Tournament 2019 - Bracket Semifinals Day 4

We're chugging along in the Bracket Semifinals. First up...

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Lionel v. Sprinkles. The blue cue opens today in 10-ball. North Modernistic's Lionel had some offense in game 1, but a late three-ball run ended early and he couldn't strike again. Capital City's Sprinkles made the last three balls over two turns for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Lionel made sure to finish his attack in game 2 after the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles saw her early offense fizzle out. Lionel won on a seven-ball run-out and tied the series at 1 in the process. Sprinkles had the better chances in game 3, but she was unable to play well along the rails. Lionel capitalized on a couple of Sprinkles' mistakes to get this win, which put the host ahead 2-1 in the series. Lionel didn't have much fun early in game 4 as Sprinkles made a five-ball run, but the finish was much better. Lionel ended up with the win when Sprinkles couldn't curl a shot around the 10 to hit the 9. Lionel made the final pair and clinched the series at 3-1. Lionel again had to be patient with his play in game 5, but Sprinkles wasn't strong enough on offense to mount a late challenge. Lionel took the series 4-1, and he'll host the Viewpoint Sound Meteors' Dani in the bracket finals. Lionel has three kills this year, while Sprinkles is the 115th player out of the Tournament.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Dani v. Shaggy. The red cue is next up for Rotation. Viewpoint Sound's Dani had a rotten start to game 1, but she rallied into a tie with Whitewater's Shaggy on a four-ball run. Shaggy then struggled, and Dani made another pair for the 8-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy again started fairly well, but the Meteors' Dani attacked with a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win this time. Dani leads the series 2-0 thanks to late surges. A little good luck landed on Dani in game 3, which was a competitive and close battle thanks to Shaggy's unpredictable offense. Dani would win on a three-ball run-out that saw her make a pair she really shouldn't have in the 8-5 victory. Dani secured the series at 3-0. Dani finally lacked a comeback effort in game 4, although it wasn't without trying with a three-ball run. Shaggy held her off for the 8-5 win to cut Dani's series lead to 3-1. Dani didn't have much of anything go right in game 5, while Shaggy mostly cruised to an 8-4 win that produced a 3-2 series win for Dani. In the bracket finals, Dani will host her series against an opponent to be determined later today. Dani has her fifth kill of the year to make Shaggy the 116th ousted player.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Luigi v. Niki. Back inland, Urban rivals clash in 12-ball with the red cue. North Modernistic's Luigi played patiently with his positioning, but it wouldn't matter when Commerce's Niki found a three-ball run-out for the win instead. Niki owns a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Niki had a scratch on the break in game 2, leading to a contentious start against the Nighthawks' Luigi. Niki was a little bolder in shot selection, which paid off on a three-ball run-out for the win to stretch her series lead to 2-0. Niki continued to excel in positional play, quickly weaving through a less-than-spectacular distribution on the game 3 break. Luigi had a decent alignment generally, but Niki did more with less to get the win that sealed the series at 3-0. Niki might have been better off if she taken one of each on the game 4 break, but Luigi was instead allowed to work with stripes. He made the most of it and survived a last-ditch effort from Niki before potting his only final pair for the win to cut the series to 3-1. Luigi made one of each on the game 5 break, and Niki cruised from there. Luigi made three balls over two late turns to close the gap, but Niki got the win for a 4-1 series win that puts her on the road again in the bracket finals. Niki's first kill of the year has Luigi as the 117th eliminated player.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jason V. v. Violetta. The red cue stays on for its other 12-ball semifinal. Oceanside's Jason V. had a strong start to game 1, but not strong enough. He scratched later, and Queens' Violetta made no such error in her three-ball run-out for the win. Violetta is ahead 1-0 in the series. The Flames' Violetta was much less clinical in game 2, taking multiple scratches and giving away a wild-card ball. The Waves' Jason V. still took a long time to finish off the win, nearly letting Violetta back in before shutting the door to tie the series at 1. Jason V. stormed ahead with a five-ball run from the break in game 3. Violetta resisted as long as she could, but it wasn't enough time to prevent Jason V. from getting the win, which put him ahead 2-1 in the series. Jason V. again pulled out to a big lead in game 4, but bad positioning and Violetta's thorough defense of the top side prevented the host from closing the deal. Violetta finished off the win and retied the series at 2. Violetta started quickly with a pair on the break. She nearly had a sublime run on her second turn of game 5, but under-hit to the bottom right. She still forced Jason V. to make a play, and he missed on his third shot, a tight bank attempt to the bottom left. Violetta picked up the win and the 3-2 series win to face Niki of the Commerce Tradewinds at home in the bracket finals.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Niki v. Leonette. The red cue goes once again in Accuracy. Commerce's Niki had a good start to game 1, burying Pacific's Leonette quickly. Leonette tried to drag Niki down with her, but the host held on for the 4-5 win and 1-0 series lead. Both players stayed perfect deep into game 2. The Tradewinds' Niki missed first, but the Volcanoes' Leonette missed on her last two shots to blow the lead. Niki won 1-2 and moved ahead 2-0 in the series. Game 3 saw the players play hot potato with the lead near the end. It ended up going into overtime, where Leonette missed twice before Niki could close out a 5-6 win to secure the series at 3-0 in a rather unsightly fashion. Game 4 took on the familiar pattern of strong start and awful finish, with Niki finally completing a collapse. Her demise started with a scratch, and Leonette eventually won 3-5 to get on the board in a 3-1 series. Niki had a lead in parts of game 5, but she sportingly set up Leonette for the final shot, and Leonette converted for a 2-3 win. Niki settled for a 3-2 series win to get her into the bracket finals in Boston, where she'll play against the Swifts' Gradley.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Citrus. Former club-mates battle in 13-ball with the blue cue. Pearl's Watermelon had a good start in game 1, but bad positioning later allowed Lighton's Citrus to pull ahead on a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon again fell short in game 2, giving away a gift to the Prestige's Citrus. She used it wisely and managed to work a three-ball run-out for a gritty win to go up 2-0 in the series. Game 3 did not improve upon the pace of the series. Instead, the two players scrapped and battled for poor positioning. At the end, Watermelon double-hit the cue as she sank the 8, the foul gifting the win cheaply to Citrus, who clinched the series at 3-0. Citrus broke out with a five-ball run to start game 4, which Watermelon just barely covered by the end. It was too late to win though, as Citrus put the 8 in the bottom left to push her series lead to 4-0. Citrus finished the sweep in game 5 as positioning remained a problem in the meaningless filler game. Citrus' 5-0 series sweep sets her up to host Kodiak of the Modernistic Union in the bracket finals. Watermelon faced her 100th unique opponent in a series to forget.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Precious v. Fluffina. Two of Enterprise's best square off in 7-ball with the red cue. Infinity's Fluffina would have to wait to see the table as Pronger's Precious potted three on the break to ignite a table-run in game 1. Precious leads the series 1-0. The Tridents' Precious saw some good luck to make a couple shots in game 2, but her missed contact would cost her the game. The Torpedoes' Fluffina made the 2 to the bottom left and deflected off the 3 to bump the 7 into the bottom right for the win that tied the series at 1. Fluffina took her turn to run the table from the break, potting a pair to open game 3 and using good positioning over the next five shots to grab the win that jetted her ahead 2-1 in the series. Fluffina looked poised to do it again with a three-ball run from the break to open game 4. It didn't work out, as Precious would make the last three balls to get the win, retying the series at 2. Precious rallied with a four-ball run late in game 5, but her shot on the 7 rattled out of the top left. Fluffina drained it to the bottom side for the 3-2 series win that sends her to the bracket finals.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Shiny v. Wario. The red cue's last series today is in Rotation. Southridge's Wario held a large lead for much of game 1, but he got careless later on. Lighton's Shiny found the way later on and rallied with a three-ball run-out for the 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead in comeback fashion. The Prestige's Shiny didn't have a comeback in her in game 2, as the Defenders' Wario wrangled the lead at mid-game and closed with an 8-3 win. Wario's victory tied the series at 1. Shiny put in a bounce-back effort in game 3, keeping it close with Wario until after the middle of the game. Shiny then ripped a five-ball run-out for an 8-4 win to reclaim the series lead at 2-1. Game 4 turned into a streaky back-and-forth, with Shiny opening on a three-ball run that Wario answered with a four-ball run. At the end, Wario locked up an 8-5 win on a three-ball run-out to retie the series at 2. The alternating wins continued in game 5, as Wario couldn't capitalize on a hot start after Shiny erased his lead with her six-ball run. Shiny went on to win 8-3 for a 3-2 series win that will see her travel to Viewpoint Sound to take on the Meteors' Dani in the bracket finals. Wario is the 118th player out of the Tournament, and Shiny took her third kill this season.

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Dreamy v. Jennifer. More Rotation ends the day, this time with the silver cue. After a slow start to game 1, Swordpoint's Dreamy broke free for a big lead. Terrace City's Jennifer managed a late three-ball run, but Dreamy won 8-3 and pulled ahead 1-0 in the series without much resistance. The Knights' Jennifer had a little more offense in game 2, but she couldn't tip the game in her favor. The Blades' Dreamy pulled off a four-ball run-out at the end for the 8-7 win to take a 2-0 series lead. Jennifer struck first in game 3, but that was all the offense she could muster. Dreamy chipped in pairs and trios of shots to get the 8-3 win that secured the series in her favor at 3-0. Game 4 was as close as it gets, with the back-and-forth play leading into the final turn. Dreamy just came short this time, and Jennifer picked up the 8-7 win to get on the board in a 3-1 series. Dreamy finished strong in game 5 with an 8-6 victory to end the series at 4-1 over Jennifer. Dreamy is set to appear in the bracket finals. Dreamy picked up her second kill this year, while Jennifer is the 119th eliminated player.

We'll be back with a slightly delayed start tomorrow.