It's finally here: the second round of Tournament 2019 action. We'll be attempting to bump up to 48 games (16 series) per day. Leading off...
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Nicole v. Leonette. The first series of the day is in 7-ball with the red cue. Lighton's Nicole had a three-ball run early in game 1 and added a pair at the end for the win, while Pacific's Leonette had only a pair in the middle. Nicole leads the series 1-0. The Prestige's Nicole seemed to have a good chance at game 2 as well, but she missed the 7, ending a four-ball run and allowing the Volcanoes' Leonette to tap in the winning shot at the bottom right. Leonette's victory tied the series at 1. Game 3 was a carbon copy of the one before, with Nicole posting another four-ball run but missing on the 7. Leonette took the series at 2-1 by cutting the 7 to the top left for the win. Leonette is the first player to punch her ticket to round three.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Sprinkles v. Easter. The silver cue gets a turn now, playing 15-ball. Todavía's Easter had the majority of the offense in game 1, cashing in at the end with a three-ball run-out to get the win and 1-0 series lead over Capital City's Sprinkles, who was decent in the opener. The Sharpshooters' Sprinkles tied the series with her win in game 2, a chippy battle and much less exciting than the first one. The Stills' Easter had a chance for the win but left the 15 short at the top right for Sprinkles to pot to make it 1-1. Easter completed the series well, battling with Sprinkles in another even game before rallying for a three-ball run-out to get the win and 2-1 series win. Easter will head to the third round for a road series.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Bandit. The red cue returns for Rotation. Boston's Gradley lifted the crowd to its feet on a seven-ball run to open game 1. Swordpoint's Bandit nearly matched it, a six-ball run getting him close, but Gradley slammed the door with the 14 to the top right for the 8-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley found himself behind after the Blades' Bandit made six balls over his first two turns. Gradley didn't falter, catching up over the next two turns and closing out an 8-7 win to seal the series at 2-0. Bandit led for much of game 3, but he allowed Gradley to catch him in the middle of the game, and then Gradley had a four-ball run-out for the comeback 8-6 win and 3-0 series sweep. Gradley will appear in the third round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Taylor M. The red cue goes again in this 8-ball series that sees the first top-four seed play. Terrace City's Kiwi had a good start in game 1, but Eastside's Taylor M. took it a notch higher. Taylor M. made a double-pot of the 14 and 10 to the side pocket to get onto the 8, which she made a turn later for the 1-0 lead in the series. The Sharks' Taylor M. didn't play poorly in game 2, but a late scratch opened the door for the Knights' Kiwi to finish off her win with a double-pot and a three-ball run-out, tying the series at 1 in the process. Kiwi and Taylor M. played a balanced game 3, but Kiwi missed contact on her last ball, and Taylor M. took the win from ball-in-hand. She also won the series 2-1 and advanced to the third round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Hoppy. When we return, the blue cue debuts for the round in 15-ball. Tysini's Leandra had the edge in game 1, but nearly gave the game away with a late miss on the 15. Archtown's Hoppy then scuffed her shot, allowing Leandra to tap the 15 home for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Leandra came to play in game 2, beginning on an electrifying nine-ball run, adding a three-ball run on the next turn and then mopping up the 15 at the bottom right after the Arrows' Hoppy missed it. Leandra clinched the series at 2-0. Leandra made another good effort in game 3, but this time she came up short, and Hoppy converted a three-ball run-out for the win. Leandra settled for a 2-1 series win to put her in round three.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Frosty v. Diddley. Two tough veterans tangle in 13-ball with the red cue. Viewpoint Sound's Frosty made a pair on the break, then added a three-ball run in the middle and a pair at the end, never slowing down in her win over Maplewood's Diddley. Frosty leads the series 1-0. The Meteors' Frosty kept her edge early in game 2, and as the Lumberjacks' Diddley struggled with his ball at the top right, Frosty patiently put the 8 in position. She kicked it to the bottom left for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Diddley held the lead for much of game 3, but a three-ball run by Frosty pulled her ahead late. Diddley made his last two balls on the next turn, but left the 8 aligned for Frosty at the bottom right, where she converted for the win. Frosty swept the series 3-0 to reach the third round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Bright. Surfers teammates collide in 13-ball with the red cue. Game 1 saw a hot start where Neopolitan spotted a pair of balls to Bright. In the late game, Bright struggled and scratched, giving Neopolitan time to overcome her own issues for the win to take a 1-0 series lead. Neopolitan again made a couple of shots from the break, and she worked to keep her advantage. Bright picked up the corners easily but couldn't line up anything at the sides before Neopolitan's three-ball run-out came in. Neopolitan secured the series at 2-0. Game 3 was a close and slow battle that saw Neopolitan miss contact on the 8 at the top right before Bright scratched while making it at the tricky corner. Neopolitan got away with one in the 3-0 series sweep that sends her to the third round.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Jack v. Cubby. Club-mates meet in 15-ball with the silver cue. After a slow start, Eastside's Cubby broke out with a four-ball run. It wouldn't be enough, as Web City's Jack came back with a five-ball run-out for the game 1 win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 didn't have the fast-paced finish, instead seeing the two players chip in one or two shots back-and-forth. The Spiders' Jack got the last ball, sinking the 15 when the Sharks' Cubby missed it, which gave Jack the series at 2-0. Another shaky performance early in game 3 was quickly forgotten when Jack confirmed his 3-0 series sweep over Cubby with a four-ball run-out. Jack moves on to the third round.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Roxy v. Mitchell. The blue cue cycles back in for this 8-ball series. Freedom's Roxy slowly but surely developed her offense throughout game 1, doing enough defensively to hold off Victoria's Mitchell for the win. Roxy leads the series 1-0. The Cascades' Roxy couldn't repeat the effort in game 2, keeping things close at first but falling off the board as the Spurs' Mitchell made a three-ball run-out for the comeback win. Mitchell tied the series at 1. In game 3, Mitchell had a late scratch to slow him down, but Roxy wasn't able to execute a final run, and Mitchell banked the 3 to the bottom side before potting the 8 at the top side for the win. Mitchell took the series 2-1 and will play in round three.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Kayla v. Shawn. The red cue is back for this series, which was mislabeled as featuring Steven as the visitor on the official schedule. Royal's Kayla seemed to have a grip on game 1, but she let it slip late. Midland's Shawn was far from clinical, but he made three balls over two turns to pick up the win and 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Shawn had a three-ball run at the start of game 2 and produced another one at the end after a mixed middle with the Crowns' Kayla. Shawn's late push was enough to win for the 2-0 lead in the series. Kayla looked better in game 3, but it wasn't enough when her five-ball run ended short on the 9. Shawn took it to the bottom left for the win, sweeping the series 3-0 to advance to the third round.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Wild Thing v. Snowball. The silver cue's last series of the day comes in Accuracy. Stonebridge's Wild Thing wasn't perfect in game 1, but he was miles ahead of Swordpoint's Snowball, who scratched early and never really found a groove. Wild Thing won 2-6 for the easy 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Wild Thing kept it close with the Blades' Snowball, eventually wrestling the lead away from her late in game 2. Despite some ugly attempts on the last ball, Wild Thing got the win 4-5 on his third try to secure the series at 2-0. Wild Thing fell apart late in game 3, taking a scratch that put him behind in Snowball's 3-4 win. Wild Thing still claimed the series at 2-1, and he'll host another series in the third round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Panda. Captains tangle in 7-ball with the red cue. Southern's Panda had a four-ball run early in game 1, but he was lucky Tysini's Leandra missed on the 7 as Panda put it in the bottom left on his second for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda wouldn't be so lucky in game 2, as his early three-ball run went to waste after missed contact. The Hummingbirds' Leandra rattled off a series-tying four-ball run-out to get the win. Game 3 was a choppier battle between the players, which saw Panda scuff his shot for the 7 at the end. Leandra deposited it cleanly for the win to take the series at 2-1. Leandra will be the visitor in her third-round series.
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Graham v. Blizzard. The red cue goes again in 7-ball between these veterans. Eastside's Graham hammered a pair of shots in late in game 1, but he rattled the 7 out of the top right. Harrison's Blizzard knocked it in at the top left for the win instead, going up 1-0 in the series. The Specters' Blizzard went empty on the game 2 break, but the Sharks' Graham also missed on his first shot. Blizzard then ran out seven straight shots for the win, sealing the series at 2-0 with a dominant effort. Blizzard again took a majority of the possession for game 3, but it didn't work out when she missed the 7. Graham tapped it to the top right to avoid the sweep in the 2-1 series that sends Blizzard to round three as a visiting player.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Sydney C. v. Spice. The blue cue takes a twirl in 7-ball now. Modernistic's Sydney C. confidently began with a four-ball run in game 1, but her missed contact on the 4 allowed Victoria's Spice to rally for a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead from ball-in-hand. The Spurs' Spice pushed the pace of game 2 for much of the battle, but she missed on the 6 at the bottom left. The Union's Sydney C. took it and the 7 at the bottom side to get the win, tying the series at 1. Sydney C. would not be denied in game 3, capitalizing on a poor shot on the 4 by Spice to convert the 4-7 combination at the top left for the win. The comeback sent Sydney C. to the third round on a 2-1 series win.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Cowzart v. Shawn. The host begins a personal doubleheader in 8-ball with the red cue. Midland's Shawn began game 1 with a vicious five-ball run, a lead that was enough to hold off Pacific's Cowzart in the end. Shawn's early win gave him a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Shawn had a less energetic appearance in game 2, struggling to get the offense going. The Volcanoes' Cowzart kept it close before making a pair at the end to snag the win, which tied the series at 1. Game 3 was up for grabs throughout as neither player took control. At the very end, Shawn erased an earlier scratch with a pair of shots to emerge victorious in the 2-1 series. Shawn will play in the third round.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Mitchell v. Cowzart. Completing the personal doubleheader and the day, we have 7-ball with the blue cue. Pacific's Cowzart got the win in game 1, a back-and-forth battle that Victoria's Mitchell seemed to lack much control in. Cowzart's win puts him ahead 1-0 in the series. The Volcanoes' Cowzart had a brief moment of happiness in game 2 as the 7 fell in the top side, only to be followed by the cue in short order. The Spurs' Mitchell took the gifted win to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Mitchell followed it up with a hard-fought battle in game 3 to get the win, topping Cowzart 2-1 in the series in the process. Mitchell will continue to the third round.
That's all for the start of the second round. We'll continue tomorrow.
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