As part of this year's restructured Tournament, we now have an 11-day Play-In Round contested by the bottom eight players for each cue in each event. The four winners from each segment will be reseeded to the bottom four positions on each bracket. All series for the first three rounds of action are three-game affairs. We'll begin this round with...
Google Hall, Modernistic: Kodiak v. Diddley. The silver cue opens the Tournament in 7-ball. Kodiak set the tone from the start of game 1, making a ball on the break and then running the table to take a 1-0 series lead without Maplewood's Diddley getting a shot. The Lumberjacks' Diddley found a three-ball run in the middle of game 2, but the Union's Kodiak potted the final pair for the win to seal the series at 2-0. Kodiak made a quick clean sweep with the 7 dropping in the top side on the game 3 break, as he knocked Diddley 3-0 out of this bracket.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Omari v. Melissa. The green cue makes its competitive debut in 7-ball. Web City's Omari scratched on the game 1 break, but still picked up a four-ball run. He missed on the 7, and Terrace City's Melissa struck for the win at the bottom right, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Melissa pinched the 7 to the top side on the game 2 break, but she also scratched at the bottom right, gifting the win to the Spiders' Omari, which tied the series at 1. Omari had his chances in game 3, including a three-ball run, but a late miss on the 7 set up Melissa at the bottom right for the win and 2-1 series win to put her through to the first round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Wings v. Peach. The purple cue's competitive debut is on in 12-ball. Pearl's Wings yielded a wild-card ball in game 1, and North Modernistic's Peach made good use of the advantage to earn the win for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Nighthawks' Peach rattled off a three-ball run from the break, and closed with a three-ball run-out just after the Surfers' Wings had caught up. This win secured the series for Peach at 2-0. Wings plucked game 3 away from Peach, as the latter couldn't align at the sides while Wings made the comeback on a three-ball run-out. Peach still advanced with a 2-1 series win.
Intel Center, Diamond: Autumn v. Kitty. Young players draw in for 15-ball in the silver cue's last appearance today. Diamond's Autumn made a good first impression in game 1, but it wasn't enough. Midland's Kitty deflected a shot off the 9 to pot the 15 at the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Autumn again showed well on offense in game 2, but a late miss on the 15 allowed the Predators' Kitty to strike for a gritty win to clinch the series at 2-0. Autumn turned up the offense in game 3, potting a six-ball run and a three-ball run-out to steal a game from Kitty, who will head to the first round on a 2-1 series win.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Brownie v. Pauline. A Southeastern Derby is set for 8-ball with the red cue. Queens' Pauline was a little slow out of the gate, giving Royal's Brownie all the cushion she needed. Brownie won on a three-ball run-out to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Crowns' Brownie paced game 2 for awhile, but the Flames' Pauline pulled even with a three-ball run and snagged the 8 on her second try at the end, tying the series at 1. Brownie never got off the launch pad in game 3, as Pauline attacked with heavy offense and shut her out. Pauline came back for a 2-1 series win to put herself in the first round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Fuchsia v. Josie. When we return, Outcast club-mates clash in Rotation with the red cue. Infinity's Fuchsia had a good start, but Oceanside's Josie made game 1 a little close with a three-ball run. Fuchsia then made a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win and 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Josie turned it around in game 2, starting strong at first before the Torpedoes' Fuchsia fought back. Josie then worked a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win which tied the series at 1. Fuchsia found a groove early on in game 3, and held off Josie at the end for the 8-4 win and 2-1 series win. Fuchsia will book a ticket to the first round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Max v. Rudolph. The purple cue is back in action with 10-ball. Harrison's Rudolph committed a few too many errors in game 1, making it easy for Golden's Max to dictate the pace and ultimately earn the win. Max is up 1-0 in the series. The Specters' Rudolph made a good decision to defer play back to the Pilots' Max early in game 2. Later on, Rudolph had the chance to convert a three-ball run-out and did so for the win to tie the series at 1. Rudolph baited Max into an early error in game 3, but Rudolph stalled out after his five-ball run. Max would get the win on an 8-10 combination to the bottom left, which clinched the series in his favor at 2-1.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Cheddar v. Diddley. The red cue's last turn today comes in 9-ball. North Modernistic's Cheddar needed some time to find her groove, but then dispatched game 1 on a five-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead over Maplewood's Diddley. The Nighthawks' Cheddar was a little less dominant in game 2, but she did pot the final six balls over three turns with help from a scratch by the Lumberjacks' Diddley. This sealed the series at 2-0 for Cheddar. In game 3, Diddley saw a four-ball run halted by a scratch, and Cheddar used the ball-in-hand to spark a four-ball run-out for the win. Cheddar swept the series 3-0.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Nibbles v. Sweetheart. Powerful shooters clash in 7-ball with the blue cue. Web City's Nibbles asserted himself with the 7 near the top left, and he converted a 6-7 combination to get the win after Boston's Sweetheart came up short on the 6. Nibbles leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Nibbles had a more even battle with the Swifts' Sweetheart in game 2, which came down to the latter missing the 7 from distance. Nibbles buried it to the bottom right, clinching the series at 2-0 in the process. Nibbles never let Sweetheart see the table in game 3, potting seven balls over six shots for the win and 3-0 series sweep.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Wario v. Watermelon. More 7-ball with the blue cue awaits here. Southridge's Wario made a ball on the game 1 break, then won two shots later with a 2-7 combination to the bottom right, taking a 1-0 series lead without a single shot taken by Pearl's Watermelon. The Defenders' Wario needed more time in game 2, but the Surfers' Watermelon didn't offer much resistance anyway. Wario closed a four-ball run-out on a 6-7 combination to the top left to secure the series at 2-0. Watermelon didn't leave the series empty-handed, snagging game 3 late after Wario couldn't corral the 7 at the top right. Wario won the series 2-1 to get into the first round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Brownie v. Patches. Another Southeast Derby is on in 15-ball with the purple cue. A hot start cooled in the middle on both sides, but Royal's Brownie had just enough of an edge at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead over Boston's Patches. Game 2 also started close, but the Swifts' Patches lost her grip in the middle, while the Crowns' Brownie capped a three-ball run-out with a deflection off the 10 to put the 15 in the bottom left. Brownie sealed the series at 2-0 with this win. Patches' aggressiveness led to a couple of errors in game 3, which in turn allowed Brownie large chunks of offense. Brownie would again earn the win, sweeping the series 3-0.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Daisy v. Chicky Phil. After a short intermission, the green cue plays Rotation. Modernistic's Daisy started out fine, but faltered late, allowing Midland's Chicky Phil to make five balls over two turns for the 8-6 win in game 1. Chicky Phil is ahead 1-0 in the series. The Predators' Chicky Phil was able to turn an error from the Union's Daisy into a four-ball run-out, taking game 2 by an 8-4 score to seal the series at 2-0. Daisy mailed it in for game 3, allowing Chicky Phil to run roughshod for a 9-0 win on a late double-pot. Chicky Phil swept the series 3-0.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chimpy v. Twinkie II. Veterans collide in 10-ball with the green cue. Harrison's Twinkie II looked awful in game 1, giving a lot of free possession to Westside's Chimpy. He took advantage in the end, as Chimpy won the game for a 1-0 series lead. The two players seemingly met in the middle in quality for game 2, but inconsistency for the Specters' Twinkie II allowed the Rockers' Chimpy to get the win again, which in turn sealed the series at 2-0. Chimpy fell apart in game 3, allowing Twinkie II to make the final seven balls over two turns for her lone win in a 2-1 series.
Ebay Center, Queens: Briana v. Whiskers. Fiery foes are set to battle in the blue cue's last look of the day in Rotation. Queens' Briana stormed ahead by a mile early in game 1, but Maplewood's Whiskers clawed back and rallied on a three-ball run-out for the 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers took a turn to the defensive side for most of game 2, frustrating the Flames' Briana to no end. Whiskers then struck for a double-pot of the 10 and 13 at the left corners for the 9-5 win to seal the series at 2-0. Briana asserted herself much faster in game 3, then coasted to an 8-4 win to deny Whiskers' attempt at a sweep. Whiskers moves on with a 2-1 series win.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Rocky v. Angelica. A pair of rookies are set to meet in 9-ball with the green cue. Oceanside's Rocky made six balls in two turns, but he left the 9 standing for Lighton's Angelica to bury at the bottom left for the win. Angelica holds a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, both players buried four-ball runs, but it was the Prestige's Angelica who left the 9 short at the top left. The Waves' Rocky tapped it down for the win to tie the series at 1. Things slowed down for game 3, which saw Rocky eventually pot the final pair to take the series 2-1 over Angelica.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Buddy. The final series on opening day is Accuracy with the green cue. A good start on both sides in game 1 saw Modernistic's Ms. Puppy falter first, and Atlantic's Buddy held tight to get the 1-4 win. The Union's Ms. Puppy did a much better job of clamping down in game 2, playing perfectly in a 0-1 win over the Pirates' Buddy to tie the series at 1. Buddy again faltered in game 3, unraveling late as Ms. Puppy closed out her comeback with a 2-5 win. Ms. Puppy's 2-1 series win punches her ticket to the first round.
That's one day in the books. This Tournament is expected to be the longest ever, so buckle up for months of thrilling action.
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