled in 599 for the Sharks at the end, but they lost with 1419. Southridge jumps to 16-2, while Eastside falls to 12-12.
Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves try to slow down a recently powerful offense in the Monarchs. Frosty sits for the hosts, while Pounce sits for the visitors in a pair of tough lineup choices. Avril had a solid effort with 367 for Southern on the opening turn. Juno answered with 599 for Stonebridge this time, giving them a distinct lead. Hoppy had an even bigger 870 for the Monarchs, the pacey and lengthy attack giving the visitors a better lead. Hershey couldn't get going for the Wolves on his turn, faltering to 164 as they fall behind halfway through. Panda had a shaky 270 for Southern this time, but their lead remains strong. Vladimir shot back with 513 for Stonebridge, cutting into the deficit before the final players' turns. Dominic tapped 144 for the Monarchs, leaving their total at 1651. Cobalt completed the rally with 688 for the Wolves, giving them the win at 1964. Stonebridge rises to 9-13, while Southern is down to 13-9.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks are back in action, facing a weaker foe in the Spurs. Cubby sits for the hosts, while Wario takes a game off for the visitors in their third of four straight on the road. Spice put in a good effort with 537 for Victoria initially, giving them a stable foundation. Graham answered with 593 for Eastside this time, carrying them ahead on the first turn. The Spurs got 735 from Yekaterina on the second attack, reclaiming a stronger lead. Chelsea had a slow pace for the Sharks, falling at 327 as they slip behind at the halfway mark. Sage kept Victoria's attack significant with a big 904 on her turn, extending their lead. Gizmo had an important backhand early in his turn to stay at bat, but he fell at 532 as Eastside remains behind. Strawberry tacked on 624 for the Spurs at the end, icing their offense at 2800 even in what should be a win. Salmo had a pacey 1047 for the Sharks at the end, but he couldn't quite reach the target, and they fell at 2499. Victoria survives a thriller game, going to 9-11, just a bit behind the 12-13 Eastside squad.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters begin a doubleheader with Rudolph on the bench, while Hershey takes rest for the Wolves after a tough previous outing. Juno finally had a down outing for Stonebridge, taking a middling 313 this time. Sydney had 585 for Harrison in response, giving them a good lead to start off the game in form. Frosty fell at 257 for the Wolves, unable to cover the deficit with the mediocre appearance. Twinkie II made a lot of her turn despite a slow pace, churning 631 to extend the Specters' lead significantly. Vladimir grabbed 405 for Stonebridge this time, but they remain behind for now. Lexi kept things steady with 401 for Harrison. Cobalt couldn't keep up for the Wolves, his 404 giving them a total of 1379 in the loss. Mitchell took 480 for the Specters at the end, giving them a total of 2097 in the win. Harrison gets a boost to 10-12, while Stonebridge drops to 9-14.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters complete the doubleheader with their captain Twinkie II resting against the Gems, who have Rosalina on the bench this time. Citrus bumped 534 for Diamond on a firm opening turn for a team not known for such plays. Sydney answered with 619 for Harrison, rallying to put them ahead by a thin margin at the start of the game. Pedey couldn't control a backhand, but he scored some more before it registered an out, ending at 304 for the Gems. Lexi countered with 450 for the Specters on her turn, giving their lead a bit more meat. Smokey fired back with a fierce 818 for Diamond, covering the deficit easily this time. Rudolph skimmed a shot off his bat tip, ending at 263 as Harrison finds themselves in a dangerous position. Cassandra got beaten on a deflection at 110 after a backhand save crippled her pace, leaving the Gems at 1766. Mitchell was hardly better at 111 for the Specters, giving them the loss at 1443. Diamond rises to 6-18, while Harrison drops back to 10-13.
UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Defenders and Lumberjacks meet two games in a row in the Northeast. Diddley sits for the hosts in the first game, while Caitlin rests for the visitors. Bianca got over her earlier benching well, smashing 893 for Southridge in a productive turn here. Whiskers answered with 517 for Maplewood, a good turn but not enough to counter the deficit this time. The Defenders got 490 from Debby on the next turn, keeping their lead strong. Bryant got beat when he misjudged his swing height on a ball, ending at 311 as it wiped out his wicket. Stephanie faltered with 106 for Southridge, weakening their lead at an inopportune time. Gabe sliced 711 for Maplewood, attacking with pace to cover the deficit with a player each to go. Hughbert fought back with 777 for the Defenders, restoring their lead and forcing the hosts into a big response as they finish with 2266. Summer was solid with 407, but the Lumberjacks lost game one of the pair with 1946. Southridge jumps to 17-2 for now, while Maplewood is down to 9-14.
UPS Ground, Maplewood: In game 2, Summer takes the bench for the hosts, while the visitors give Stephanie just her second game off all season. Bianca had 578 for Southridge this time around, another strong start from the reliable sophomore. Whiskers took a step back as well, but her 487 keeps Maplewood in the range initially. Debby carried her swing a bit too much for the Defenders, dropping at 141 as their lead weakens badly. Diddley fired back with 593 for the Lumberjacks, stepping into this short-term rivalry to give the hosts the lead. Caitlin had 444 for Southridge in response, keeping them in the fight as she recovers the deficit. Bryant regained the lead for Maplewood with 253, but their lead is fragile heading into the final players' turns. Hughbert had only 145 for the Defenders at the end, leaving them with a total of 1308. Gabe had a poor 112, but the Lumberjacks won anyway with a final score of 1445. Maplewood gets revenge to go to 10-14, while Southridge slips to 17-3.
UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks switch back to their primaries to face the Gems. Cassandra takes the bench for the visitors, while Gabe rests for the hosts. Rosalina put in a challenge with 509 for Diamond on the opening turn, giving the hosts something to aim for. Whiskers had a powerful swing on her turn, but a bad angle downed her at 328 for Maplewood, exiting earlier than expected. Citrus pounded 587 for the Gems on the second attack, extending their lead. Diddley couldn't defend his wicket well, falling at a meager 94 for the Lumberjacks this time. Pedey gathered 408 for Diamond, extending their lead a bit more with the nice haul. Bryant raked in 697 for Maplewood on the counterattack, cutting into the deep deficit. Smokey tacked on 304 at the end for the Gems, hoping their total of 1808 will hold up in the end. Summer tried to recover from a technical error, but her 361 left the Lumberjacks at a total of 1480 in the loss. Diamond is up to 7-18, while Maplewood sinks to 10-15.
Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors take on a busy Wolves team this time. Nibbles sits for the hosts while Juno takes her rest for the Wolves now. Frosty tallied 471 for Stonebridge in a solid opening turn from the veteran. Mams had 277 for Viewpoint Sound in response, unable to cover the deficit. Hershey had a couple of nice swings in a fairly standard turn for the Wolves, and he grabbed 399 by the end of his appearance to pad the lead. Hoot nearly matched that with 381 for the Meteors, but they still trail halfway through the game. Stonebridge got another big performance from Vladimir, as he tacked on 632 to their lead this time out. Vincent cut into the deficit with 743 for Viewpoint Sound, trying to close the gap late in the game. Cobalt poked 336 for the Wolves, putting their final score at 1838. Dani failed to take the win for the Meteors, her paltry 128 leaving them at a loss with 1529. Stonebridge jumps to 10-14, while Viewpoint Sound drops to 9-9.
GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders return home to face the Prestige in their third of four straight on the road. The visitors sit Waluigi for this critical battle, while the hosts have their captain Debby on the bench. Acorn started with 487 for Lighton in this one, a solid performance form the captain. Bianca countered with a gritty 510 for Southridge, playing a long turn at a patient pace. Spirit took a rough 208 for the Prestige, covering the deficit only by a slight margin. Stephanie started out on an electric pace for the Defenders, rallying to 664 to extend their lead greatly. Katelynn made a push with 455 for Lighton, keeping things close for now. The similarly-named Caitlin answered with 786 for Southridge, boosting their lead with a player each to go. Nicole had no response for that with 66 for the Prestige, letting them take a hard loss at 1216. Hughbert tapped 202 to give the Defenders a win with 2162. Southridge is 18-3 on the year, while Lighton falls back to 11-6.
Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves and Spurs clash twice to end the week in a home-and-home. For this one, Cobalt and Wario are on the bench for the hosts and visitors, respectively. Spice hammered 933 on a fast pace for Victoria, putting them well ahead on the initial attack. Juno answered with a pacey 663 for Stonebridge, but they are behind after the first turn. Yekaterina wasted no time in extending the Spurs lead with a huge 888 on the second attack. Frosty couldn't keep up with the established pace for the Wolves, taking only 368 in this track-meet game. Sage got jammed at 147 for Victoria, weakening their lead a bit with the sub-par outing. Hershey made a dent in the deficit with 512 for Stonebridge, but they'll need a lot more on the final turn. Strawberry tapped 167 for the Spurs at the end, leaving them a bit vulnerable at 2135. Vladimir accidentally flicked a ball into his stump, ending at 375 as the Wolves lose with 1918. Victoria takes part one of this doubleheader to go to 10-11, while Stonebridge drops to 10-15.
Sprint Pitch, Victoria: At the other venue, the benched players are Vladimir for the Wolves and Sage for the Spurs. Juno performed well with 570 to open for Stonebridge this time, giving them a nice advantage for now. Spice has found her form at mid-year for Victoria, drilling another 932 to take the lead initially in this game. Frosty buckled at a meager 55 for the Wolves, leaving them at a steep deficit after the second attack. Yekaterina had only 6 points for the Spurs on her turn, the game taking a low-scoring turn at the halfway mark on both sides. Hershey hauled in 392 for Stonebridge on his turn, denting the deficit quite well. Wario covered the deficit but only just with 147 for Victoria, their lead fragile heading into the final players' turns. Cobalt took 270 for the Wolves at the end, their final score resting at 1287 to force a modest response from the hosts. Strawberry had 277 for the Spurs, securing their win at 1362. Victoria is even at the midway mark at 11-11, while Stonebridge sinks again to 10-16.
We're done with Select action this week, their season now halfway done. Tournament play resumes this afternoon.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Premier Cricket 2018 - Week 10
The highest level of cricket finally gets to start Week 10. We begin with...
Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills are without Prism to lead off the week, while the Swifts captain Patches sits in the first game of her team's tripleheader. Puff II did pretty well in a rare lead-off start for Boston, scoring 370 on the opening turn. Easter accepted 510 after a technical error, as Todavía's captain did enough to give the hosts the initial lead. Gradley answered with 424 for the Swifts, keeping them competitive early on. Sierra matched that with 429 for the Stills, keeping the hosts in control halfway through the game. Sweetheart cut a little deeper into the deficit with 471 for Boston, but they are not clear of danger yet. Bells pulled back with 451 for Todavía, maintaining their narrow lead heading into the final players' turns. Ice Cream kept a great pace throughout the game, doubling the Swifts offense with 1593 to give them a total of 2858. Anton had no answer for that, his 194 leaving the Stills in a shocking loss at 1584. Boston continues to soar at 16-1, while Todavía falls back to 10-11.
Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: Lize is out of action again through Week 17, leaving the Tridents shorthanded, while Gradley gets this game off for the visiting Swifts. Patches effortlessly lined 792 for Boston at the start, putting the visitors well ahead to start off. Precious took 475 in response for Pronger, keeping them within striking distance. Puff II pounded another 1007 for the Swifts, extending their lead by a large margin. Zach maintained a sharp and aggressive attack with 608 for the Tridents, but they are chasing a very tough team. Sweetheart held on for 447 for Boston, adding nicely to their offense. Spot collapsed at 39 for Pronger, giving up the fight with a player each to go. Ice Cream tapped 304 for the Swifts, icing their offense at 2550. Potter fought a cluttered pitch at times, but he was taken out at 202, and the Tridents lost with 1324. Boston is up to 17-1 now, while Pronger takes a hit back to 6-7.
Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The Swifts return home to start a seven-game home stand as they finish their tripleheader. Sweetheart sits for the hosts, while the Shores rest Marsell. Bear had a vintage performance with 577 for Whitewater, challenging the hosts on the spot. Patches beat that with 617 for Boston, doing her part to put the hosts ahead after the first turn. Twinkie III stayed in step with her captain at 576 for the Shores, just about doubling their offense. Puff II snagged 515 for the Swifts, but they will fall slightly behind at the halfway mark. Katharine hauled in 401 for Whitewater, forcing the hosts to stay engaged with the game. Gradley got caught on his backhand on a deflection, and he shrugged it out of play at 92, putting Boston in a noticeable hole. Shaggy added 481 for the Shores at the end, bringing their final score to 2035. Ice Cream couldn't meet the challenge with 324 for the Swifts, leaving them in a loss with 1548, their first home loss of the year. Whitewater pulled off the biggest upset of the year, rising to 8-12, while Boston drops to 17-2.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Blades are on a road doubleheader, resting Snowball in the first game, while the Rockers sit Goatee for some needed rest. Dreamy had a technical error on her first try, and she took 355 in a stronger second attempt for Swordpoint. Misty had nothing for a deflection onto her backhand, falling at 14 points for Westside. Bandit lifted a decent 337 for the Blades, adding a bit more bulk to their lead. Slinks fell at a weak 183 for the Rockers in response, furthering the deficit facing the Rockers at the midway point. Stealth kept the Swordpoint offense consistent with a mild 359, not quite at his usual scoring pace in his breakout season. Midnight tried to rally Westside back into the game, but her 336 didn't even cover the most recent damage. Jason N. tacked on another 475 for the Blades, giving them a final of 1526. Cowzart tried to rally, but a deflection took him out at 141 and the Rockers took a hard loss at 674, easily their worst game of the year. Swordpoint jumps to 10-11 while Westside falls to 9-13.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators will rest Leonardo, while the Blades rest Bandit, both having appeared in pool a day ago. Snowball had a relatively good 492 for Swordpoint, outpacing her teammates' efforts from the previous game to lead off this one. Shawn kept it close with 467 for Midland on the opening turn, leaving the result up to the rest of the players. Dreamy looked comfortable for the Blades in the second hitter role, smashing 735 this time. Rainmane again kept the Predators close, but her 672 caused them to lose a little ground at the midway point. Stealth tallied another 559 for Swordpoint, working with a very high pace to get that result. Americus slipped up at 208 for Midland, unable to keep pace late as it appears the hosts will be disappointed this time. Jason N. added 338 for the Blades at the end, giving them a total of 2124. Fuchsia matched that with 337 for the Predators, but they ended up short at 1684 in the loss. Swordpoint takes the win to get to 11-11, passing the 10-12 Midland squad.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: Shaggy is forced to the bench for the Shores in a tough choice, while Strut rests due to a previous pool appearance for the Pilots. Valencia couldn't get a handle on her turn for Golden, falling with a measly 48 points. Bear answered with 276 for Whitewater, giving them a shaky initial lead. Dusty covered the deficit lightly with 298 for the Pilots, as neither team has gone on a big breakout attack yet. Twinkie III answered that with 294 for the Shores, retaining their small lead halfway through the game. Sparkles faltered with 96 for Golden on this turn, unable to cover the deficit as the hosts gain a bit of breathing room. Marsell kept things uncomfortably steady with 108 for Whitewater on this turn, the low-scoring game rapidly approaching its end. A. Charlton made a push with 448 for the Pilots at the end, bringing their final score to 890. Katharine shot back with 361 for the Shores, doing enough to claim the win at 1039. Whitewater's throwback-style win takes them to 9-12, while Golden drops to 13-9.
Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Warriors take on the Volcanoes to lead off the second half of this week's games. Starlight rests at the end of a seven-game road trip for the visitors, while Mario is on the bench for the hosts. Ms. Kitty picked up 308 for Pacific on the opening turn, losing grip late before missing a swing. Twilight countered with 472 for Central to give the hosts a small lead initially. Twinkie I answered with 496 for the Volcanoes, a stronger second attack pulling them ahead for now. Dustin's 343 keeps the Warriors ahead at the halfway point, but only by a slim margin. Leonette had one successful backhand, but her lack of pace caused her to fall with 156 for Pacific when the next backhand attempt failed. Wings went on another burst for Central with 823, boosting their lead significantly late in the game. Chicky Phil couldn't close the gap with 392 for the Volcanoes, leaving them at a loss with 1352. Noelle added a firm 464 for the Warriors, sending a message as they win with 2102. Central is up to 5-9, while Pacific drops to 9-8.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Warriors finish their doubleheader against the Eagles. Mario remains on the bench for the visitors, while Kirstin sits out the finale of the Eagles' four-game home stand. Twilight hammered 863 at the start for Central, a classic performance from the muscly captain. Goldy fired back with 679 for Everton on the opening turn, keeping things close for now. Dustin had a weaker 295 for the Warriors, destabilizing their lead this time. Puff III's return to the lineup went poorly, with a measly 69 for the straggling Eagles. Wings couldn't keep Central on track, slipping out of form with only 90 points this time. Cleo took advantage of the complacency, rallying Everton ahead with her 562 ahead of the final players' turns. Noelle covered the deficit with 122, but the Warriors have little chance of winning with a final of 1370. Blizzard poked 177 for the Eagles, icing their win at 1487 overall. Everton topped their rivals to get to 9-10, while Central stays low at 5-10.
Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The Stills sit Anton in the first game of their road doubleheader, while the Swifts have Gradley on the bench for rest in this game. Easter had good form with 527 for Todavía on the first turn, giving the hosts something to strive for. Patches barely covered that mark with 530 for Boston, just about as close as a first turn can get. Sierra left her pitch cluttered for too long, and a deflection downed her at 209 because of it, damaging the Stills offense. Puff II had a bit more luck with 281 for the Swifts, but a deflection took her out early as well. Bells slapped 466 for Todavía on her turn, covering the deficit to keep the hosts engaged. Sweetheart lifted 584 for Boston in response, restoring their lead with a bit more strength late in the game. Prism countered with 447 for the Stills, producing their final score of 1649 that forces the hosts to make a response. Ice Cream had 483 for the Swifts, icing their win at 1878. Boston is back on track after a disappointment yesterday, rising to 18-2, while Todavía loses again to fall to 10-12.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Stills finish the doubleheader by visiting the Rockers. Sierra takes rest for the visitors, while Goatee is forced to rest due to appearing in pool yesterday. Easter suffered a deflection this time, her big swings faltering as she fell at 200 for Todavía. Misty nearly doubled that with 398 for Westside at the start of the game, giving them the first lead. Bells covered the deficit lightly, but a deflection landed right on her wicket to end her effort at 288 for the Stills. Slinks found a bit of confidence from a tough start, scraping 335 for the Rockers to add a bit to their lead. Prism stepped in with 527 for Todavía this time, providing a better coverage of the deficit. Midnight got beat by a deflection at 108 for Westside, putting them in jeopardy late in the game due to the poor performance. Anton tacked on 567 for the Stills at the end, giving them a total of 1582. Cowzart could not make a sufficient answer, ending at 235 as the Rockers take the loss with 1076. Todavía pulls back to 11-12, while Westside drops to 9-14.
Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents bring in the Blades for this one, with Snowball sitting for the visitors against their shorthanded hosts. Dreamy slugged 1031 for Swordpoint in a massive opening attack that will rattle the hosts. Precious was forced onto her backhand and failed to keep a clean hit, falling with 291 for Pronger in the end. Bandit was unprepared for a fast ball coming at him, and he bumped it out of play at 101 for the Blades, a poor turn. Zach made a push with 626 for the Tridents, closing the deficit a bit halfway through the game. Stealth scooped up 338 for Swordpoint, trying to keep their lead intact despite some challenges. Spot kept Pronger on the attack with 464 this time, shrinking the deficit again with a player each to go. Jason N. smacked 1022 at the end, bookending a strong performance for the Blades as they finish with 2492. Potter took 481 for the Tridents, leaving them at a loss with 1862. Swordpoint gets up to 12-11, while Pronger drops to 6-8 with the loss.
Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills are home to bring Week 10 to a close against the Shores. Marsell sits for the visitors again, while Bells takes rest for the hosts. Bear had a solid 400 for Whitewater in the lead off role in this game. Easter answered with 352 for Todavía, keeping things close despite not covering the deficit on the first turn. Twinkie III slipped with 298 for the Shores this time, weakening their lead a little bit. Sierra made the counterattack nicely with a pacey 513 for the Stills, pulling the hosts ahead at the midway mark of the game. Katharine fired back with a hot 719 for Whitewater, regaining the lead with the big attack. Prism fought back with 484 for Todavía, but they've returned to a trailing position late in the game. Shaggy shot back with 544 for the Shores, capping their offense at a total of 1961. Anton couldn't make the response, ending at 499 for the Stills. They took the loss at a final score of 1848. Whitewater had a good week to get to 10-12, while Todavía is a hair ahead at 11-13.
Select cricket will precede Tournament play tomorrow as we try to return to a normal schedule after two disjointed weeks.
Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills are without Prism to lead off the week, while the Swifts captain Patches sits in the first game of her team's tripleheader. Puff II did pretty well in a rare lead-off start for Boston, scoring 370 on the opening turn. Easter accepted 510 after a technical error, as Todavía's captain did enough to give the hosts the initial lead. Gradley answered with 424 for the Swifts, keeping them competitive early on. Sierra matched that with 429 for the Stills, keeping the hosts in control halfway through the game. Sweetheart cut a little deeper into the deficit with 471 for Boston, but they are not clear of danger yet. Bells pulled back with 451 for Todavía, maintaining their narrow lead heading into the final players' turns. Ice Cream kept a great pace throughout the game, doubling the Swifts offense with 1593 to give them a total of 2858. Anton had no answer for that, his 194 leaving the Stills in a shocking loss at 1584. Boston continues to soar at 16-1, while Todavía falls back to 10-11.
Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: Lize is out of action again through Week 17, leaving the Tridents shorthanded, while Gradley gets this game off for the visiting Swifts. Patches effortlessly lined 792 for Boston at the start, putting the visitors well ahead to start off. Precious took 475 in response for Pronger, keeping them within striking distance. Puff II pounded another 1007 for the Swifts, extending their lead by a large margin. Zach maintained a sharp and aggressive attack with 608 for the Tridents, but they are chasing a very tough team. Sweetheart held on for 447 for Boston, adding nicely to their offense. Spot collapsed at 39 for Pronger, giving up the fight with a player each to go. Ice Cream tapped 304 for the Swifts, icing their offense at 2550. Potter fought a cluttered pitch at times, but he was taken out at 202, and the Tridents lost with 1324. Boston is up to 17-1 now, while Pronger takes a hit back to 6-7.
Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The Swifts return home to start a seven-game home stand as they finish their tripleheader. Sweetheart sits for the hosts, while the Shores rest Marsell. Bear had a vintage performance with 577 for Whitewater, challenging the hosts on the spot. Patches beat that with 617 for Boston, doing her part to put the hosts ahead after the first turn. Twinkie III stayed in step with her captain at 576 for the Shores, just about doubling their offense. Puff II snagged 515 for the Swifts, but they will fall slightly behind at the halfway mark. Katharine hauled in 401 for Whitewater, forcing the hosts to stay engaged with the game. Gradley got caught on his backhand on a deflection, and he shrugged it out of play at 92, putting Boston in a noticeable hole. Shaggy added 481 for the Shores at the end, bringing their final score to 2035. Ice Cream couldn't meet the challenge with 324 for the Swifts, leaving them in a loss with 1548, their first home loss of the year. Whitewater pulled off the biggest upset of the year, rising to 8-12, while Boston drops to 17-2.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Blades are on a road doubleheader, resting Snowball in the first game, while the Rockers sit Goatee for some needed rest. Dreamy had a technical error on her first try, and she took 355 in a stronger second attempt for Swordpoint. Misty had nothing for a deflection onto her backhand, falling at 14 points for Westside. Bandit lifted a decent 337 for the Blades, adding a bit more bulk to their lead. Slinks fell at a weak 183 for the Rockers in response, furthering the deficit facing the Rockers at the midway point. Stealth kept the Swordpoint offense consistent with a mild 359, not quite at his usual scoring pace in his breakout season. Midnight tried to rally Westside back into the game, but her 336 didn't even cover the most recent damage. Jason N. tacked on another 475 for the Blades, giving them a final of 1526. Cowzart tried to rally, but a deflection took him out at 141 and the Rockers took a hard loss at 674, easily their worst game of the year. Swordpoint jumps to 10-11 while Westside falls to 9-13.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators will rest Leonardo, while the Blades rest Bandit, both having appeared in pool a day ago. Snowball had a relatively good 492 for Swordpoint, outpacing her teammates' efforts from the previous game to lead off this one. Shawn kept it close with 467 for Midland on the opening turn, leaving the result up to the rest of the players. Dreamy looked comfortable for the Blades in the second hitter role, smashing 735 this time. Rainmane again kept the Predators close, but her 672 caused them to lose a little ground at the midway point. Stealth tallied another 559 for Swordpoint, working with a very high pace to get that result. Americus slipped up at 208 for Midland, unable to keep pace late as it appears the hosts will be disappointed this time. Jason N. added 338 for the Blades at the end, giving them a total of 2124. Fuchsia matched that with 337 for the Predators, but they ended up short at 1684 in the loss. Swordpoint takes the win to get to 11-11, passing the 10-12 Midland squad.
Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: Shaggy is forced to the bench for the Shores in a tough choice, while Strut rests due to a previous pool appearance for the Pilots. Valencia couldn't get a handle on her turn for Golden, falling with a measly 48 points. Bear answered with 276 for Whitewater, giving them a shaky initial lead. Dusty covered the deficit lightly with 298 for the Pilots, as neither team has gone on a big breakout attack yet. Twinkie III answered that with 294 for the Shores, retaining their small lead halfway through the game. Sparkles faltered with 96 for Golden on this turn, unable to cover the deficit as the hosts gain a bit of breathing room. Marsell kept things uncomfortably steady with 108 for Whitewater on this turn, the low-scoring game rapidly approaching its end. A. Charlton made a push with 448 for the Pilots at the end, bringing their final score to 890. Katharine shot back with 361 for the Shores, doing enough to claim the win at 1039. Whitewater's throwback-style win takes them to 9-12, while Golden drops to 13-9.
Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Warriors take on the Volcanoes to lead off the second half of this week's games. Starlight rests at the end of a seven-game road trip for the visitors, while Mario is on the bench for the hosts. Ms. Kitty picked up 308 for Pacific on the opening turn, losing grip late before missing a swing. Twilight countered with 472 for Central to give the hosts a small lead initially. Twinkie I answered with 496 for the Volcanoes, a stronger second attack pulling them ahead for now. Dustin's 343 keeps the Warriors ahead at the halfway point, but only by a slim margin. Leonette had one successful backhand, but her lack of pace caused her to fall with 156 for Pacific when the next backhand attempt failed. Wings went on another burst for Central with 823, boosting their lead significantly late in the game. Chicky Phil couldn't close the gap with 392 for the Volcanoes, leaving them at a loss with 1352. Noelle added a firm 464 for the Warriors, sending a message as they win with 2102. Central is up to 5-9, while Pacific drops to 9-8.
Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Warriors finish their doubleheader against the Eagles. Mario remains on the bench for the visitors, while Kirstin sits out the finale of the Eagles' four-game home stand. Twilight hammered 863 at the start for Central, a classic performance from the muscly captain. Goldy fired back with 679 for Everton on the opening turn, keeping things close for now. Dustin had a weaker 295 for the Warriors, destabilizing their lead this time. Puff III's return to the lineup went poorly, with a measly 69 for the straggling Eagles. Wings couldn't keep Central on track, slipping out of form with only 90 points this time. Cleo took advantage of the complacency, rallying Everton ahead with her 562 ahead of the final players' turns. Noelle covered the deficit with 122, but the Warriors have little chance of winning with a final of 1370. Blizzard poked 177 for the Eagles, icing their win at 1487 overall. Everton topped their rivals to get to 9-10, while Central stays low at 5-10.
Coca-Cola Field, Boston: The Stills sit Anton in the first game of their road doubleheader, while the Swifts have Gradley on the bench for rest in this game. Easter had good form with 527 for Todavía on the first turn, giving the hosts something to strive for. Patches barely covered that mark with 530 for Boston, just about as close as a first turn can get. Sierra left her pitch cluttered for too long, and a deflection downed her at 209 because of it, damaging the Stills offense. Puff II had a bit more luck with 281 for the Swifts, but a deflection took her out early as well. Bells slapped 466 for Todavía on her turn, covering the deficit to keep the hosts engaged. Sweetheart lifted 584 for Boston in response, restoring their lead with a bit more strength late in the game. Prism countered with 447 for the Stills, producing their final score of 1649 that forces the hosts to make a response. Ice Cream had 483 for the Swifts, icing their win at 1878. Boston is back on track after a disappointment yesterday, rising to 18-2, while Todavía loses again to fall to 10-12.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Stills finish the doubleheader by visiting the Rockers. Sierra takes rest for the visitors, while Goatee is forced to rest due to appearing in pool yesterday. Easter suffered a deflection this time, her big swings faltering as she fell at 200 for Todavía. Misty nearly doubled that with 398 for Westside at the start of the game, giving them the first lead. Bells covered the deficit lightly, but a deflection landed right on her wicket to end her effort at 288 for the Stills. Slinks found a bit of confidence from a tough start, scraping 335 for the Rockers to add a bit to their lead. Prism stepped in with 527 for Todavía this time, providing a better coverage of the deficit. Midnight got beat by a deflection at 108 for Westside, putting them in jeopardy late in the game due to the poor performance. Anton tacked on 567 for the Stills at the end, giving them a total of 1582. Cowzart could not make a sufficient answer, ending at 235 as the Rockers take the loss with 1076. Todavía pulls back to 11-12, while Westside drops to 9-14.
Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents bring in the Blades for this one, with Snowball sitting for the visitors against their shorthanded hosts. Dreamy slugged 1031 for Swordpoint in a massive opening attack that will rattle the hosts. Precious was forced onto her backhand and failed to keep a clean hit, falling with 291 for Pronger in the end. Bandit was unprepared for a fast ball coming at him, and he bumped it out of play at 101 for the Blades, a poor turn. Zach made a push with 626 for the Tridents, closing the deficit a bit halfway through the game. Stealth scooped up 338 for Swordpoint, trying to keep their lead intact despite some challenges. Spot kept Pronger on the attack with 464 this time, shrinking the deficit again with a player each to go. Jason N. smacked 1022 at the end, bookending a strong performance for the Blades as they finish with 2492. Potter took 481 for the Tridents, leaving them at a loss with 1862. Swordpoint gets up to 12-11, while Pronger drops to 6-8 with the loss.
Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills are home to bring Week 10 to a close against the Shores. Marsell sits for the visitors again, while Bells takes rest for the hosts. Bear had a solid 400 for Whitewater in the lead off role in this game. Easter answered with 352 for Todavía, keeping things close despite not covering the deficit on the first turn. Twinkie III slipped with 298 for the Shores this time, weakening their lead a little bit. Sierra made the counterattack nicely with a pacey 513 for the Stills, pulling the hosts ahead at the midway mark of the game. Katharine fired back with a hot 719 for Whitewater, regaining the lead with the big attack. Prism fought back with 484 for Todavía, but they've returned to a trailing position late in the game. Shaggy shot back with 544 for the Shores, capping their offense at a total of 1961. Anton couldn't make the response, ending at 499 for the Stills. They took the loss at a final score of 1848. Whitewater had a good week to get to 10-12, while Todavía is a hair ahead at 11-13.
Select cricket will precede Tournament play tomorrow as we try to return to a normal schedule after two disjointed weeks.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Tournament 2018 - Round 1 Day 13
We're here for a new day of Tournament play. We will take tomorrow, Sunday, off, but a full slate is expected today, beginning with...
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Spot. The silver cue picks up where it left off yesterday, in another Accuracy series. Commerce's Niki and Pronger's Spot had an excellent battle in game 1, both perfect deep into the game. Spot fell off first, but forced Niki back into a tie before ultimately losing the game to her 2-3. Niki leads the series 1-0. In game 2, the stretch of perfection was much shorter, and it was the Tridents' Spot who broke it. He slipped well behind and never caught up in the end, as the Tradewinds' Niki held steady to win 2-4 and clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 took an ugly turn in the middle, and it became a question of who wanted to lose less. Niki would scoop up a 5-6 win in the end after a spate of awful misses, and she swept Spot 3-0 to advance to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Snowball. The red cue steps in for 15-ball between these two experienced players. Maplewood's Gabe had all the momentum in game 1, with a three-ball run, a four-ball run, and some good defense, but his illegal contact on the 13 set Swordpoint's Snowball up to take the game on a three-ball run-out. Her final shot was deflected off the 12 to pot the 15 in the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball was more involved in game 2, although a scratch after making the 10 on a trick play off the 8 threatened her position. The Lumberjacks' Gabe made a push, but Snowball finished with another deflected kick off the 12 to take the 15 at the bottom right, clinching the series at 2-0. Gabe took a twist on Snowball's finishing move after another fast-paced and competitive game. He glanced off the 12 and made the 14-15 combination to the top right, draining the 14 in the bottom right off another kiss for a double-pot. Snowball took the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Wild Thing v. Sugar. The Northeast gets a taste of 12-ball in their derby, as the blue cue makes its daily debut. Web City's Sugar struck first, but she didn't have the best distribution, even after Archtown's Wild Thing gave up a wild-card ball. Wild Thing had a four-ball run at one point, putting Sugar in trouble, and Wild Thing won a turn later for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Wild Thing fell behind in game 2 to the Spiders' Sugar as well, as the visitor established herself faster. Wild Thing busted a couple of clusters and defended well late, getting his chance when Sugar missed contact on her last ball. Wild Thing won from ball-in-hand, securing the series at 2-0. Wild Thing skipped the comeback kid routine in game 3, making a lot of balls early on with good positioning. Sugar had a three-ball run and nearly won herself, but Wild Thing made his last two balls to ensure the 3-0 series sweep. Wild Thing heads into the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Dusty. A sophomore faces a legend in Accuracy with the red cue. Web City's Ted had nothing extraordinary in game 1, but he played steady, and Golden's Dusty couldn't match the effort. Ted won 1-5 to take the 1-0 series lead after his solid performance. The Pilots' Dusty showed a lot of improvement in game 2, keeping a lead for most of the game. The Spiders' Ted made her miss late, forcing overtime, but Ted fell on the first turn here, and Dusty made the necessary shot to win 1-2, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Dusty fell behind fairly early in game 3, but she quickly righted her course, getting Ted to miss a couple of times later on to tie the game. At the end, Dusty left Ted with a tough final shot, and when he missed, she converted to win 3-4 and take the series 2-1. Dusty's heads-up play helped her get to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Mario. A tough veteran meets a sophomore in 8-ball with the blue cue. Boston's Gradley had a slow start in game 1 that was only slightly less frustrating than the implosion by Central's Mario late in the game. Mario's failings to make his shots allowed Gradley a four-ball run-out for the win and the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley looked a little more confident in game 2, but his play was not much better. The Warriors' Mario also took a step back, but he picked up the pace after Gradley's three-ball run, making the last two shots of the game to tie the series at 1. Gradley did his part well after a sloppy start in game 3. The two players separated themselves, but it was Mario who had defensive positioning on the 8. Gradley ignored that on his four-ball run-out, taking the win for a 2-1 series win to head into the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Briana Livilotti v. Shelley. A rookie and a returnee are on the schedule for 10-ball with the blue cue. Queens' Briana had a hot start with a four-ball run from the break, but she peaked too early and it was mostly Infinity's Shelley from here, who won in three turns after Briana's late scratch to take a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Briana had two scratches in game 2, the second one nearly costing her the game. However, the Torpedoes' Shelley couldn't convert the 6-10 combination to the top right, and Briana took over with a five-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Shelley had a three-ball run after a shaky start on both sides in game 3, but she couldn't muster any offense again. Briana took the last three balls on two turns for the win, taking the series at 2-1 as well as she heads into the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Hoppy. The red cue is back in this one, playing a series of 12-ball between sophomores. Modernistic's Daisy took a strong break in game 1, getting two balls potted. Southern's Hoppy battled back and nearly got herself lined up, but Daisy's defense bought some time. Hoppy scratched, and Daisy won two turns later for a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Daisy had another good break, but game 2 required a lot more thought and a little luck. The Monarchs' Hoppy got close to the finish line, but a couple of scratches set Daisy up, as she made the 11 to the bottom side and kicked the 14 in the bottom left for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 was another slow-moving style of game, and by the end, Daisy had little energy to battle defensively against Hoppy. Daisy also surrendered a wild-card ball, giving Hoppy the needed flexibility to pick up the win. Daisy won the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Nibbles. The red cue remains in action in 15-ball, administering a Coastal Derby. Pearl's Beth struck first in game 1, and while the start was chaotic, featuring a jump to pot the 3 by Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles, the end was frantic too. Beth made a good rally with a five-ball run, and when Nibbles failed to reply, she added a three-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Nibbles looked desperate to attempt a jump to get to the 4, and this one failed in all forms, giving the Surfers' Beth some possession. Nibbles would storm back on an eight-ball run, but in attempting to get position on the 15, he scratched, and Beth took the game from ball-in-hand to clinch the series at 2-0. Nibbles had another strong possession effort in game 3, including a four-ball run early on that ended in a scratch. Beth had her fair share of good shots, none better than her cross-table 12-15 combination to the top left that Nibbles left aligned for her. Beth took the series in a sweep at 3-0 to advance to the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Goatee v. Mitchell. A star veteran clashes with a rookie in Accuracy with the silver cue. Harrison's Mitchell did not have an easy start to game 1, but he pushed Westside's Goatee behind late in the game, winning 4-5. The rookie took a 1-0 series lead with the bold comeback. The Rockers' Goatee never had a lead to give up in game 2, as the Specters' Mitchell controlled the game the entire time. He wavered at some points, but his lead held until the end at 4-5, helping him clinch the series at 2-0. Mitchell tried to hold on in an even sloppier game 3, but he scratched on the final shot, losing 5-6 to Goatee in this one. Mitchell took the messy series 2-1 to move into the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Luigi. A fearsome captain opposes a sophomore in 15-ball, with the red cue back in play. North Modernistic's Luigi didn't have much for offense, but neither did Diamond's Smokey, setting up a shot of the year candidate. Luigi banged the 2 and 15 into motion primarily, with others moving, and got the 2 near the top side to deflect the 15 in on its rebound from the left rail, good for Luigi to take the 1-0 series lead. An early finish would have been welcomed in game 2; instead, the Nighthawks' Luigi exchanged spurts of flailing shots amid a less-than-energetic effort from the Gems' Smokey. In the end, Smokey mustered the skill to pot the last two balls for the win, tying the series in unremarkable fashion at 1. Game 3 saw a bit more composure from the two hard-shooting players. Luigi didn't have as much, but it worked out for him, as his late scratch left Smokey with two shots to win. Smokey made only the 14, and Luigi mopped up the 15 to take the series 2-1 as he makes it to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Melissa Benoist v. Cheddar. An Urban Derby is played in 15-ball with the blue cue. Terrace City's Melissa had the makings of a good finish after a tight start in game 1, but her four-ball run and three-ball run were undone by a scratch. North Modernistic's Cheddar took the game from here, making the last two balls from ball-in-hand for the 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Melissa had another solid performance, matching the Nighthawks' Cheddar early on in game 2. They played close until Cheddar had a run and a scratch. Melissa took over and won on a five-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Cheddar put her own entry in the hat for shot of the year in game 3, as Melissa went narrowly empty on the break. Cheddar then hit a 1-9-15 combination to the top right through traffic, and the 9 drained in the bottom right to make it a double-pot for the series win. Cheddar's 2-1 series takes her to the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Bianca. The silver cue wraps up the day in 8-ball between these sophomores. Both players had early three-ball runs, but Southridge's Bianca was generous to give away some collateral damage on hers. She had a chance to make amends late, but missed on her last stripe, bailing out Cobalt, who tapped in the 8 he nearly sank illegally a turn before. Cobalt leads the series 1-0. The Defenders' Bianca had a strong game 2, making a seven-ball run on her first turn. This put the Wolves' Cobalt on alert, and while he chipped back and Bianca did have one scratch late, she would recover to make the final pair of shots before Cobalt could get on the 8. Bianca's win tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw each player use the strategy that worked for them, with short runs by Cobalt and a five-ball run and three-ball run-out from the more streaky Bianca, who took the win and the 2-1 series win to get to the second round.
Tournament play is scheduled to resume Monday, while Premier Week 10 ends tomorrow.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Spot. The silver cue picks up where it left off yesterday, in another Accuracy series. Commerce's Niki and Pronger's Spot had an excellent battle in game 1, both perfect deep into the game. Spot fell off first, but forced Niki back into a tie before ultimately losing the game to her 2-3. Niki leads the series 1-0. In game 2, the stretch of perfection was much shorter, and it was the Tridents' Spot who broke it. He slipped well behind and never caught up in the end, as the Tradewinds' Niki held steady to win 2-4 and clinch the series at 2-0. Game 3 took an ugly turn in the middle, and it became a question of who wanted to lose less. Niki would scoop up a 5-6 win in the end after a spate of awful misses, and she swept Spot 3-0 to advance to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Snowball. The red cue steps in for 15-ball between these two experienced players. Maplewood's Gabe had all the momentum in game 1, with a three-ball run, a four-ball run, and some good defense, but his illegal contact on the 13 set Swordpoint's Snowball up to take the game on a three-ball run-out. Her final shot was deflected off the 12 to pot the 15 in the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Snowball was more involved in game 2, although a scratch after making the 10 on a trick play off the 8 threatened her position. The Lumberjacks' Gabe made a push, but Snowball finished with another deflected kick off the 12 to take the 15 at the bottom right, clinching the series at 2-0. Gabe took a twist on Snowball's finishing move after another fast-paced and competitive game. He glanced off the 12 and made the 14-15 combination to the top right, draining the 14 in the bottom right off another kiss for a double-pot. Snowball took the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Wild Thing v. Sugar. The Northeast gets a taste of 12-ball in their derby, as the blue cue makes its daily debut. Web City's Sugar struck first, but she didn't have the best distribution, even after Archtown's Wild Thing gave up a wild-card ball. Wild Thing had a four-ball run at one point, putting Sugar in trouble, and Wild Thing won a turn later for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Wild Thing fell behind in game 2 to the Spiders' Sugar as well, as the visitor established herself faster. Wild Thing busted a couple of clusters and defended well late, getting his chance when Sugar missed contact on her last ball. Wild Thing won from ball-in-hand, securing the series at 2-0. Wild Thing skipped the comeback kid routine in game 3, making a lot of balls early on with good positioning. Sugar had a three-ball run and nearly won herself, but Wild Thing made his last two balls to ensure the 3-0 series sweep. Wild Thing heads into the second round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Dusty. A sophomore faces a legend in Accuracy with the red cue. Web City's Ted had nothing extraordinary in game 1, but he played steady, and Golden's Dusty couldn't match the effort. Ted won 1-5 to take the 1-0 series lead after his solid performance. The Pilots' Dusty showed a lot of improvement in game 2, keeping a lead for most of the game. The Spiders' Ted made her miss late, forcing overtime, but Ted fell on the first turn here, and Dusty made the necessary shot to win 1-2, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Dusty fell behind fairly early in game 3, but she quickly righted her course, getting Ted to miss a couple of times later on to tie the game. At the end, Dusty left Ted with a tough final shot, and when he missed, she converted to win 3-4 and take the series 2-1. Dusty's heads-up play helped her get to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Mario. A tough veteran meets a sophomore in 8-ball with the blue cue. Boston's Gradley had a slow start in game 1 that was only slightly less frustrating than the implosion by Central's Mario late in the game. Mario's failings to make his shots allowed Gradley a four-ball run-out for the win and the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley looked a little more confident in game 2, but his play was not much better. The Warriors' Mario also took a step back, but he picked up the pace after Gradley's three-ball run, making the last two shots of the game to tie the series at 1. Gradley did his part well after a sloppy start in game 3. The two players separated themselves, but it was Mario who had defensive positioning on the 8. Gradley ignored that on his four-ball run-out, taking the win for a 2-1 series win to head into the second round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Briana Livilotti v. Shelley. A rookie and a returnee are on the schedule for 10-ball with the blue cue. Queens' Briana had a hot start with a four-ball run from the break, but she peaked too early and it was mostly Infinity's Shelley from here, who won in three turns after Briana's late scratch to take a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Briana had two scratches in game 2, the second one nearly costing her the game. However, the Torpedoes' Shelley couldn't convert the 6-10 combination to the top right, and Briana took over with a five-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Shelley had a three-ball run after a shaky start on both sides in game 3, but she couldn't muster any offense again. Briana took the last three balls on two turns for the win, taking the series at 2-1 as well as she heads into the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Hoppy. The red cue is back in this one, playing a series of 12-ball between sophomores. Modernistic's Daisy took a strong break in game 1, getting two balls potted. Southern's Hoppy battled back and nearly got herself lined up, but Daisy's defense bought some time. Hoppy scratched, and Daisy won two turns later for a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Daisy had another good break, but game 2 required a lot more thought and a little luck. The Monarchs' Hoppy got close to the finish line, but a couple of scratches set Daisy up, as she made the 11 to the bottom side and kicked the 14 in the bottom left for the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Game 3 was another slow-moving style of game, and by the end, Daisy had little energy to battle defensively against Hoppy. Daisy also surrendered a wild-card ball, giving Hoppy the needed flexibility to pick up the win. Daisy won the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Nibbles. The red cue remains in action in 15-ball, administering a Coastal Derby. Pearl's Beth struck first in game 1, and while the start was chaotic, featuring a jump to pot the 3 by Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles, the end was frantic too. Beth made a good rally with a five-ball run, and when Nibbles failed to reply, she added a three-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Nibbles looked desperate to attempt a jump to get to the 4, and this one failed in all forms, giving the Surfers' Beth some possession. Nibbles would storm back on an eight-ball run, but in attempting to get position on the 15, he scratched, and Beth took the game from ball-in-hand to clinch the series at 2-0. Nibbles had another strong possession effort in game 3, including a four-ball run early on that ended in a scratch. Beth had her fair share of good shots, none better than her cross-table 12-15 combination to the top left that Nibbles left aligned for her. Beth took the series in a sweep at 3-0 to advance to the second round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Goatee v. Mitchell. A star veteran clashes with a rookie in Accuracy with the silver cue. Harrison's Mitchell did not have an easy start to game 1, but he pushed Westside's Goatee behind late in the game, winning 4-5. The rookie took a 1-0 series lead with the bold comeback. The Rockers' Goatee never had a lead to give up in game 2, as the Specters' Mitchell controlled the game the entire time. He wavered at some points, but his lead held until the end at 4-5, helping him clinch the series at 2-0. Mitchell tried to hold on in an even sloppier game 3, but he scratched on the final shot, losing 5-6 to Goatee in this one. Mitchell took the messy series 2-1 to move into the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Luigi. A fearsome captain opposes a sophomore in 15-ball, with the red cue back in play. North Modernistic's Luigi didn't have much for offense, but neither did Diamond's Smokey, setting up a shot of the year candidate. Luigi banged the 2 and 15 into motion primarily, with others moving, and got the 2 near the top side to deflect the 15 in on its rebound from the left rail, good for Luigi to take the 1-0 series lead. An early finish would have been welcomed in game 2; instead, the Nighthawks' Luigi exchanged spurts of flailing shots amid a less-than-energetic effort from the Gems' Smokey. In the end, Smokey mustered the skill to pot the last two balls for the win, tying the series in unremarkable fashion at 1. Game 3 saw a bit more composure from the two hard-shooting players. Luigi didn't have as much, but it worked out for him, as his late scratch left Smokey with two shots to win. Smokey made only the 14, and Luigi mopped up the 15 to take the series 2-1 as he makes it to the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Melissa Benoist v. Cheddar. An Urban Derby is played in 15-ball with the blue cue. Terrace City's Melissa had the makings of a good finish after a tight start in game 1, but her four-ball run and three-ball run were undone by a scratch. North Modernistic's Cheddar took the game from here, making the last two balls from ball-in-hand for the 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Melissa had another solid performance, matching the Nighthawks' Cheddar early on in game 2. They played close until Cheddar had a run and a scratch. Melissa took over and won on a five-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Cheddar put her own entry in the hat for shot of the year in game 3, as Melissa went narrowly empty on the break. Cheddar then hit a 1-9-15 combination to the top right through traffic, and the 9 drained in the bottom right to make it a double-pot for the series win. Cheddar's 2-1 series takes her to the second round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Cobalt v. Bianca. The silver cue wraps up the day in 8-ball between these sophomores. Both players had early three-ball runs, but Southridge's Bianca was generous to give away some collateral damage on hers. She had a chance to make amends late, but missed on her last stripe, bailing out Cobalt, who tapped in the 8 he nearly sank illegally a turn before. Cobalt leads the series 1-0. The Defenders' Bianca had a strong game 2, making a seven-ball run on her first turn. This put the Wolves' Cobalt on alert, and while he chipped back and Bianca did have one scratch late, she would recover to make the final pair of shots before Cobalt could get on the 8. Bianca's win tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw each player use the strategy that worked for them, with short runs by Cobalt and a five-ball run and three-ball run-out from the more streaky Bianca, who took the win and the 2-1 series win to get to the second round.
Tournament play is scheduled to resume Monday, while Premier Week 10 ends tomorrow.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Tournament 2018 - Round 1 Day 12
We're back after a fatigue hiatus took out the last two possible game days. We begin with...
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Nibbles v. Ms. Puppy. A sophomore takes on a captain in 10-ball with the blue cue. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy managed to lay claim to game 1, chipping back and forth with Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles. Ms. Puppy made the last two shots for the 1-0 series lead. The Union's Ms. Puppy struggled with medium and long-range shots in game 2, but she had enough offense to hold off the Meteors' Nibbles, who was a bit better from distance. Ms. Puppy took over at the end to get the win after Nibbles' good start, clinching the series at 2-0 with her win. Ms. Puppy had a three-ball run from the break and a three-ball run-out on her last turn, sandwiching a three-ball run from Nibbles to take the series in a sweep as she heads to the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Graham v. Chicky Phil. These two veterans meet in Accuracy with the blue cue. Eastside's Graham played perfectly in game 1, never missing a shot, while Pacific's Chicky Phil had a few spread out during the game. Graham took the 0-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Graham proved fallible in game 2, missing one shot right after the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil had missed one. The two battled closely after this exchange, but Graham again got the better of Chicky Phil late, winning 1-2 to clinch the series at 2-0. Graham held a lead for most of game 3, but Chicky Phil again kept up, and he forced Graham into a scratch while potting the last ball, good for a 2-3 win to Chicky Phil. Graham still took the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Kyle. The silver cue gets a turn now in 9-ball. Queens' Kyle had a good game 1, with a lot of the early offense and a three-ball run-out to counter a later rally from Swordpoint's Snowball. Kyle's good finish helped him take a 1-0 lead in the series. The Flames' Kyle had a dominant share of offense in game 2, highlighted by a four-ball run, and supplemented with two pairs after that as the Blades' Snowball couldn't find her shot at all. Kyle's big performance ended in a tap-in on the 9 for the win, securing the series at 2-0 in his favor. Snowball would not suffer the sweep, fighting back efficiently against Kyle in game 3 to get the win, using a three-ball run-out in the end after he surrendered possession on illegal contact. Kyle did take the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Dusty. One of the marquee first-round series goes in Rotation with the silver cue. Boston's Patches had to battle closely with Golden's Dusty both early and late, but a four-ball run in between those sparring matches helped Patches take the win 8-4 for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Patches faced a bit less resistance in game 2, as the Pilots' Dusty again got frustrated by her sister's defensive measures. Patches stormed away with a three-ball run later, and won 8-1 two turns later to secure the series at 2-0. Patches fell behind to Dusty early in game 3 thanks Dusty's three-ball run, but Patches had one of her own before scratching to give Dusty a free shot at the last ball. Dusty converted, winning the game 8-7, but Patches heads to the second round with a 2-1 series win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Summer. The blue cue returns in a more understated 9-ball series. Maplewood's Summer had the better of play in game 1, battling in quick exchanges early on with Pearl's Bright before getting the 9 on a tap-in late for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw some ugly play, as neither player desired to make the 3 for fear of having to deal with the 4. It became Summer's problem, and while she got contact, she also scratched on the 4. It didn't stop her from a later three-ball run, but the Lumberjacks rookie left the 9 close enough to the top right for the Surfers' Bright to cut it in, tying the series at 1 with his win. Bright did himself in with a bad shot in game 3, going to make contact on the 1 but ending up striking the 4 hard enough to carom the 9 off a rail and into the bottom left illegally. Summer took the gifted win for a 2-1 series win, which puts her in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Chelsea. The red cue is up in 15-ball between these oddball rivals. Game 1 started a bit slowly, as the players had trouble calibrating their shots. Eastside's Chelsea picked up the pace late, with a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out to put Central's Dustin in the hole 1-0 early on. The Warriors' Dustin tried to hound the 15 in game 2, but the Sharks' Chelsea was good at defense and she kept changing the pace to frustrate her host. Chelsea had a late four-ball run, but a scratch gave Dustin a chance to pick up the win on a three-ball run-out, and when he converted, he tied the series at 1. Chelsea had a seven-ball run early in game 3 after throwing Dustin off with a few early misses. They both ended up illegally chasing the 9 while the 8 was on the table, and Dustin picked up on it first, taking a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand in a shocking end to the series. Dustin took the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Bandit. The silver cue returns in 10-ball between a captain and a sophomore. Southern's Panda looked pretty confident in game 1, battling with Swordpoint's Bandit early before breaking free on a three-ball run-out to grab the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda flipped it around in game 2 with a four-ball run on his second turn and then a gritty battle from that point on with the Blades' Bandit. Panda got the better of Bandit late, taking the win for a 2-0 lead in the series. Panda and Bandit both had trouble getting on track in game 3, leading to a sloppy game that eventually saw Bandit work a four-ball run-out to snag the win. Panda takes a 2-1 series win with him to the second round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Jasmine. The red cue gets another look, this time in 7-ball. Tysini's Leandra had a ball on the break, but it was still quite the game 1 fight against Freedom's Jasmine. The extra space on the table was a problem, but Leandra contained her shot for a three-ball run-out in the end, her win giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Leandra didn't waste any time in game 2, easing up on the break and ending up with the 7 in the top side and the 6 in the bottom side, good for another win over the Cascades' Jasmine. Leandra owns a 2-0 series lead. Leandra kept the pressure on with a four-ball run from the break in game 3. Jasmine got one back, but Leandra took the last two balls, securing the 3-0 series sweep as she drained the 7 on a cut to the top right. Leandra goes into the second round brimming with confidence.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Leonardo v. Pounce. Two experienced strongmen face off in another 7-ball series with the red cue. Southern's Pounce maintained a strong presence in game 1 despite some lapses in shot quality. Midland's Leonardo couldn't fill those gaps, and Pounce easily took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce took a calmer approach to his shots in game 2, and while the Predators' Leonardo found some early success, a four-ball run-out from Pounce assured the visitor of the win. Pounce clinched the series at 2-0 as well. Pounce didn't have much of a shot in game 3, but Leonardo had luck on his side anyway, making the 7 in the top side as collateral after a miss on the 2 caromed into the winning ball. Pounce won the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Strut. The silver cue makes an appearance in 12-ball this time. Pearl's Beth showed some rustiness in game 1, twice potting a ball to a pocket she had already filled, and these mistakes allowed Golden's Strut to build his attack patiently before striking with well-placed shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut had a great break and distribution, and quickly got down to just the well-defended top left. The Surfers' Beth chipped back with a four-ball run after Strut rearranged the defense, and then she added another defensive block, which worked, but she couldn't get her 3 to follow his 12 on an intentional attempt for the tie. Strut took the win and the series at 2-0. Beth and Strut engaged in a race in game 3, each taking the right side first and then battling in the left and center, with Beth eventually getting around Strut's defense for the win. Strut advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Vladimir Vasilyev v. Cobalt. Wolves teammates clash in a series of 10-ball with the red cue. Vladimir had a decent start with a couple of early shots, but Cobalt needed only his first turn, as he turned in an eight-ball run-out for the win, bringing the united crowd to their feet as he gained the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 featured a much closer battle, with Cobalt showing off a bit more of his positioning skill while Vladimir tried to play direct. They evenly split possession, but Vladimir took the game late with the last pair of shots, tying the series at 1 with his win. Game 3 also followed an even split, although with a bit more pace at times. Cobalt benefited this time, picking up the 10 after Vladimir missed his cut shot and had a kick instead. Cobalt won the series 2-1 with this win, heading to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Prism. A returning player meets a sophomore in the day's final series, which is Accuracy with the silver cue. Todavía's Prism had an early lead in game 1, but she couldn't make it stand, and Maplewood's Gabe took over, holding tight to a 2-5 lead to get the win. Gabe holds a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Prism showed a bit more patience in game 2, letting the Lumberjacks' Gabe hold the lead until nearly the end. She left him in bad spots twice, forcing both of his misses, and she cleaned up at the end to win 1-2. Prism's win ties the series at 1. Prism tried to hold a lead early in game 3, but it went much like game, and she fell apart in the end. Gabe stayed consistent with his play, winning 2-4 to take the series 2-1, and he advances to the second round.
That's all for today's games. We'll play tomorrow after Premier, and Sunday will be Premier only so as to rest up for a week ahead in Tournament action.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Nibbles v. Ms. Puppy. A sophomore takes on a captain in 10-ball with the blue cue. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy managed to lay claim to game 1, chipping back and forth with Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles. Ms. Puppy made the last two shots for the 1-0 series lead. The Union's Ms. Puppy struggled with medium and long-range shots in game 2, but she had enough offense to hold off the Meteors' Nibbles, who was a bit better from distance. Ms. Puppy took over at the end to get the win after Nibbles' good start, clinching the series at 2-0 with her win. Ms. Puppy had a three-ball run from the break and a three-ball run-out on her last turn, sandwiching a three-ball run from Nibbles to take the series in a sweep as she heads to the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Graham v. Chicky Phil. These two veterans meet in Accuracy with the blue cue. Eastside's Graham played perfectly in game 1, never missing a shot, while Pacific's Chicky Phil had a few spread out during the game. Graham took the 0-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Graham proved fallible in game 2, missing one shot right after the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil had missed one. The two battled closely after this exchange, but Graham again got the better of Chicky Phil late, winning 1-2 to clinch the series at 2-0. Graham held a lead for most of game 3, but Chicky Phil again kept up, and he forced Graham into a scratch while potting the last ball, good for a 2-3 win to Chicky Phil. Graham still took the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Kyle. The silver cue gets a turn now in 9-ball. Queens' Kyle had a good game 1, with a lot of the early offense and a three-ball run-out to counter a later rally from Swordpoint's Snowball. Kyle's good finish helped him take a 1-0 lead in the series. The Flames' Kyle had a dominant share of offense in game 2, highlighted by a four-ball run, and supplemented with two pairs after that as the Blades' Snowball couldn't find her shot at all. Kyle's big performance ended in a tap-in on the 9 for the win, securing the series at 2-0 in his favor. Snowball would not suffer the sweep, fighting back efficiently against Kyle in game 3 to get the win, using a three-ball run-out in the end after he surrendered possession on illegal contact. Kyle did take the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Dusty. One of the marquee first-round series goes in Rotation with the silver cue. Boston's Patches had to battle closely with Golden's Dusty both early and late, but a four-ball run in between those sparring matches helped Patches take the win 8-4 for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Patches faced a bit less resistance in game 2, as the Pilots' Dusty again got frustrated by her sister's defensive measures. Patches stormed away with a three-ball run later, and won 8-1 two turns later to secure the series at 2-0. Patches fell behind to Dusty early in game 3 thanks Dusty's three-ball run, but Patches had one of her own before scratching to give Dusty a free shot at the last ball. Dusty converted, winning the game 8-7, but Patches heads to the second round with a 2-1 series win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Summer. The blue cue returns in a more understated 9-ball series. Maplewood's Summer had the better of play in game 1, battling in quick exchanges early on with Pearl's Bright before getting the 9 on a tap-in late for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw some ugly play, as neither player desired to make the 3 for fear of having to deal with the 4. It became Summer's problem, and while she got contact, she also scratched on the 4. It didn't stop her from a later three-ball run, but the Lumberjacks rookie left the 9 close enough to the top right for the Surfers' Bright to cut it in, tying the series at 1 with his win. Bright did himself in with a bad shot in game 3, going to make contact on the 1 but ending up striking the 4 hard enough to carom the 9 off a rail and into the bottom left illegally. Summer took the gifted win for a 2-1 series win, which puts her in the second round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Chelsea. The red cue is up in 15-ball between these oddball rivals. Game 1 started a bit slowly, as the players had trouble calibrating their shots. Eastside's Chelsea picked up the pace late, with a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out to put Central's Dustin in the hole 1-0 early on. The Warriors' Dustin tried to hound the 15 in game 2, but the Sharks' Chelsea was good at defense and she kept changing the pace to frustrate her host. Chelsea had a late four-ball run, but a scratch gave Dustin a chance to pick up the win on a three-ball run-out, and when he converted, he tied the series at 1. Chelsea had a seven-ball run early in game 3 after throwing Dustin off with a few early misses. They both ended up illegally chasing the 9 while the 8 was on the table, and Dustin picked up on it first, taking a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand in a shocking end to the series. Dustin took the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Bandit. The silver cue returns in 10-ball between a captain and a sophomore. Southern's Panda looked pretty confident in game 1, battling with Swordpoint's Bandit early before breaking free on a three-ball run-out to grab the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda flipped it around in game 2 with a four-ball run on his second turn and then a gritty battle from that point on with the Blades' Bandit. Panda got the better of Bandit late, taking the win for a 2-0 lead in the series. Panda and Bandit both had trouble getting on track in game 3, leading to a sloppy game that eventually saw Bandit work a four-ball run-out to snag the win. Panda takes a 2-1 series win with him to the second round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Jasmine. The red cue gets another look, this time in 7-ball. Tysini's Leandra had a ball on the break, but it was still quite the game 1 fight against Freedom's Jasmine. The extra space on the table was a problem, but Leandra contained her shot for a three-ball run-out in the end, her win giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Leandra didn't waste any time in game 2, easing up on the break and ending up with the 7 in the top side and the 6 in the bottom side, good for another win over the Cascades' Jasmine. Leandra owns a 2-0 series lead. Leandra kept the pressure on with a four-ball run from the break in game 3. Jasmine got one back, but Leandra took the last two balls, securing the 3-0 series sweep as she drained the 7 on a cut to the top right. Leandra goes into the second round brimming with confidence.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Leonardo v. Pounce. Two experienced strongmen face off in another 7-ball series with the red cue. Southern's Pounce maintained a strong presence in game 1 despite some lapses in shot quality. Midland's Leonardo couldn't fill those gaps, and Pounce easily took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce took a calmer approach to his shots in game 2, and while the Predators' Leonardo found some early success, a four-ball run-out from Pounce assured the visitor of the win. Pounce clinched the series at 2-0 as well. Pounce didn't have much of a shot in game 3, but Leonardo had luck on his side anyway, making the 7 in the top side as collateral after a miss on the 2 caromed into the winning ball. Pounce won the series 2-1, advancing to the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Beth v. Strut. The silver cue makes an appearance in 12-ball this time. Pearl's Beth showed some rustiness in game 1, twice potting a ball to a pocket she had already filled, and these mistakes allowed Golden's Strut to build his attack patiently before striking with well-placed shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut had a great break and distribution, and quickly got down to just the well-defended top left. The Surfers' Beth chipped back with a four-ball run after Strut rearranged the defense, and then she added another defensive block, which worked, but she couldn't get her 3 to follow his 12 on an intentional attempt for the tie. Strut took the win and the series at 2-0. Beth and Strut engaged in a race in game 3, each taking the right side first and then battling in the left and center, with Beth eventually getting around Strut's defense for the win. Strut advances to the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Vladimir Vasilyev v. Cobalt. Wolves teammates clash in a series of 10-ball with the red cue. Vladimir had a decent start with a couple of early shots, but Cobalt needed only his first turn, as he turned in an eight-ball run-out for the win, bringing the united crowd to their feet as he gained the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 featured a much closer battle, with Cobalt showing off a bit more of his positioning skill while Vladimir tried to play direct. They evenly split possession, but Vladimir took the game late with the last pair of shots, tying the series at 1 with his win. Game 3 also followed an even split, although with a bit more pace at times. Cobalt benefited this time, picking up the 10 after Vladimir missed his cut shot and had a kick instead. Cobalt won the series 2-1 with this win, heading to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Prism. A returning player meets a sophomore in the day's final series, which is Accuracy with the silver cue. Todavía's Prism had an early lead in game 1, but she couldn't make it stand, and Maplewood's Gabe took over, holding tight to a 2-5 lead to get the win. Gabe holds a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Prism showed a bit more patience in game 2, letting the Lumberjacks' Gabe hold the lead until nearly the end. She left him in bad spots twice, forcing both of his misses, and she cleaned up at the end to win 1-2. Prism's win ties the series at 1. Prism tried to hold a lead early in game 3, but it went much like game, and she fell apart in the end. Gabe stayed consistent with his play, winning 2-4 to take the series 2-1, and he advances to the second round.
That's all for today's games. We'll play tomorrow after Premier, and Sunday will be Premier only so as to rest up for a week ahead in Tournament action.
Elite Cricket 2018 - Week 10
We're back in Elite action as Tournament play takes Thursday off. This set of games should be complete prior to Tournament action resuming on Friday. We begin with...
Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds try to keep up recent success by sitting Rosemary, while Josie takes rest for the high-octane Waves in their first game of a doubleheader. Snuggle accepted 681 after a technical error cut his initial turn short for Oceanside. Tigerette got 448 back at a stronger pace for Commerce, but the shorter turn caused the deficit. Celestia doubled the Waves offense with an authoritative 688 on her turn, extending their lead nicely. Taylor fell at 233 after a tough turn for the Tradewinds, giving them a steep hill to climb in the second half. Dewey tapped 450 for Oceanside on a productive turn of his own to add to their lead. Lionel pushed back with 544 for Commerce, but they remain behind at this stage of the game. Jason V. did well enough with 384 for the Waves, capping their scoring at 2203. Niki tried to counter with 471 for the Tradewinds, but they took the loss anyway at 1696. Oceanside remains tough to beat, rising to 13-9, while Commerce dips to 7-9.
AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: The Waves make the short trip north back home to face the Union. Kodiak rests for the visitors, while Jason V. takes a seat for the hosts. Ms. Puppy had to go to her backhand a couple of times, the latter being too slow as she finished with 330 for Modernistic. Snuggle took only 290 for Oceanside as he battled distractions on his turn. Daisy countered with 520 for the Union, boosting their lead on a thorough second attack. Celestia answered with a better 703 for the Waves, hauling them ahead narrowly at the midway mark. Puff I covered the deficit with 503 after accidentally pulling a ball back into her wicket to end her turn suddenly. Josie slugged 1220 in response for Oceanside, rocketing them far ahead with a player each to go. Chimpy fired back with 537 for the Union, but they fell with 1890 in a tough battle. Dewey iced it with 160 for the Waves to give them 2373 overall. Oceanside jumps again to 14-9, while Modernistic slides to 8-11.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks begin a tripleheader against the Sharpshooters. Missy rests for the visitors, as does Peach for the hosts. Chris made a desperation save on a ball near the wicket, but he bumped it on a late back-swing, ending at 407 for Capital City. Cheddar shoveled 529 for North Modernistic to give them the early lead. Sprinkles fired back with 493 for the Sharpshooters, covering the deficit for now. Gal replied with 429 for the Nighthawks, maintaining a small lead in favor of the hosts at the halfway mark. Lorde kept the pressure high with 584 for Capital City, threatening the hosts' lead. B. Chapman couldn't keep up for North Modernistic with 433, leaving them at a slight deficit late in the game. Pauline had a low-pace turn that ended with 372, giving the Sharpshooters a total of 1856. Luigi barely beat that with 374 for the Nighthawks, stumbling at the end to leave the hosts in a loss with 1765. Capital City rises to 12-3 ahead of the rematch, while North Modernistic is a weak 4-10.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Hummingbirds are in for the middle game of the tripleheader, sitting Paps, while the Nighthawks give Luigi the game off this time. Princess fell apart quickly for Tysini, recording only 249 points on the first turn. Peach answered with 487 for North Modernistic, giving her side a slight lead early on. Leandra barely covered the deficit, getting caught on her backhand at 256 for the Hummingbirds. Cheddar punched a solid 567 for the Nighthawks this time, boosting their lead at the halfway point. Charli made a push with 650 for Tysini, keeping them in the game for another turn. Gal fought off the danger with 472 for North Modernistic, asserting them in a position of control late in the game. Brownie faltered with 318 for the Hummingbirds, unable to force a response as they lost with 1473. B. Chapman had a pacey attack in clean-up, adding 311 with the early exit to give the Nighthawks a winning total of 1837. North Modernistic pulls back to 5-10, while Tysini drops to 12-9 with the loss.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Sharpshooters are back in action for round two, sitting Pauline, while the Nighthawks rest B. Chapman for this one. Chris got taken out at 76 for Capital City, as he shouldered a ball high into the air on a play that will have him under injury watch. Peach couldn't take full advantage of the visitors' misfortune, ending at 192 for North Modernistic. Missy flicked 327 for the Sharpshooters, covering the deficit a bit lightly. Cheddar struck 202 for the Nighthawks, as this game takes a bit of a low-scoring turn compared to the first. Sprinkles hammered 1223 for Capital City to break the low-scoring vibe, giving them a massive lead. Gal couldn't keep up for North Modernistic, her 233 barely touching the deficit. Lorde poked 373 for the Sharpshooters, icing their offense at 1999 in what should be another win. Luigi had a mediocre 245 for the Nighthawks, leaving them at 872 in the loss. Capital City is up to 13-3 now, while North Modernistic falls back to 5-11.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The Surfers host the Flames in the first of two meetings this week. Kyle sits for the visitors, while Watermelon takes a break for the Surfers. Crystal set up Queens well with 520 on the opening turn, a stable start from the trusty captain. Boots let a couple of balls float behind her, and only cleared one of them, ending at 351 as the other claimed the Pearl batter's wicket. Violetta attacked with an unrelenting pace for the Flames, blasting 1439 on the turn to give them a massive lead. Neopolitan melted under pressure at 272 for the Surfers, hurting their chances of a comeback. Briana broke her recent rut with 276 for Queens, keeping their lead stable. Bright had 312 for Pearl in response, clearly trying to keep their pride intact. Hannah took 380 for the Flames, capping their likely victory at 2615. Beth fell at 211 for the Surfers, leaving them with a total of 1146 in the loss. Queens gets the upset win to go to 10-13, while Pearl falls back to 9-9.
Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames head home with momentum, hosting a struggling Tradewinds team. Taylor sits for the visitors, while Hannah is on the bench for the hosts. Tigerette lacked the necessary pace to make a big impact for Commerce, falling at 219 on the first turn. Crystal answered with a decent 336 for Queens, giving them the early lead by a small margin. Lionel fell with 139 for the Tradewinds, barely covering the deficit this time in a slow-starting game. Violetta fired back with 687 for the Flames, her pacey attack strengthening their lead at the midway mark. Rosemary countered with a strong 619 for Commerce, which wasn't quite enough to cover the deficit. Briana faltered with 153 for Queens, leaving them vulnerable as the final players come to bat. Niki challenged the hosts with 557 for the Tradewinds, icing their offense at 1534. Kyle shot back with 578 for the Flames in the end, securing their win at 1754. Queens is up to 11-13, while Commerce sinks to 7-10.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The Surfers begin their doubleheader at home against the Spiders, with Beth sitting for the hosts and Sugar resting for the Spiders. Shadow had a rare disappointing turn with only 175 for Web City this time, leaving them exposed early on. Boots held her ground long enough to pick up 447 for Pearl, giving them a solid lead at the start. Ted chipped 281 for the Spiders, closing the gap a bit on the second attack. Watermelon lacked urgency in attack for the Surfers, bowing out with a mediocre 264 as their lead takes a small knock. Jack answered with 630 for Web City, pulling them ahead for their first big lead of the game. Neopolitan went off with 1099 for Pearl in response, regaining the lead and then some heading into the final players' turns. Shiny buckled at 36 for the Spiders, leaving them in a loss at 1122. Bright capped the Surfers win with 370, for a total of 2180. Pearl ascends to 10-9, while Web City falls back to 9-12.
Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames try to get a second win against the Surfers this week. Beth remains on the bench for the visitors, while the hosts announce Briana will be out indefinitely starting now. Boots served up 739 on a pacey first turn for Pearl, with familiarity clearly breeding hostility for these two teams. Crystal gathered 448 for Queens, keeping them somewhat close initially. Watermelon grabbed 338 for the Surfers on a decent turn to maintain their lead. Violetta shot back with 655 for the Flames, doing her part to make it a close game at the halfway mark. Neopolitan endangered Pearl's chances of a comeback with only 66 on her turn. Kyle smashed 1035 for Queens, flipping the game decidedly in favor of the hosts with a player each to go. Bright crumbled at a middling 264 for the Surfers, leaving them to lose with 1407. Hannah tapped 271 to ice the Flames win at 2409. Queens rises to 12-13 on a recent hot streak, while Pearl drops back to 10-10.
Nike Field, Commerce: The Arrows start a doubleheader by ending a three-game road trip with Wild Thing on the bench, while the Tradewinds sit their captain Tigerette in this home game. Sally popped 647 on the opening turn for Archtown, a surprisingly strong effort from the veteran. Taylor scooped a poor 202 for Commerce in response, leaving the hosts quite a bit behind. Ruby picked up only 192 for the Arrows, failing to add a meaningful extension to their lead. Lionel drilled 804 for the Tradewinds, carrying them ahead at the halfway mark with a pacey attack. Sleepy B. provided 490 for Archtown on the counterattack, enough to cover the deficit for now. Rosemary couldn't cover this deficit with only 224 for Commerce, keeping things interesting right to the end of this back-and-forth game. Dusky stepped in with 670 for the Arrows, hauling their final score up to 1999, which isn't safe yet. Niki also had 670 for the Tradewinds, unable to hang on any longer as the hosts fall at 1900 even. Archtown steals a win on the road to get to 6-13, while Commerce falls again to 7-11.
Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows begin a three-game home stand without their captain Ruby, while the Sharpshooters play their third of four straight on the road without their captain Chris due to an injury suffered in the previous game. Missy brought an energetic pace and brilliant defensive skill to score 713 in lead-off for Capital City. Sally kept it close with 599 for Archtown in a high-scoring start to the game. Sprinkles launched 963 in response for the Sharpshooters, reasserting their lead immediately. Sleepy B. couldn't muster a response to that, falling at 200 as the Arrows just can't keep up. Lorde continued the big attack for Capital City with 806, boosting their lead greatly again. Dusky fell at 208 for Archtown, clearly unable to keep up at this late stage. Pauline slipped at 227 for the Sharpshooters, but they should be fine at 2709 in an assumed victory. Wild Thing bailed at 126 as the Arrows took a hard loss at 1133. Capital City is up to 14-3, while Archtown sinks to 6-14.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The week ends with the Surfers hosting the Torpedoes. Neopolitan sits for the hosts while Shelley takes the visitors' only game of the week off. Smudge took an alright 283 for Infinity on the first turn, leaving them a bit vulnerable. Boots scattered 677 for Pearl on their opening attack, giving the hosts a nice lead. Fluffina answered with 729 for the Torpedoes, covering the deficit this time. Watermelon slipped up at 239 for the Surfers, leaving them at a deficit halfway through the game. Solaris took advantage of the opportunity for Infinity, muscling up to extend their lead with 457 on his turn. Bright couldn't catch up with a measly 87 for Pearl, putting them farther behind with a player each to go. Mr. Snowman tacked on another 304 for the Torpedoes, putting their final score at 1773. Beth tried to play with big swings, but she fell at 80 for the Surfers, leaving them at a total of 1083 in the loss. Infinity maintains second place at 13-4, while Pearl drops to 10-11 with the tough loss.
That's all for this week. Tournament play resumes today (Friday) with a standard day.
Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds try to keep up recent success by sitting Rosemary, while Josie takes rest for the high-octane Waves in their first game of a doubleheader. Snuggle accepted 681 after a technical error cut his initial turn short for Oceanside. Tigerette got 448 back at a stronger pace for Commerce, but the shorter turn caused the deficit. Celestia doubled the Waves offense with an authoritative 688 on her turn, extending their lead nicely. Taylor fell at 233 after a tough turn for the Tradewinds, giving them a steep hill to climb in the second half. Dewey tapped 450 for Oceanside on a productive turn of his own to add to their lead. Lionel pushed back with 544 for Commerce, but they remain behind at this stage of the game. Jason V. did well enough with 384 for the Waves, capping their scoring at 2203. Niki tried to counter with 471 for the Tradewinds, but they took the loss anyway at 1696. Oceanside remains tough to beat, rising to 13-9, while Commerce dips to 7-9.
AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: The Waves make the short trip north back home to face the Union. Kodiak rests for the visitors, while Jason V. takes a seat for the hosts. Ms. Puppy had to go to her backhand a couple of times, the latter being too slow as she finished with 330 for Modernistic. Snuggle took only 290 for Oceanside as he battled distractions on his turn. Daisy countered with 520 for the Union, boosting their lead on a thorough second attack. Celestia answered with a better 703 for the Waves, hauling them ahead narrowly at the midway mark. Puff I covered the deficit with 503 after accidentally pulling a ball back into her wicket to end her turn suddenly. Josie slugged 1220 in response for Oceanside, rocketing them far ahead with a player each to go. Chimpy fired back with 537 for the Union, but they fell with 1890 in a tough battle. Dewey iced it with 160 for the Waves to give them 2373 overall. Oceanside jumps again to 14-9, while Modernistic slides to 8-11.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks begin a tripleheader against the Sharpshooters. Missy rests for the visitors, as does Peach for the hosts. Chris made a desperation save on a ball near the wicket, but he bumped it on a late back-swing, ending at 407 for Capital City. Cheddar shoveled 529 for North Modernistic to give them the early lead. Sprinkles fired back with 493 for the Sharpshooters, covering the deficit for now. Gal replied with 429 for the Nighthawks, maintaining a small lead in favor of the hosts at the halfway mark. Lorde kept the pressure high with 584 for Capital City, threatening the hosts' lead. B. Chapman couldn't keep up for North Modernistic with 433, leaving them at a slight deficit late in the game. Pauline had a low-pace turn that ended with 372, giving the Sharpshooters a total of 1856. Luigi barely beat that with 374 for the Nighthawks, stumbling at the end to leave the hosts in a loss with 1765. Capital City rises to 12-3 ahead of the rematch, while North Modernistic is a weak 4-10.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Hummingbirds are in for the middle game of the tripleheader, sitting Paps, while the Nighthawks give Luigi the game off this time. Princess fell apart quickly for Tysini, recording only 249 points on the first turn. Peach answered with 487 for North Modernistic, giving her side a slight lead early on. Leandra barely covered the deficit, getting caught on her backhand at 256 for the Hummingbirds. Cheddar punched a solid 567 for the Nighthawks this time, boosting their lead at the halfway point. Charli made a push with 650 for Tysini, keeping them in the game for another turn. Gal fought off the danger with 472 for North Modernistic, asserting them in a position of control late in the game. Brownie faltered with 318 for the Hummingbirds, unable to force a response as they lost with 1473. B. Chapman had a pacey attack in clean-up, adding 311 with the early exit to give the Nighthawks a winning total of 1837. North Modernistic pulls back to 5-10, while Tysini drops to 12-9 with the loss.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Sharpshooters are back in action for round two, sitting Pauline, while the Nighthawks rest B. Chapman for this one. Chris got taken out at 76 for Capital City, as he shouldered a ball high into the air on a play that will have him under injury watch. Peach couldn't take full advantage of the visitors' misfortune, ending at 192 for North Modernistic. Missy flicked 327 for the Sharpshooters, covering the deficit a bit lightly. Cheddar struck 202 for the Nighthawks, as this game takes a bit of a low-scoring turn compared to the first. Sprinkles hammered 1223 for Capital City to break the low-scoring vibe, giving them a massive lead. Gal couldn't keep up for North Modernistic, her 233 barely touching the deficit. Lorde poked 373 for the Sharpshooters, icing their offense at 1999 in what should be another win. Luigi had a mediocre 245 for the Nighthawks, leaving them at 872 in the loss. Capital City is up to 13-3 now, while North Modernistic falls back to 5-11.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The Surfers host the Flames in the first of two meetings this week. Kyle sits for the visitors, while Watermelon takes a break for the Surfers. Crystal set up Queens well with 520 on the opening turn, a stable start from the trusty captain. Boots let a couple of balls float behind her, and only cleared one of them, ending at 351 as the other claimed the Pearl batter's wicket. Violetta attacked with an unrelenting pace for the Flames, blasting 1439 on the turn to give them a massive lead. Neopolitan melted under pressure at 272 for the Surfers, hurting their chances of a comeback. Briana broke her recent rut with 276 for Queens, keeping their lead stable. Bright had 312 for Pearl in response, clearly trying to keep their pride intact. Hannah took 380 for the Flames, capping their likely victory at 2615. Beth fell at 211 for the Surfers, leaving them with a total of 1146 in the loss. Queens gets the upset win to go to 10-13, while Pearl falls back to 9-9.
Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames head home with momentum, hosting a struggling Tradewinds team. Taylor sits for the visitors, while Hannah is on the bench for the hosts. Tigerette lacked the necessary pace to make a big impact for Commerce, falling at 219 on the first turn. Crystal answered with a decent 336 for Queens, giving them the early lead by a small margin. Lionel fell with 139 for the Tradewinds, barely covering the deficit this time in a slow-starting game. Violetta fired back with 687 for the Flames, her pacey attack strengthening their lead at the midway mark. Rosemary countered with a strong 619 for Commerce, which wasn't quite enough to cover the deficit. Briana faltered with 153 for Queens, leaving them vulnerable as the final players come to bat. Niki challenged the hosts with 557 for the Tradewinds, icing their offense at 1534. Kyle shot back with 578 for the Flames in the end, securing their win at 1754. Queens is up to 11-13, while Commerce sinks to 7-10.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The Surfers begin their doubleheader at home against the Spiders, with Beth sitting for the hosts and Sugar resting for the Spiders. Shadow had a rare disappointing turn with only 175 for Web City this time, leaving them exposed early on. Boots held her ground long enough to pick up 447 for Pearl, giving them a solid lead at the start. Ted chipped 281 for the Spiders, closing the gap a bit on the second attack. Watermelon lacked urgency in attack for the Surfers, bowing out with a mediocre 264 as their lead takes a small knock. Jack answered with 630 for Web City, pulling them ahead for their first big lead of the game. Neopolitan went off with 1099 for Pearl in response, regaining the lead and then some heading into the final players' turns. Shiny buckled at 36 for the Spiders, leaving them in a loss at 1122. Bright capped the Surfers win with 370, for a total of 2180. Pearl ascends to 10-9, while Web City falls back to 9-12.
Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames try to get a second win against the Surfers this week. Beth remains on the bench for the visitors, while the hosts announce Briana will be out indefinitely starting now. Boots served up 739 on a pacey first turn for Pearl, with familiarity clearly breeding hostility for these two teams. Crystal gathered 448 for Queens, keeping them somewhat close initially. Watermelon grabbed 338 for the Surfers on a decent turn to maintain their lead. Violetta shot back with 655 for the Flames, doing her part to make it a close game at the halfway mark. Neopolitan endangered Pearl's chances of a comeback with only 66 on her turn. Kyle smashed 1035 for Queens, flipping the game decidedly in favor of the hosts with a player each to go. Bright crumbled at a middling 264 for the Surfers, leaving them to lose with 1407. Hannah tapped 271 to ice the Flames win at 2409. Queens rises to 12-13 on a recent hot streak, while Pearl drops back to 10-10.
Nike Field, Commerce: The Arrows start a doubleheader by ending a three-game road trip with Wild Thing on the bench, while the Tradewinds sit their captain Tigerette in this home game. Sally popped 647 on the opening turn for Archtown, a surprisingly strong effort from the veteran. Taylor scooped a poor 202 for Commerce in response, leaving the hosts quite a bit behind. Ruby picked up only 192 for the Arrows, failing to add a meaningful extension to their lead. Lionel drilled 804 for the Tradewinds, carrying them ahead at the halfway mark with a pacey attack. Sleepy B. provided 490 for Archtown on the counterattack, enough to cover the deficit for now. Rosemary couldn't cover this deficit with only 224 for Commerce, keeping things interesting right to the end of this back-and-forth game. Dusky stepped in with 670 for the Arrows, hauling their final score up to 1999, which isn't safe yet. Niki also had 670 for the Tradewinds, unable to hang on any longer as the hosts fall at 1900 even. Archtown steals a win on the road to get to 6-13, while Commerce falls again to 7-11.
Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows begin a three-game home stand without their captain Ruby, while the Sharpshooters play their third of four straight on the road without their captain Chris due to an injury suffered in the previous game. Missy brought an energetic pace and brilliant defensive skill to score 713 in lead-off for Capital City. Sally kept it close with 599 for Archtown in a high-scoring start to the game. Sprinkles launched 963 in response for the Sharpshooters, reasserting their lead immediately. Sleepy B. couldn't muster a response to that, falling at 200 as the Arrows just can't keep up. Lorde continued the big attack for Capital City with 806, boosting their lead greatly again. Dusky fell at 208 for Archtown, clearly unable to keep up at this late stage. Pauline slipped at 227 for the Sharpshooters, but they should be fine at 2709 in an assumed victory. Wild Thing bailed at 126 as the Arrows took a hard loss at 1133. Capital City is up to 14-3, while Archtown sinks to 6-14.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The week ends with the Surfers hosting the Torpedoes. Neopolitan sits for the hosts while Shelley takes the visitors' only game of the week off. Smudge took an alright 283 for Infinity on the first turn, leaving them a bit vulnerable. Boots scattered 677 for Pearl on their opening attack, giving the hosts a nice lead. Fluffina answered with 729 for the Torpedoes, covering the deficit this time. Watermelon slipped up at 239 for the Surfers, leaving them at a deficit halfway through the game. Solaris took advantage of the opportunity for Infinity, muscling up to extend their lead with 457 on his turn. Bright couldn't catch up with a measly 87 for Pearl, putting them farther behind with a player each to go. Mr. Snowman tacked on another 304 for the Torpedoes, putting their final score at 1773. Beth tried to play with big swings, but she fell at 80 for the Surfers, leaving them at a total of 1083 in the loss. Infinity maintains second place at 13-4, while Pearl drops to 10-11 with the tough loss.
That's all for this week. Tournament play resumes today (Friday) with a standard day.
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