We're back after a number of days off, both planned and unplanned. We begin with...
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Paps. The silver cue gets the first crack today in 12-ball. Tysini's Paps started well in game 1, and while he had troubles at times with getting his shots lined up, North Modernistic's Cheddar could only play defense until Paps made his final ball for the win. Paps leads the series 1-0. The Hummingbirds' Paps fell behind a bit early in game 2 as the Nighthawks' Cheddar made a stronger attack, but Cheddar couldn't form a late run when she needed to, and Paps won from ball-in-hand on his last shot. Paps secured the series at 2-0. Paps made it a 3-0 series sweep after Cheddar aimed for the wrong pocket on her last shot. Paps rallied from behind to get the win, and will play in the second round, but due to play quality concerns, the remainder of the games scheduled for Monday are postponed to Tuesday. This postponement lasted instead to April 19, where the remainder of this day is played.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Cubby v. Klaus. The resumed day gets going with Rotation and the blue cue between a veteran and a sophomore. Eastside's Cubby came out strong in game 1 with a three-ball run from the break. Atlantic's Klaus made a little progress early on, but Cubby fired back fiercely, and used a scratch by Klaus to make two more shots for an 8-2 win and 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Cubby started well again in game 2, but this was a shakier performance from the veteran. The Pirates' Klaus did a bit better, but couldn't retie the game after Cubby pulled ahead a second time, and Cubby won 8-5, clinching the series at 2-0. Cubby dominated in game 3, with a four-ball run from the break and pairs of shots on the next two turns to pummel Klaus in an 8-1 win. The 3-0 series sweep puts Cubby into a hosting position in the second round against the Modernistic Union's Chimpy.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Goatee v. Princess. Stars collide in a big-name series of 12-ball, with the red cue getting its first action. Tysini's Princess started slow and had to be defensive right up to the end, thanks to an aggressive attack by Westside's Goatee. Game 1 tipped to Princess on the last ball, as she held off Goatee long enough to win for a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Princess struck early in game 2, but the Rockers' Goatee was a bit faster in positioning. Princess still made a push late in the game, but missed her cut on the 3 to the top left, and Goatee mopped up her win with the 12 at the bottom side, tying the series at 1. Goatee overfilled the bottom right on the game 3 break, and while Princess launched a four-ball run, Goatee stayed close on the next turn. Princess couldn't corral her last ball, giving Goatee a chance for a three-ball run to pull even, and then win on the next turn when Princess missed again. Goatee took the series 2-1, and will host the Infinity Torpedoes' Solaris in the second round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Nibbles v. Spice. The blue cue returns to action in 7-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles had a pair of balls on the game 1 break, but offense was hard to come by until Victoria's Spice won on a three-ball run-out. Spice is ahead 1-0 in the series. The Meteors' Nibbles didn't play well in game 2 either, but a scratch from the Spurs' Spice changed the host's fortunes. Nibbles erupted for a seven-ball run-out on his third turn, erasing the memory of the sluggish start to the game, as the series stands tied at 1 with a decisive game ahead. Nibbles made a three-ball run off the break in game 3, but the miss didn't cost him, as Spice missed as well, and Nibbles completed a dominant game with a four-ball run-out. Nibbles won the series 2-1, advancing to host the Modernistic Union's Daisy in the second round now.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Stealth v. Precious. The blue cue remains in action for a series of 15-ball between veterans. Swordpoint's Stealth had some good looks on offense in game 1, but he was gifted the win by Pronger's Precious, who scratched as she potted the 10-12-15 combination to the bottom left. Stealth's good fortune gave him a 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Stealth had a pair of three-ball runs to sandwich a four-ball run in game 2, but his offense faded after the 10. The Tridents' Precious kept him in check better, until she launched a three-ball run-out to claim the win, tying the series at 1. Stealth and Precious both struggled early in game 3, making it close at first. Stealth broke free late in the game, winning on a four-ball run-out capped by a deflected shot off the 14 to make the 15 at the top right. Stealth claimed the series at 2-1, and will host the Lighton Prestige's Katelynn in the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sleepy B. v. Stephanie Livilotti. The red cue will play Rotation when we return from the lunch break. Archtown's Sleepy B. had a good start in game 1, but Southridge's Stephanie slowly built up a lead. Sleepy B. didn't fall quietly, making a five-ball run-out to snag the 8-7 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sleepy B. made another quick start in game 2, only to see the Defenders' Stephanie briefly pull ahead. Sleepy B. wouldn't allow this, rallying with a bit of luck and a lot of skill on a six-ball run-out to win 8-3 as the deflected shot off the 9 put the 13 in the top right. Sleepy B. secured the series at 2-0. Sleepy B. made it a 3-0 series sweep in game 3, rallying with a five-ball run early on before taking three more points in her last two turns for the 8-2 win over Stephanie. Sleepy B. will host Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle in the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Chicky Phil v. Spice. The blue cue plays on with this 9-ball series. Pacific's Chicky Phil had a three-ball run, including a 3-5-7 kick combination to the top side, but Victoria's Spice stayed even with her own three-ball run. Chicky Phil picked up the scraps at the end, cutting the 9 to the top left for the win and a 1-0 series lead after Spice failed to convert. The Volcanoes' Chicky Phil took a similar approach to game 2, again having an early three-ball run, but a later run attempt failed, and the Spurs' Spice fired off the last two shots from close range to get the win. The series is tied at 1. Spice and Chicky Phil again exchanged three-ball runs in game 3, but it was Spice pulling ahead in the end, making the 7 and then potting the 8-9 combination on a double-kiss to the bottom right for the 2-1 series win. Spice will stay on the road in round two, visiting the Midland Predators' Fuchsia.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Caitlin Woode v. Stripes. The silver cue makes a long-awaited return in an 8-ball series. Freedom's Stripes started a bit slower than Southridge's Caitlin, who had a three-ball run to get on the brink of victory. Stripes rallied back on a four-ball run-out to cut Caitlin off, giving Stripes a 1-0 series lead as the 8 fell in the bottom right. Runs were again hard to come by in game 2 initially, as the Defenders' Caitlin and the Cascades' Stripes battled with single-ball turns for awhile. Stripes turned that around in the end with a five-ball run-out to stun Caitlin, clinching the series at 2-0 in favor of Stripes. Game 3 saw Stripes start well, but most of the middle of the game was a battle for positioning. Stripes got the better of Caitlin by the end of the game, making a pair of shots to gain the win for a 3-0 series sweep that puts her into the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Charli XCX. The red cue jumps back into its second 12-ball series today. Oceanside's Jason gave up a wild-card ball on the game 1 break, and while Tysini's Charli gave it back halfway through the game, an overfill penalty doomed Jason's comeback chances. Charli got the better positioning and it stood for a win and 1-0 series lead at the end. The Hummingbirds' Charli had a nice run early in game 2, but that was no match for positioning put in place by the Waves' Jason. It took Jason time to break Charli's defenses at the bottom left, but he eventually took the win and tied the series at 1. Charli and Jason tangled in another characteristically tough game 3, with Charli's scratches and a wild-card ball given to Jason conspiring against the visitor in the end. Jason eventually made his last two balls around Charli's last one to get the win and 2-1 series win, earning him a chance to host Pacific Volcanoes veteran Leonette in the next round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Dusky v. Nibbles. We'll double down on 12-ball with the red cue, as the cue and event remain the same. Archtown's Dusky potted one of each on the break and claimed stripes, only to watch Viewpoint Sound's Nibbles make a five-ball run-out. He did surrender a wild-card ball back to Dusky, who tried to force a replay, but failed to make her last ball. Nibbles leads the series 1-0. The Arrows' Dusky had a great three-ball run and decent positioning early in game 2, but the Meteors' Nibbles shot back with a couple of short runs and eventually beat Dusky in a race to pot the last ball. Nibbles' efficient finish secured the series in his favor at 2-0. Nibbles couldn't keep a clean game 3, scratching and giving Dusky a wild-card ball. Dusky still had some late struggles, and pulled off a risky switch shot, banking her 12 to the top side to win after failing to corral it at the bottom right. The strong play meant that Nibbles only won the series 2-1, and will visit the Royal
Crowns' Kayla in the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Yekaterina Vasilyeva. The red cue takes another series, this time in 15-ball. Southern's Pounce had some good play early in game 1, but he faded faster than Victoria's Yekaterina, who stayed strong throughout the game to pick up the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Spurs' Yekaterina dominated possession on another level in game 2, at one point making an eight-ball run. The Monarchs' Pounce had little answer for this, and Yekaterina eventually won on a four-ball run-out to clinch the series at 2-0 in confident fashion. Yekaterina came out hot in game 3 as well with a five-ball run from the break, but she cooled off after that burst. Pounce eventually stepped up and won with a three-ball run-out that finished on a well-cut 12-15 combination to the top right. Yekaterina won the series 2-1, and will visit the Queens Flames' Kyle in the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Rosemary. The blue cue is back for a Rotation series between rookies. Commerce's Rosemary had a four-ball run early in game 1 to break a tie with Oceanside's Jason. The host rallied back late, but a scratch ended his comeback, and Rosemary made two shots to win 8-4 for a 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Jason reset himself well in game 2, started with a quick three-ball run to take the lead. The Tradewinds' Rosemary came close for awhile, but Jason pulled away and won on a three-ball run-out at the end, the 8-2 score tying the series at 1 for his effort. Jason struck first in game 3, but he didn't strike frequently enough after that. Rosemary started on a double-pot and ran away with an 8-4 win by the end to seal the series at 2-1. Rosemary's road victory puts her into the second round, where she'll face the Infinity Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman on the road. Jason V. advances four bids into the second round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Gizmo v. Misty. The blue cue stays up for another series, as veterans clash in 9-ball. Eastside's Gizmo missed his shooting targets a few times, but Westside's Misty didn't punish those mistakes enough, allowing Gizmo to hang around before winning on the last two balls. Gizmo holds a 1-0 series lead. The Sharks' Gizmo played a much sharper game 2, making a couple of short runs early on. The Rockers' Misty was not noticeably worse this time, but Gizmo's improvements turned the game easily in his favor, and his win clinched the series at 2-0. Game 3 saw the players exchange pairs of shots early on, but Gizmo had four of the five remaining balls after that, dominating in another win to sweep Misty off the bracket. Gizmo's 3-0 series win gives him a hosting position against Web City Spiders captain Shadow in round two.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Slinks v. Potter. Now, the silver cue gets a turn in 7-ball between a veteran and a sophomore. Westside's Slinks set the Tournament record for most balls on a break in game 1, making the 3 to the top side, the 4 and 6 to the top right, the 2 to the bottom right, and most importantly the 7 to the bottom left for the win. Slinks leads 1-0 in the series over Pronger's Potter. The Rockers' Slinks nearly won game 2 on the break in less explosive fashion, but the 7 hung at the top left. The Tridents' Potter made a pair of shots before scratching, and Slinks made five straight from there to secure the exciting series at 2-0. Slinks won in a much less dramatic game 3, as Potter had a lot of offense early, but Slinks mopped up the last two shots. Slinks' 3-0 series sweep with historic implications has her into the second round to host the Victoria Spurs' Strawberry.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jeremias v. Stinky. The red cue will take this series of Rotation, the penultimate series of the day. Freedom's Stinky jumped out to a good lead in game 1, but Royal's Jeremias tied him on a four-ball run and then gained the lead. Stinky countered, but Jeremias sealed the win at 8-6 for his 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Stinky refused to go quietly in game 2, falling behind the Crowns' Jeremias early on before rallying back and stunning the host with a three-ball run-out. Stinky took the win at 8-5, tying the series at 1 with impressive resolve and determination. Game 3 saw the two players go back and forth the entire time, with Jeremias edging ahead at the end for an 8-7 win and 2-1 series win. Jeremias will host the Pacific Volcanoes' Twinkie I in the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Gabe v. Brownie. The final series today is in Rotation, with the blue cue doing the honors. Maplewood's Gabe had a hot start to game 1, making a four-ball run and following that with a three-ball run. Tysini's Brownie made a couple of shots, but Gabe soon sealed his win at 8-2 for a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Gabe had a much tougher game 2, as the Hummingbirds' Brownie held two different leads. Brownie nearly took the win, but her three-ball run was short, and Gabe charged back on a three-ball run-out for the 8-7 win and 2-0 series lead. Gabe secured the series with an 8-4 win in game 3, battling early on with Brownie before going on a late run to assure himself of a 3-0 series sweep. Gabe will host the Queens Flames' Hannah in the second round. Gabe advances six bids to the second round, while Brownie takes five of hers on as well.
That's all for a long-delay Day 42. We will play tomorrow, Friday, April 20, before taking two days off over the weekend most likely.
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