We're ready to resume Tournament action with the second round, which will likely feature 32 game days, again with all of the action being in three-game series. We begin with...
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Jack v. Mitchell. The red cue administers a 10-ball series in the Halloween Derby. Web City's Jack had a majority of the possession in game 1, playing pretty well early on, but Harrison's Mitchell cleaned up the 10 after a short battle, giving the visitor the 1-0 series lead with his win. The Specters' Mitchell made quick work of game 2, sinking the 9 on the break and then hitting the 1 and the 2-10 combination to the top side on his second turn to stun the Spiders' Jake. Mitchell clinched the series at 2-0. Jack bounced back with a solid performance in game 3, battling evenly with Mitchell right up the end when Jack found a way to make the last two balls for the win. Mitchell takes the series 2-1 and becomes the first player to have a spot in the third round.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Dustin v. Boots. A pair of experienced veterans meet in 12-ball with the red cue. Pearl's Boots didn't hold onto the wild-card ball Central's Dustin gave away on the game 1 break, but Boots did have just enough late defense to stall Dustin. Boots got around Dustin in the end, making her last two balls for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Boots again started slower than the Warriors' Dustin in game 2, but Boots rallied late to keep it close. Both players needed the bottom left at the end, and they battled in a cagey and defensive manner until Boots poked home the 7 to get the win, clinching the series at 2-0. Boots kept it up with a convincing effort in game 3, holding a lead after taking the top pockets quickly. Dustin made some late errors, potting one of Boots' balls to simplify her finish, which was a cut on the 11 to the bottom left. Boots swept the series 3-0 to get into the third round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Roxy v. Gabe. The blue cue now comes on for its first series of 10-ball in the round. Maplewood's Gabe came out of the gate strong in game 1, but both players ground to a halt on the 3. Eventually, the offense returned, and Freedom's Roxy snagged the win with a deflection off the 8 to put the 10 in the top right for a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Roxy had a more involved effort in game 2, and while the game slowed down again at the 6, Roxy made the 6 to the top side and 10 to the top right on a double-pot to secure the series at 2-0 over the Lumberjacks' Gabe. Roxy didn't have much early in game 3, but Gabe missed a shot on the 3, and Roxy did a spinning kick combination, 3-10 to the bottom right, to earn the 3-0 series sweep. Roxy will be the host again in the third round.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Graham v. Klaus. An Eastern Hills Derby in 15-ball keeps the blue cue in action. Eastside's Graham made a ball on the break in game 1, and won two shots later with a deflection off the 2 to pot the 15 at the top right, never letting Atlantic's Klaus see the table. Graham's quick win gives him a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 had a lack of creativity executed, although the Pirates' Klaus did get a lot more of the offense. Graham had his moments in the middle and toward the end of the game, but the Sharks captain fell short and saw Klaus make the last two balls for the win, tying the series at 1. Klaus and Graham battled in a similar fashion in game 3, going just about shot-for-shot. Graham had a late miss on the 15 on a bank attempt, and Klaus picked it up on the cut to the bottom right to take the series at 2-1. Klaus will play on into the third round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Isabella v. Chris. The red cue jumps back into action in a series of 9-ball. Atlantic's Isabella started with a three-ball run in game 1, but couldn't continue her offense after a second surge later on. Capital City's Chris ended up with the win on a late run, giving him a 1-0 series lead despite his slow start. The Sharpshooters' Chris had some offense early in game 2, but it quickly dried up, and a pair of three-ball runs by the Pirates' Isabella got the host back on track in the series. The latter run gave Isabella the win, tying the series at 1 game apiece. Isabella had a four-ball run in game 3, but seemed certain Chris would reply at the end. Chris made the 7, only to whiff on the 8, allowing Isabella to make the last two shots for the win and a 2-1 series win. Isabella escapes to a third round series, which she will host.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Avril Lavigne v. Tigerette. Another red cue 9-ball series goes with a rookie against a longtime captain. Southern's Avril started out with a decent game 1 effort, but Commerce's Tigerette kept things close in the middle of the game. Tigerette couldn't find a second surge, and Avril won with a four-ball run-out, earning the 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Avril struck much more quickly in game 2, winning on the second turn after the Tradewinds' Tigerette missed on the 1. Avril banked the 1-9 combination to the top side to pick up the win in shocking fashion, securing the series at 2-0. Avril fired off a bit more offense in game 3, taking it late after Tigerette couldn't corral the 9. The close game went to Avril again, who swept the series 3-0 to earn her hosting position in the third round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Bianca v. Kayla. The blue cue plays its last series today in 10-ball in a Tournament edition of the Castle Derby. Southridge's Bianca started with a pair of balls in game 1 before a scratch. Royal's Kayla fired back with a four-ball run from ball-in-hand, but couldn't corral the 7, and Bianca stormed back to win on a four-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 featured a much less elegant distribution of shots, as the Crowns' Kayla had mistakes early and late in the game. Bianca capitalized on the latter one especially well, converting the 10 after Kayla's bank attempt miss. Bianca sealed the series at 2-0 with this win. Kayla had no command in a lifeless game 3 performance, allowing Bianca to run circles around her until Bianca finally made the 10 at the end. Bianca took the series in a 3-0 sweep to get to the third round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Lexi Woode v. Ms. Kitty. The silver cue comes on for an appearance in 12-ball. Harrison's Lexi had a strong start in game 1 washed out partially by a scratch. Pacific's Ms. Kitty took advantage to pull even, but Lexi had a three-ball run after that and Ms. Kitty scratched on her second turn. Lexi tapped in her last shot to get the win on her third turn, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the series. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty was even faster in game 2, with three-ball runs on both of her turns, taking the top rail initially and a well-executed sequence for the bottom rail on the latter turn to tie the series at 1 while stunning the Specters' Lexi. Game 3 saw Ms. Kitty make two solids and a stripe on the break, giving Lexi a wild-card ball. Ms. Kitty later did a strategic scratch, which proved costly when Lexi made a three-ball run and got positioned for her last ball. Ms. Kitty made one more counterattack, but Lexi took the win and a 2-1 series win. Lexi will be the host in her third round series.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Sweetheart. We stick with 12-ball but bring on the red cue for this Doubles Derby meeting. Golden's Valencia had a couple of nice bursts of offense in game 1, but she was too slow to finish, allowing Boston's Sweetheart to rally to a win on a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Valencia again struck early on a three-ball run before a scratch slowed her down, but the Swifts' Sweetheart picked up the pace late after her defense at the bottom left worked perfectly. Sweetheart had pairs of shots on her last two turns, earning the win and the series at 2-0. Sweetheart attacked well at the start of game 3, making a pair on the break. She had a scratch in the middle, opening some space for Valencia to get her offense going, but Sweetheart shut the door again with a three-ball run-out to complete her 3-0 series sweep. Sweetheart will be on the road again in the third round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Oreo. The silver cue returns to action in Accuracy between a pair of veterans. Royal's Kayla showed great poise in game 1, playing perfectly throughout, while Terrace City's Oreo missed once early and once more late. Kayla closed out the game ahead 0-2 for the 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Kayla fell off her established pace early in game 2, and then compounded her problems with some late misses. The Knights' Oreo proved much more resilient with a lead, and she made it stand for a 1-3 win to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Oreo didn't have any intent of wrapping up this bid today, instead playing a perfect game 3 to earn the 0-2 win as Kayla faltered early and had no chance of coming back from that. Oreo won the series 2-1, and will be the host in her third round series.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Misty v. Ice Cream. Two veterans with plenty of talent meet as the silver cue administers a 15-ball series. Westside's Misty showed her creativity in game 1, making seven balls over her second and third turns to move the game along well. Boston's Ice Cream countered with a four-ball run-out, featuring a double-pot of the 11 deflected to the bottom left and 13 to the top left, followed by a 12-15 combination to the top right for the 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Misty had a risky deflected 1-15 combination effort in game 2 that came up just short at the top right. The risk was realized when the Swifts' Ice Cream potted the 1 to the top side and then made the 2-15 combination to the top right to clinch the series at 2-0. Ice Cream crushed in three balls on the game 3 break, and kept her offense simmering after that. Misty nearly lucked her way into making the 15, but instead Ice Cream tapped the 9-15 combination to the bottom right to earn the 3-0 series sweep. Ice Cream will be on the road again when she plays in the third round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Max v. Pounce. The red cue wraps up today's Tournament play in 7-ball between solid veterans. Atlantic's Max came agonizingly close to winning game 1 on the break, leaving the 7 at the top left, where Southern's Pounce quickly converted a 1-7 bank combination to get the win on his first and only shot. Pounce leads the series 1-0. The Pirates' Max had better luck in game 2, making a three-ball run-out as the 2 deflected the 7 favorably along the top rail to the top left. The Monarchs' Pounce had little impact on this game, as Max tied the series with the fortunate shot. Pounce returned to dominance in game 3, winning in two turns with a pair of shots, and then a five-ball run-out sparked by a double-pot of the 4 to the bottom side and the 5 to the bottom right. Pounce's great effort earned him a 2-1 series win and a road trip in the third round.
That's all for today's action to lead off the second round. We'll have Select Cricket going shortly on Twitter @UnitedPCL.
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