We've got a reduced load of games today, playing only eight series. First up...
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Noelle. The blue cue gets the first look today in 12-ball. Pacific's Twinkie I scratched on the game 1 break, but Central's Noelle couldn't get started from the kitchen. Twinkie I claimed solids, and then went on a positioning spree before her three-ball run. Noelle couldn't counter it, and Twinkie I won on her next turn for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 went much slower, with the Warriors' Noelle getting down to her last two balls quickly before a tough battle for positioning. The Volcanoes' Twinkie I had a chance to win at the top left, but she rattled the shot out, and Noelle made her final pair on the next turn for the win to tie the series at 1. Noelle made a ball on the break in game 3, giving her a slight edge, and she used defense at the top left to keep Twinkie I at bay. Twinkie I did get onto her last ball but couldn't break Noelle's defense, and Noelle made a pair of shots again for the win, taking a 2-1 series lead. Noelle again struck on the break in game 4, but she didn't taking a commanding lead this time. Twinkie I lingered around just behind Noelle before risking her positioning on a three-ball run-out, which ended with her banking the 10 to the bottom side for the win. Twinkie I has retied the series at 2 with the impressive effort. Twinkie I gave away a wild-card ball early in game 5, but ended up having a better game than Noelle, as the visitor scuffled under pressure and allowed Twinkie I a clear path to victory at the end. Twinkie I took the series 3-2, and will host the Midland Predators' Fuchsia in the bracket semifinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Vincent Sullivan v. Crystal. The silver cue is up next to play Rotation. Queens' Crystal had the better of play in a tight game 1, as she and Viewpoint Sound's Vincent dueled for awhile before Crystal's three-ball run-out gave her an 8-5 win. Crystal leads the series 1-0. The Meteors' Vincent fought back for himself in game 2, taking an early lead. Vincent struggled with some errors, but the Flames' Crystal didn't do much from ball-in-hand, and Vincent eventually found a four-ball run-out for the 8-3 win. Vincent's victory tied the series at 1. Vincent played cat-and-mouse with Crystal for much of game 3, often holding a good lead just dangling in front of Crystal. This ended when Crystal broke out on a four-ball run-out to steal the 8-7 win away, retaking the series lead at 2-1 in the process. Crystal took the early lead in a tense start to game 4, but it didn't matter much after Vincent took a five-ball run from ball-in-hand. Crystal didn't have an answer for that, and Vincent tapped in the 10 to make it an 8-4 win, tying the series again at 2. Vincent had a good start in game 5, with a pair of three-ball runs. Crystal answered the first of them with her own three-ball run, and then took the game on her next turn with a five-ball run-out for the 8-6 win. Crystal's 3-2 series win puts her in line to host the Oceanside Waves rookie Josie to renew those two teams' budding rivalry.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Shelley. The red cue comes on next for some 7-ball, the last series for it in that event. Royal's Jake looked quite good in game 1, making a pair on the break to ignite his seven-ball table-running effort. Infinity's Shelley could only watch Jake make every shot to earn himself a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake brought a quicker winning strategy in game 2, making the 1 to the bottom side while the 7 got bumped to the top side on the break, extending his series lead to 2-0 before the Torpedoes' Shelley has had a shot. Jake didn't dominate game 3 like he had in the previous two, actually allowing Shelley to take some shots this time. Shelley had a scratch while going for the 5, leading to Jake's three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand at the end. Jake secured the series at 3-0 with this win. Jake eased up a little more in game 4, allowing Shelley to try to solve a knot of shots this time. In the end, Jake banked the 7 to the bottom side for the win, pushing his lead in the series to 4-0. Jake and Shelley battled evenly again in game 5, but Shelley couldn't do anything to avoid the sweep when Jake buried the 5-7 combination to the top side to win the series 5-0. Jake will host the Central Warriors' Noelle in the bracket semifinals.
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Jason N. v. Rudolph. A pair of rookies are set to battle in 8-ball with the blue cue. Swordpoint's Jason started off a bit slowly in game 1, but a three-ball run and a subsequent four-ball run-out combined with a lack of offense from Harrison's Rudolph meant that Jason easily took the win and 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Jason did reasonably well with a pair of three-ball runs in game 2, while the Specters' Rudolph elected to get the bulk of his offense on a five-ball run. Jason's late play was suspect, as he missed on his last ball and the 8 multiple times, while Rudolph quickly potted the 8 after finishing the solids. Rudolph's win tied the series at 1. Jason had a five-ball run early in game 3, and he quickly made another pair after that to get onto the 8, which he left near the bottom left. Rudolph, under pressure, rallied to make eight straight shots with excellent positioning, taking the win and a 2-1 series lead. Jason and Rudolph were not at their best for game 4, each one missing multiple shots they would normally make. Jason was first onto the 8, and he cut it to the top right, but a deflection off of Rudolph's last ball sent the cue to the top side for a scratch, gifting Rudolph the win and the series at 3-1. Jason looked drained to start game 5, giving away collateral damage quickly. Rudolph made a five-ball run, and then got the win after Jason had a scratch to officially end his offense. Rudolph took the series 4-1, and will be a visitor again in the bracket semifinals. Jason N. is the 92nd eliminated player this year, giving Rudolph his first career kill.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Quincy. After meeting yesterday, these players clash again in 8-ball with the blue cue. Central's Twilight came out with a seven-ball run off of a furious break, her hopes for vengeance high. Terrace City's Quincy made a three-ball run, but Twilight tapped the 8 to the bottom right to win, going up 1-0 in the series on her second turn. The Warriors' Twilight had a much weaker attack in game 2, while the Knights' Quincy kept the pace about the same. Both players had an unusually high amount of scratches, which worked to Quincy's favor when he finally made a four-ball run-out at the end for the win. Quincy has tied the series at 1. Twilight bounced back with a firm six-ball run in game 3, establishing quite a lead for herself. Quincy had a more fragmented attack, but Twilight was slow on her final ball and had to turn defensive to stop Quincy. The play worked, and Twilight made a pair of shots for the win, earning a 2-1 series lead. Quincy had the better start in game 4 with a short run, but he failed to back it up with anything. Twilight kept pace initially, and then used a four-ball run-out to take the win, clinching the series at 3-1 as well. Twilight had an empty break in game 5, allowing a seven-ball run from Quincy to materialize. Twilight had a five-ball run in response, but Quincy put the 8 in the top side for the win. Twilight won the series 3-2, getting her revenge and setting herself up to host the Lighton Prestige's Nicole in the bracket semifinals.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Fuchsia v. Shadow. The blue cue remains in play for a 9-ball series now. Midland's Fuchsia and Web City's Shadow didn't have much to separate each other in game 1, but they both rattled out late shots. Shadow's happened to be on the 9, which Fuchsia tapped in for a win and 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Shadow had a bit better of the offense in game 2, but a scratch after his four-ball run put all that hard work to waste. The Predators' Fuchsia scooped up the last two shots, banking the 9 to the bottom side for the win to push her series lead to 2-0. Shadow pushed the offense again in game 3, finding a late three-ball run but missing his cut on the 9 at the bottom right. Fuchsia hasn't played poorly, but she's certainly gotten the bounces to go her way, and she tapped the 9 in here for the win to clinch the series at 3-0. Shadow didn't have good luck in game 4 either, making shots on every turn but still watching as Fuchsia buried the 9 he couldn't corral at the end. Fuchsia is up 4-0 in the series now after another fortunate win. Fuchsia still couldn't get much offense in game 5, as Shadow had a three-ball run late and then made the 8-9 combination to the bottom right on his next shot for the win. Fuchsia still won the series 4-1, and will visit the Victoria Spurs' Yekaterina in the bracket semifinals.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Lexi Woode v. Shaggy. A top seed welcomes a crafty veteran in 12-ball with the silver cue. Harrison's Lexi made a ball on the break, but had less favorable positioning later in game 1. Whitewater's Shaggy worked quickly through her shots, and put the 7 in the bottom right at the end for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy did well to get down to her last ball before the Specters' Lexi could make a shot in game 2. Shaggy didn't have much of a plan to address the bottom side, which Lexi defended well enough to pick up the win on a comeback, tying the series at 1. Lexi made two of her own and one for Shaggy as a wild-card ball on the game 3 break, and also scratched. Lexi had to play from behind, narrowly getting off the hook when Shaggy's five-ball run ended in a scratch that forced her to return the wild-card ball. Lexi just didn't have enough time to beat Shaggy, as the visitor took the 7 to the bottom left for the win and a 2-1 series lead. Shaggy gave Lexi a couple of wild-card balls in game 4, but made sure it didn't matter, making five balls over her first two turns with great positioning for her last shot. Lexi had a three-ball run to make it close, but Shaggy buried her last ball for the win to seal the series at 3-1. Shaggy popped out to a big lead again in game 5, and while she struggled to find a shot for the top side, Lexi found herself out of position on her final ball and committed illegal contact. Shaggy took the win at the top side, claiming a 4-1 series win to put herself in the bracket semifinals on the road. Lexi is the 93rd player ousted from the Tournament, giving Shaggy her second kill this year.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Paps v. Smudge. Southwestern rivals clash in today's finale series, using the red cue in its last Rotation series of the round. Tysini's Paps started game 1 with a pair of balls from the break, but Infinity's Smudge soon equaled it. Paps then went on a five-ball run that Smudge couldn't counter before kicking the 8 to the top right for the 8-3 win. Paps holds a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Paps again had to fight off an early challenge from the Torpedoes' Smudge. Tempers flared with missed shots and hard contacts as game 2 progressed, but Paps held his lead well enough to win 8-6, extending his lead in the series to 2-0. Paps jumped to the lead again in game 3, and he nearly had the win fairly early, but he scratched while potting the 11. Smudge churned her way back into a tie, but scratched on the 15 to sacrifice the result. Paps buried the 15 from ball-in-hand for the 8-7 win, securing the series at 3-0. Smudge refused to go empty in this series, blasting a six-ball run on her second turn of game 4 to take a commanding lead. After some jittery shots, Smudge found a clear one on the 9 to win 8-1, cutting the series deficit to 3-1. Smudge maintained her attack in game 5, battling with Paps initially before taking over at the end for an 8-4 win. Paps won the series 3-2, and will visit the Royal Crowns captain Nightfur in the bracket semifinals. Smudge is the 94th player to be eliminated this year, giving Paps his first kill of the year.
We're done for today, with plans to return to a full schedule tomorrow.
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