We're back for the penultimate day of the round, kicking off the calendar year 2020 with Tournament 2019 overflow. First up...
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Dominic v. Smudge. The red cue is set to start the day in 15-ball. Infinity's Smudge struck early in game 1, winning on a 3-15 double-kiss combination to the bottom right on a three-ball run-out to counter Southern's Dominic making an early pair. Smudge leads the series 1-0. The Torpedoes' Smudge used a lot of defense to go with a sharp attack in game 2. She made the last six balls over two turns, blocking out the Monarchs' Dominic for most of the battle to push her own series lead to 2-0. Game 3 turned a bit choppy on both sides, but nothing matched Dominic's miss on the 15 at the very end. This allowed Smudge to take the win from ball-in-hand, and she clinched the series at 3-0 in the process. Smudge and Dominic both had fiery runs to start game 4, but Dominic did a little better to finish it off for his win. Smudge now leads 3-1 in the series. Smudge had a highlight in game 5, as her shot on the 4 deflected to the bottom left while the 6 fell in the top side and the 12 went to the top right for a crazy triple-pot. Smudge finished it off with an 8-15 combination to the top right to win the series 4-1 over a hapless Dominic. She'll host the Southridge Defenders' Stephanie in the bracket semifinals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Marsell v. Shawn. The blue cue goes next in 7-ball. Whitewater's Marsell missed on a 5-7 combination near the bottom side, allowing Midland's Shawn to pick off both balls individually for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Shawn was the one to miss a combination effort in game 2, as his 6-7 bank to the top right didn't fall. The Shores' Marsell capitalized to win with a minority of possession, which tied the series at 1. Marsell never let Shawn get to the table in game 3, making a ball on the break to ignite a seven-ball run-out. Marsell now leads the series 2-1. Marsell couldn't keep the momentum going in game 4, and he later missed a shot on the 5 that could have set him on a run. Shawn finished it off instead and got the win to tie the series at 2. Shawn started game 5 with a three-ball run, but Marsell finished it with a four-ball run-out for the win and 3-2 series win in a tight battle. Marsell will visit Paps of the Tysini Hummingbirds in the bracket semifinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Solaris. More 7-ball is on the way with the red cue in hand. Commerce's Solaris had a little trouble finding his shot in game 1, but Pronger's Precious didn't let him, finishing off her three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Solaris made game 2 a little more competitive, but the Tridents' Precious wasn't interested, as she took the final pair to seal the win. Precious is up to 2-0 in the series. Precious made a pair on the break in game 3 and added another, but her shot on the 1 rattled out of the bottom right. Solaris went from there, taking a four-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 2-1. A sloppy start to game 4 turned into a runaway victory for Precious when her shot on the 3 got the 6 to drop at the bottom side. It ignited a five-ball run-out that secured the series at 3-1 for the host. Precious showed no mercy with a dominant game 5 effort to finish off her 4-1 series win over Solaris. Precious will host club-mate Fluffina of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket semifinals. Solaris is the 89th eliminated player this year, while Precious earned her second kill.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Hannah. The red cue stays in action for this Rotation series. Lighton's Shiny had some struggles in game 1, but she broke through for the win when Queens' Hannah couldn't capitalize on Shiny's mistakes. The 8-4 final score gave Shiny a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Hannah made the first pair in game 2, but a couple of scratches slowed her offense down. The Prestige's Shiny didn't share in those troubles, and she won by an 8-4 score again to move to a 2-0 series lead. In game 3, Shiny adapted to her lack of offense with an emphasis on defense. This completely frustrated Hannah, allowing Shiny to dictate the pace in a convincing 8-1 win to seal the series at 3-0. Shiny didn't have the same level of performance in game 3, while Hannah elevated her attack a bit in the choppy battle. Hannah emerged with the 8-4 win this time, cutting Shiny's lead to 3-1 in the series. Shiny fell short again in game 5, as Hannah controlled the pace of the game pretty well. Hannah ended with a double-pot of the 11 to the bottom side and the 12 to the bottom right for the 8-4 win. Shiny took the series 3-2 and will host the Southridge Defenders' Wario in the bracket semifinals. Hannah's likely final regular-season appearance ends with her being the 90th eliminated player, while Shiny earned her second kill. Just half of the players still have active bids.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Peach v. Dreamy. Big-name players clash in Rotation with the silver cue. Swordpoint's Dreamy blew a couple of leads in game 1, but she bounced back each time and ended up making a four-ball run by North Modernistic's Peach a moot point. Dreamy won 8-6 and took the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Peach looked a little better to start game 2, but she was unprepared for a six-ball run-out that gave the Blades' an 8-4 win. Dreamy had a double-pot on that surge, which helped her push the series lead to 2-0. Dreamy didn't struggle in game 3, but Peach had a cutting seven-ball run to establish a lead early on. Dreamy only got some of it back as Peach ultimately won 8-5 to get back into a 2-1 series. Dreamy overcame a deficit to take a late lead in game 4, but she didn't have enough left to hold on. Peach pushed back with a three-ball run-out for the 8-7 win to tie the series at 2. Peach fell flat in game 5, allowing Dreamy to get the early lead and then power through for a six-ball run-out after a long scoreless run. Dreamy's 8-1 win sealed the series in her favor at 3-2, and she'll host the Terrace City Knights' Jennifer in the bracket semifinals. Dreamy got her first kill of the year to make Peach the 91st player out of the Tournament.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Cubby. Club-mates battle in 7-ball with the blue cue. Both players rattled off three-ball runs to start game 1, but Eastside's Cubby couldn't convert on the 7. Royal's Jake tapped it down at the top left for the win, which gave him a 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Jake continued to pace the attack in game 2, but the Sharks' Cubby again had a chance on the 7. Cubby tried and failed to bank the last ball, and it lined up for Jake to take it at the top left to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Cubby got on the board in a long finish to game 3 as both players struggled to corral the 7. Cubby's win keeps Jake ahead by a 2-1 margin in the series. Cubby made things interesting in game 4, draining the 3 to the bottom right and the 7 to the top side on the break for an instant win. This tied the series at 2. Cubby completed the series comeback with a five-ball run-out in game 5 to win the series 3-2. Cubby's knockdown of Jake allows the former to host Dominic of the Southern Monarchs in the bracket semifinals.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Wild Thing v. Delila. Eastern Hills rivals collide in 15-ball with the blue cue. Neither player looked comfortable playing in close quarters early in game 1. Atlantic's Delila had a shot on the 15 that just hung at the bottom right, and Stonebridge's Wild Thing mopped it up for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Wild Thing had some luck on his side in game 2, working a fortunate three-ball run-out to defeat the Pirates' Delila again. Wild Thing leads the series 2-0 despite not dominating play. Delila put a little more zing on her shots in game 3, clearly frustrated with the course of the series. Wild Thing kept her at bay for awhile, but Delila double-potted the 12 and 13 to the right corners and then cut the 15 to the top right for the win to cut the series to 2-1. The strategy didn't pay off again for Delila, who was borderline uncontrollable at the end of game 4. Wild Thing picked off the win with a slightly more level head, which secured the series for him at 3-1. Delila settled down enough in game 5 to get the win on a five-ball run-out, leaving Wild Thing to advance on a 3-2 series win. Wild Thing will host Sweetheart of the Boston Swifts in the bracket semifinals.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Gradley. The blue cue goes one more time today in 9-ball. Southern's Panda was alright in game 1, but Boston's Gradley sealed the deal with a four-ball run-out capped by bank on the 9 to the bottom left for the win. Gradley owns a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda pushed a little harder with a four-ball run in game 2, but his miss on the 7 led to the Swifts' Gradley striking a three-ball run-out for the win this time. Gradley is now ahead 2-0 in the series. Gradley had a little fortune to find a four-ball run in game 3, but he wasn't able to sink the 9. Panda took it instead on his first try and picked up the win to cut Gradley's series lead to 2-1. Gradley had another decent start fall apart at the end as Panda picked up a three-ball run-out to get the win. This tied the series at 2. Gradley looked set on revenge in game 5, working a stunning five-ball run, but Panda shot back with a four-ball run-out for the win and 3-2 comeback series win. Panda's comeback push allows him to host Princess of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket semifinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Mr. Snowman. The silver cue closes the day with 12-ball. Infinity's Mr. Snowman struck first in game 1, but his illegally potted ball opened the door for Pearl's Watermelon to execute a well-planned attack. She won with a four-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon made one of each and scratched on the game 2 break, leading to the Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman winning with a wild-card ball. Watermelon came close, but Mr. Snowman's strong play tied the series at 1. Mr. Snowman yielded a pair of wild-card balls on the first turn of game 3, giving Watermelon way too much flexibility. Watermelon was patient and easily won, restoring her series lead at 2-1. Watermelon barely went empty on the game 4 break, but it set up a massive four-ball run for Mr. Snowman. Watermelon made a slight push-back, but Mr. Snowman picked up a pair for the win to retie the series at 2. Watermelon couldn't keep pace with Mr. Snowman in game 5, although it came down to the wire. Watermelon missed a kick to the top side, and Mr. Snowman finished at the top left for the 3-2 series win. Mr. Snowman will visit Roxy of the Freedom Cascades in the bracket semifinals.
Tomorrow, we put the bracket quarterfinals to rest.
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