We're back with more bowl action today. First up...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Smudge v. Nikolai. Solid Core meets Forest SC with the red cue in today's opener. Infinity's Smudge opened 7-ball on a four-ball run, but Freedom's Nikolai struck back on his turn with a 4-7 combination to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Smudge had nothing going for her in 8-ball either, as the Cascades' Nikolai opened with an aggressive four-ball run. Smudge tried to catch up but ended up sinking the 8 illegally to gift Nikolai the win and 2-0 series lead. Smudge finally got on the board with a two-shot win in 9-ball, making a ball on the break and adding the 1-9 combination immediately after. Nikolai remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Smudge had a majority of the possession after starting on a four-ball run and adding a late pair, but she missed on the 10. Nikolai made it to the top right for the win and 3-1 lead in the series. Nikolai surged with a five-ball run early in 12-ball, but a scratch and a lack of positioning slowed him down. Smudge was patient until she had everything lined up to take a six-ball run-out for the win, cutting the series to 3-2. Smudge had a bold attack after making one of each on the 13-ball break. Nikolai rallied late with a three-ball run, but he couldn't kick the 8 to the bottom right. Smudge then made a pair for the win to tie the series at 3 games apiece. Smudge kept the rally going in Rotation, battling for possession with Nikolai early on before pulling away at the end. Smudge won the game 8-5 and took a 4-3 series lead in the process. Smudge was outright dominant at times in 15-ball, easily potting a six-ball run and a four-ball run-out to earn the win that clinched the series at 5-3 over Nikolai. Smudge couldn't finish strong in Accuracy, which went to Nikolai by a 2-4 score in the end. Smudge did take the series 5-4 to win the Everton Bowl.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Hoot v. Sleepy B. Oriental United gets a crack at a Solid Core foe with the blue cue. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot made a pair at the start and the end of 7-ball to overwhelm a three-ball run by Archtown's Sleepy B. Hoot's win gave him the early 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot tried to keep his advantage in 8-ball, but he got sloppy at the end. The Arrows' Sleepy B. finished the comeback with a three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series at 1. Hoot and Sleepy B. kept it close to start in 9-ball, but Hoot surged at the end for a five-ball run-out. His win here restored his series lead at 2-1. Hoot finally made his move late in 10-ball after a slower battle saw Sleepy B. struggle on offense. Hoot's late push got him to a 3-1 lead in the series. Hoot and Sleepy B. both worked on the sides, then the left and finally the right in 12-ball. This oddly patterned race style ended with Hoot striking the 4 to the top right for the win to move ahead 4-1 in the series. In 13-ball, Hoot didn't have an out-and-out attack, but he worked solidly and cashed in on mistakes by Sleepy B., of which there were plenty. Hoot eventually won to clinch the Terrace City Bowl at 5-1. Hoot held the lead for a lot of Rotation, but he scratched late, leading Sleepy B. to make a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win. This cut Hoot's series lead to 5-2. Hoot restored his advantage with a convincing finish to 15-ball, getting the win over Sleepy B. for a 6-2 series lead. Hoot surrendered Accuracy pretty quickly as Sleepy B. took the finale by a 1-6 margin. Hoot settled for a 6-3 series win in the bowl, making Oriental United proud.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Fluffina v. Delila. One of the most anticipated series sees an Enterprise daughter take on her Prime mother with the silver cue. Atlantic's Delila picked up a close win in 7-ball to take the 1-0 series lead over Infinity's Fluffina after a fairly normal game. The Pirates' Delila had a step on her daughter throughout 8-ball, with only a small push late to account for the Torpedoes' Fluffina's offense. Delila's dominant effort put her ahead 2-0 in the series. Fluffina had all of the offense early in 9-ball, but she missed on the 5 and Delila took over for a four-ball run-out and the win. Delila is cruising with a 3-0 series lead now. Fluffina opened with a four-ball run in 10-ball, which Delila quickly answered before stalling on the 9. Both players struggled for a second, then Delila made a pair of shots to push her advantage up to 4-0. Fluffina had a hot start in 12-ball, but a critical scratch and failure to push through it allowed Delila to take a twisting route to victory. This gave Delila a 5-0 series lead, clinching the Royal Bowl at the earliest possible moment. Delila had a good start to 13-ball as well, but a well-orchestrated five-ball run put Fluffina ahead, and she won on the next turn. Delila's lead slipped to 5-1. Fluffina had all the early offense in Rotation, but couldn't finish it off. Delila responded with a five-ball run-out, including a double-pot of the 13 to the top right and 14 to the bottom side, to rally for an 8-7 win. Delila stretched her lead to 6-1 in the series. Fluffina finally held her ground throughout a game, picking up the win late in 15-ball to fend off Delila this time. Fluffina's victory cut the deficit to 6-2. Fluffina kept it even with Delila in Accuracy but ceded the win at the end by a 3-4 margin as Delila wrapped up a 7-2 bowl win for Prime.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Chimpy v. Cowzart. The visitor plays in his home venue as Oriental United clashes with Brute Force using the purple cue. Pacific's Cowzart picked off a win with a four-ball run-out after Westside's Chimpy struggled initially in 7-ball. Cowzart has a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chimpy started with a four-ball run in 8-ball, but his offense faded quickly after that. The Volcanoes' Cowzart rallied slow at first, and then struck a five-ball run-out for the win to push his advantage to 2-0. Chimpy had two balls and a scratch on the break in 9-ball. After that, it was a slow game which saw Cowzart find the win at the very end with a pair of shots. Cowzart's victory made it a 3-0 series lead in his favor. Cowzart struggled in 10-ball, potting the wrong ball on a trick play. Chimpy took possession and won three shots later with a 4-10 combination to the bottom right to cut the series to 3-1. Chimpy had another good start in 12-ball, and he made it stand under pressure from Cowzart near the end. Chimpy beat Cowzart to the top left for the win, pulling closer in the 3-2 series. Cowzart got back on track in 13-ball, battling throughout with Chimpy, who lacked positioning on his last two shots. Cowzart's win put him on the edge of victory with a 4-2 series lead. Chimpy stayed alive with a spirited five-ball run in Rotation. His back-and-forth performance ended in an 8-7 win over Cowzart, cutting Chimpy's deficit to 4-3 in the series. Chimpy blasted a creative six-ball run at the start. It looked to be too soon, as Cowzart made a four-ball run-out but scratched on the 15 to gift the win away to Chimpy. This tied the series at 4. Chimpy played perfectly until late in Accuracy, where he missed once but held on for the 1-3 win to complete the series comeback over Cowzart at 5-4. Chimpy took the Pacific Bowl by a slim margin.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Pounce v. Brownie. Today's green cue series is the top-level bowl between Solid Core and Youth Movement, both with Empyre ties. A back-and-forth 7-ball game went to Royal's Brownie after Southern's Pounce missed on the 7. Brownie carries an early 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Pounce made up for his late failures last game with a clutch performance at the end of 8-ball, narrowly beating the Crowns' Brownie to tie the series at 1. Pounce did all the work until he missed on the 9 in 9-ball, but it worked out alright for him because Brownie scratched as she made it. Pounce pulled ahead 2-1 in the series. Pounce was unsteady on offense in 10-ball, and Brownie capitalized on that quite well to pick up the win with a clean finish this time. The series is tied at 2. Pounce yielded a wild-card ball in 12-ball, and while he came close to overcoming the disadvantage, he missed on his last shot. Brownie put together a solid finish for the win to retake the series lead at 3-2. Pounce kept himself in the series with a critical 13-ball win, taking it slow as neither he nor Brownie could convert a run. Pounce just grabbed the win to even the series at 3. Brownie pulled off a successful attack to come all the way back from a deep deficit, winning Rotation 8-7 and leading Pounce 4-3 in the series. Brownie made a late push on a three-ball run in 15-ball, but she missed the 15 and it fell to the bottom right by Pounce's hand for the win to retie the series once more at 4. Brownie capped off the series with a 3-6 win in Accuracy, beating Pounce for the Viewpoint Sound Bowl.
We'll play six bowls tomorrow to counter that other bowl. Then we'll put 2019 in a box on Monday with the final five.
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