We're already five days into the Bracket Quarterfinals. Leading off...
FedEx Arena, Eastside: Lily v. Shawn. The red cue gets the first series today, playing 9-ball. Eastside's Lily got the better of Midland's Shawn in a close battle to open game 1. Lily won with a pair at the end after Shawn's play on the 7 couldn't quite pot the 9. Lily is ahead 1-0 in the series. The Sharks' Lily found a three-ball run early in game 2, which the Predators' Shawn answered with a four-ball run. Lily just missed the 9 at the end, and Shawn made a tap-in to tie the series at 1. Shawn picked up a 5-9 combination in game 3, converting at the bottom left after Lily showed promise on a four-ball run. Shawn's win put him ahead 2-1 in the series. Lily had a little bit of offense early in game 4, but she couldn't sustain it at the end, as Shawn finished on a five-ball run-out to seal the series at 3-1. Lily again scrounged for some early offense, but Shawn slammed the door with a four-ball run-out to finish the series with a 4-1 win. Shawn will be on the road again in the bracket semifinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sugar v. Celestia. The red cue goes again in a 13-ball set. Oceanside's Celestia looked fairly strong early in game 1, but Tysini's Sugar benefited after both players scratched. Sugar overtook Celestia late and then won with the 8 at the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sugar made one of each again on the game 2 break. This time, positioning was a bit tougher to come by. She held her own pretty well, but the Waves' Celestia was a little fast and finished with a pair of shots to get the win, tying the series at 1. The Waves' Celestia got off to a clean start with stripes, but Sugar kept things close on solids. At the end, Celestia pulled away with defense and finished the 8 just in time at the top left to get the win. Celestia leads the series 2-1. Game 4 was a classic battle of corners versus sides first. Sugar went with sides first and had an easier time with momentum at the end despite Celestia's defensive usage of the 8 while trying to corral her own last pair. Sugar would eventually grab the win to retie the series at 2. Celestia had some moments on offense in game 5, but Sugar was stronger at the start and the finish to get the win for a 3-2 series win. Sugar is set to host her bracket semifinals appearance.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Sunshine v. Bright. In Rotation, the purple cue takes a turn. Royal's Sunshine got away with a bad break for awhile in game 1, but he faded late, and Pearl's Bright had three turns where he potted pairs of shots. Bright ended up with an 8-5 win and leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Sunshine staked out a large lead in game 2, but he again stalled out before the finish line. The Surfers' Bright rallied well to tie the game, then made the 15 on his second try after Sunshine missed a bank attempt. Bright's 8-7 win gave him a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 had the most lively start yet, with Sunshine posting a three-ball run that Bright answered with a five-ball run. Sunshine quickly made a pair for the tie, and then scraped his way to an 8-5 win to cut Bright's series lead to 2-1. Tempers finally boiled over due to bad breaks and worse misses in game 4. Sunshine lost it when he scratched while potting the 9 on what would have been the winning shot. Instead, Bright rallied with a five-ball run-out for the 8-7 win to secure the series at 3-1. Sunshine essentially surrendered in game 5, as Bright worked multi-ball turns twice en route to a big 8-1 win. Bright won the series 4-1 and will play in the bracket semifinals.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Katelynn v. Maison. The venue doubleheader ends with the red cue returning to action in 10-ball. Eastside's Maison posted a three-ball run in the middle of game 1, but tailed off at the end. Royal's Katelynn gathered the final pair for the win and 1-0 series lead after a mediocre start. The Crowns' Katelynn made an improvement with a four-ball run in game 2, but she missed on the 10. The Sharks' Maison punished that mistake with the winning shot at the bottom left to tie the series at 1. Katelynn turned up the heart in game 3 with an eight-ball run, which left Maison reeling as he then missed the 9 on his second turn. Katelynn made a pair at the end for the win, regaining the series lead at 2-1. Katelynn again made a threatening attack in game 4, this time a four-ball run before she missed on the 9. Maison's conversion on the 9 left him with a tough bank on the 10, but he sank it to the bottom side for the win to retie the series at 2. Katelynn was able to finish things off in game 5 with a three-ball run-out after a close bout with Maison. Katelynn won the series 3-2 and will head on the road for her bracket semifinals appearance.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Kitty v. Lionel. Two impressive players clash in 13-ball for the silver cue's lone outing today. Midland's Kitty had the better start in game 1, but wasted it with awful positional play at the end. Her three scratches didn't help, and North Modernistic's Lionel surged on a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Lionel made one of each on the break and submitted a four-ball run on stripes. The Predators' Kitty quickly answered with a four-ball run of her own, and she won with a pair on her next turn, tying the series at 1 after game 2. Lionel played a lot of defense at the sides in game 3, but he couldn't spark his offense back to life late. Kitty surged once she broke the defense, ending with a pair of shots from ball-in-hand to earn the win. Kitty leads the series 2-1 now. Another missed contact foul late in game 4 came back to haunt Lionel, as he had fought to pull even, only for Kitty to escape with another pair from ball-in-hand. Kitty clinched the series at 3-1 in the process. Lionel took a late gamble in the meaningless game 5, illegally sinking his last solid. Kitty almost made her last ball on her second shot after the ball-in-hand, but her miss allowed Lionel to finish for the win. Kitty still won the series 2-1, and she'll host again in the bracket semifinals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Ms. Kitty. The purple cue is used in Accuracy for its last series of the day. Golden's Valencia paced the play in game 1, as Pacific's Ms. Kitty only kept up for a short time before completely going off the rails. Valencia won 1-6 and leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw both players struggle initially, and it led to a close battle. The Pilots' Valencia did add a double-pot during regulation, forcing the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty to take the overtime break, which went empty. Valencia then converted a shot to win 4-5, extending her series lead to 2-0. Game 3 also required overtime, but this time Valencia was on the overtime break from a bad position. She went empty with a scratch, and Ms. Kitty was able to release some frustration with a shot on the 5 to the bottom side to take the 3-4 win. Valencia remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Ms. Kitty made a pair on the break and Valencia skidded early in game 4. Ms. Kitty would drop back later, but Valencia fell apart late, and Ms. Kitty held on with a 3-4 win to tie the series at 2. Ms. Kitty fell behind three times in regulation, but Valencia missed on her next shot each time. Valencia was clutch to force overtime, then struck when Ms. Kitty went for a soft break, giving Valencia a 3-4 win and the 3-2 series win. Valencia will host again in the bracket semifinals.
Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Niki. The green cue comes aboard for a Rotation series. Todavía's Easter held a good pace to start game 1, but she fell off near the end. Commerce's Niki was there on clean-up duty, pulling ahead and eventually locking down an 8-6 win to get the 1-0 series lead. In game 2, a quick exchange of pairs set the tone early on. The Tradewinds' Niki would fall off that pace with a little help from Easter's defensive positioning. Easter won 8-3 this time, tying the series at 1. Easter started out alright in game 3, and she found a four-ball run in the middle, but she was too easily stymied by Niki near the end. Defensive positioning allowed Niki to get close before she converted a three-ball run-out to win 8-6. Niki holds a 2-1 series lead. Niki was a little too loose and sloppy on offense in game 4, with one particular error allowing Easter to surge ahead with a three-ball run. Easter added a pair on the next turn for the 8-3 win, retying the series at 2. Easter didn't make it very easy for herself, but she was able to attack well in game 5. Niki put on a good counterattack, but too late to flip the game, as Easter won 8-5 and took the series 3-2. Easter will host again in the bracket semifinals.
Sony Center, Queens: Briana v. Rocky. Young players meet in 12-ball for the blue cue's only appearance today. Queens' Briana began on a four-ball run in game 1. Oceanside's Rocky tried to keep up, but he was a step behind when Briana sank her last ball to the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Briana had another strong start in game 2, but she ceded a wild-card ball to the Waves' Rocky late. Rocky made a defensive play to buy time, but he couldn't finish off the effort. Briana made her last ball at the bottom side, stretching her series lead to 2-0. Briana made a four-ball run early in game 3, but she would scratch and miss contact near the end. Rocky needed to execute a big run, but twice failed to complete the effort. Briana then picked up the scraps and earned the win, sealing the series at 3-0. Briana struck first in game 4, then fell behind after a scratch and Rocky's four-ball run. Briana pushed back on her own four-ball run, and she took positioning at the bottom right to set up for the win on the next turn. Briana continues to dominate with a 4-0 lead in the series. Rocky had multiple chances to close out game 5, but he couldn't capitalize on Briana's late scratch as she made her last ball. Rocky was so slow, Briana made her last ball again to get the win and 5-0 series sweep by the end. Briana will play in the bracket semifinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Ruby. The red cue exits the day in 8-ball. Boston's Gradley found a four-ball run in game 1, putting Todavía's Ruby under pressure. She faltered, and Gradley made the last pair to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley staked out a lead with a four-ball run early in game 2, but he couldn't make it stand. The Stills' Ruby pushed back on a pair of three-ball runs, the latter earning her a win to tie the series at 1. Gradley got back on track in game 3, a six-ball run pacing his play. Ruby made a four-ball run, but Gradley won on his third turn with a pair, including a bank of the 8 to the bottom side. Gradley retook the series lead at 2-1. Ruby had consistent offense in game 4, better than Gradley's late five-ball run to make it close without a secondary push. Ruby picked up the win with a pair and retied the series at 2. Ruby and Gradley kept their suits mostly separated for much of game 5. Gradley had a couple of long shots on stripes, and that made the difference as he closed out with a big win for the 3-2 series win. Gradley will be on the road for his bracket semifinals appearance.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Sunshine. The green cue closes the day with 10-ball, with the visitor making his second appearance of the day. Pearl's Boots kicked off game 1 with a three-ball run, but Royal's Sunshine answered with a three-ball run-out on his first turn. Sunshine closed with a well-cut 6-10 combination to the bottom left to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Crowns' Sunshine didn't find things as easy in game 2, especially when he missed contact while shooting for the 9. The Surfers' Boots made a pair after that for the win, tying the series at 1. Sunshine looked on track for a win in a fast-paced game 3, but his four-ball run came to an end when he rattled the 10 out of the top left. Boots tapped it in instead, giving herself the series lead at 2-1. Another late mistake doomed Sunshine in game 4, as a scratch gave Boots ball-in-hand, and she submitted a three-ball run-out. Boots clinched the series at 3-1 in the process. Game 5 was as close as any, with Boots looking strong near the end. She missed contact on the 10 and scratched late, allowing Sunshine to pick up the win instead. Boots won the series 3-2 and will host Westside Rockers veteran Chimpy in the bracket semifinals.
We'll be back tomorrow to put the Bracket Quarterfinals at the one-third completion mark.
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