We're going old school on the middle day of the Bracket Finals, as both the purple and green cues are not scheduled to play. Leading off...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Vincent v. Twinkie III. The blue cue starts the day with 15-ball. Game 1 wasn't easy for either player. Whitewater's Twinkie III looked completely lost on offense, and Everton's Vincent only succeeded by making nine balls over his last four turns for the win. Vincent leads the series 1-0. The Eagles' Vincent looked for a similar finish in game 2, making seven balls over two turns before an error. The Shores' Twinkie III capitalized on the final pair for a cheap win to tie the series at 1. Vincent brought game 3 to an early close when he went left-handed to pot the 6-15 combination at the bottom left. Twinkie III never saw it coming, and Vincent took a 2-1 series lead. Vincent took care of business in a close game 4 battle, finding a three-ball run-out after Twinkie III couldn't corral the 13. Vincent's push for the win clinched the series in his favor at 3-1. Vincent got stronger in game 5, twice converting on five-ball runs, with the latter enough to give him the win and a 4-1 series win over Twinkie III. Vincent finished 16-5 on the bracket en route to the Finals. This was Vincent's first kill of the season, and Twinkie III is the 121st eliminated player.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Bright v. Precious. The silver cue gets a turn in Accuracy next. Pronger's Precious had a couple of brutal misses in game 1, but she had control late and baited Pearl's Bright into a pair of misses that put him behind. Precious held on late for a 2-3 win to go ahead 1-0 in the series. The Tridents' Precious scratched on the break in game 2, but recovered as the Surfers' Bright struggled later. Precious built up enough of a lead to weather her late fade, winning 4-5 to push her series lead to 2-0. Precious had a ball on the break in game 3, but she couldn't sustain her lead long enough. A sloppy ending led to overtime, and Precious missed on the break, allowing Bright to grab a 4-5 win. Precious' series lead is now 2-1. Precious got herself back on track with a solid performance in game 4. Bright slipped off the pace at the end, and Precious closed with a 2-4 win to secure the series at 3-1. Precious took a turn toward perfection in game 5, making a pair on the break and giving Bright no outlet to escape. Precious closed the series on a 0-3 win for a 4-1 series win, and she finished 15-6 overall to get to the Finals. Precious earned her first kill this year, and Bright is the 122nd player out.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Briana. Hotshot players locked in a big rivalry battle in 12-ball with the blue cue. Oceanside's Celestia was good enough to strike on the break in game 1, and she kept a steady presence on offense all game. Queens' Briana lacked late positioning, and Celestia won at the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia was a little shaky on her shots, and that left the door open for the Flames' Briana. Initially a close battle, Briana won with a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Briana surrendered a wild-card ball on the game 3 break, leading to Celestia having a slight advantage at the end. Celestia was patient and kept her last ball moving, while Briana couldn't find the right sequence. Celestia eventually got the win for a 2-1 series lead. Celestia gave away a wild-card ball in game 4, but Briana would give it back late after ruining her own positioning. Celestia picked up the pace and capitalized on Briana's later missed contact error for the win. Celestia sealed the series at 3-1. Celestia began game 5 with a five-ball run. Briana, already defeated, made little effort on her one shot before Celestia finished the win for a 4-1 series win. Celestia went 15-6 on the bracket to reach the Finals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Shaggy. The silver cue comes back for a Rotation series. Whitewater's Shaggy had little confidence in game 1, but it worked out because she posted a fortunate 8-0 shutout over Pacific's Ms. Kitty. Shaggy leads the series 1-0. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty put up a better effort in game 2, but she wasn't able to sustain it. The Shores' Shaggy took the lead in the middle and finished with an 8-5 win to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Shaggy didn't find much success in game 3, as Ms. Kitty took an early lead. Ms. Kitty finished with a five-ball run-out capped by her double-pot of the 6 to the top left and the 14 to the bottom left for an 8-1 win. Shaggy remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Ms. Kitty kept the offense strong in game 4, although Shaggy didn't allow much separation. The close game went to the wire, where Ms. Kitty found an 8-6 win to tie the series at 2. Shaggy finally turned momentum back in her favor in game 5, taking the lead in the middle and fending off Ms. Kitty's late push. Shaggy won the game 8-5 and the series 3-2 to get into the Finals with a 17-7 record from the bracket. Shaggy picked up her third kill of the season, and Ms. Kitty is the 123rd player to exit the Tournament. The Volcanoes are also the fifth team out.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Rosemary. Club-mates tangle with the red cue in 8-ball. Boston's Gradley made a pair and scratched on the game 1 break. Commerce's Rosemary put in a good effort, but Gradley fought it off with a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley scratched on the break again in game 2, but he had no recovery this time. The Tradewinds' Rosemary found a four-ball run to take the lead, and she eventually earned the win to tie the series at 1. Game 3 came down to the very end after Rosemary couldn't complete a run. She missed contact on the 8, and Gradley took the play from ball-in-hand for the win and 2-1 series lead. Rosemary gained the lead in game 4 with a five-ball run, and Gradley made only a modest response to it. Rosemary took another pair at the end for the win to retie the series at 2. Game 5 was close at the halfway point, but Gradley found a late surge to push himself past Rosemary for good with a 3-2 series win. Gradley went 14-7 on the bracket to get into the Finals. Gradley earned his second kill of the year, making Rosemary the 124th eliminated player.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Jane. More 8-ball features the silver cue. Golden's Dusty made a mess of game 1, making just a single ball. Stonebridge's Jane wasn't efficient, but she had no trouble earning the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty improved in game 2, but her offense stalled out on her last ball. The Wolves' Jane battled back and took the win with the final pair of shots, a comeback to extend her series lead to 2-0. Jane was strong at the start of game 3, but she couldn't quite put away the 8 at the end. Dusty held on long enough to piece together a three-ball run-out for the win, cutting Jane's series lead to 2-1. Dusty couldn't produce much offense in game 4, and Jane ripped an early five-ball run to take the lead. Jane eventually finished with the 8 at the bottom right to clinch the series at 3-1. Dusty salvaged a result in game 5 with a four-ball run-out, but Jane still won the series confidently by a 3-2 margin. Jane is in the Finals after a 15-6 record on the bracket.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Hoppy v. Sage. A big showdown in 7-ball comes with the silver cue in hand. Archtown's Hoppy won game 1 with a lucky bounce that sent the 7 to the bottom side, ending an unprecedented four-round undefeated run in an event for Victoria's Sage. Hoppy leads the series 1-0. The Arrows' Hoppy then made a blunder in game 2, sinking the 7 on illegal contact to the top left, gifting a win to the Spurs' Sage to tie the series at 1. Sage made a four-ball run in game 3, but a scratch turned over possession to Hoppy, who had a three-ball run-out capped by a bank on the 7 to the bottom side for the win. Hoppy regained the series lead at 2-1. Sage clearly couldn't shake the gravity of the moment in a sloppy game 4 effort. Hoppy finished the job with a five-ball run-out, kicking the 7 to the bottom side to seal the series at 3-1. Sage struck for a pair at the end of game 5 as Hoppy had an earlier miss. Hoppy still won the series 3-2 and finished 14-7 on the bracket. Hoppy took her first kill of the year, making Sage the 125th player to exit the Tournament.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Blaze v. Fuchsia. The red cue exits the day after an All-Torpedoes Rotation set. Blaze held his own pretty well, but Fuchsia kept a slight lead over him throughout game 1. Fuchsia ended up with a confident 8-6 win for the 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Blaze raised his game to another level, finding enough offense to gain the lead. Fuchsia put in a late challenge, but Blaze held on to an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Blaze and Fuchsia scrapped evenly throughout game 3, until Blaze delivered on a pinch-bank of the 15 to the bottom side to win 8-7. Blaze has pulled out to a 2-1 series lead. Blaze gave Fuchsia no room to work after they each made an early ball. Blaze had a couple of nice turns and easily took an 8-1 win to clinch the series at 3-1. Fuchsia looked ready to take game 5, but Blaze battled back with four balls over his last two turns to grab an 8-5 win for the 4-1 series win. Blaze went 17-7 on the bracket to get into the Finals.
Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Juno v. Avril. Eastern Hills rivals close the day with the silver cue in 10-ball. Too many trick plays slow down game 1, and neither player was particularly clean with their shooting. Stonebridge's Juno won on a three-ball run-out after Pronger's Avril flubbed a play on the 8. Juno leads the series 1-0. The Tridents' Avril had a pair of three-ball runs in game 2, but the latter saw her scratch as she sank the 10. From ball-in-hand, the Wolves' Juno executed a three-ball run-out for the win to push her series lead to 2-0. Avril came close to victory in game 3, controlling the offense and getting a look at the 10 that she sent wide of the top side. Juno was able to send it to that same pocket for the win, securing the series in her favor at 3-0. After a slow start in game 4, Juno came to life at the end with a six-ball run-out, including a clutch bank of the 9 to the bottom right. Avril could only watch as Juno stretched her series lead to 4-0. Juno didn't show mercy in game 5, pummeling a seven-ball run off the break. She added the last three balls over two turns while Avril faltered, with Juno sweeping the series 5-0. This got her to the Finals on a 16-5 record.
Today's action is done, but there's still two more days to play in the Bracket Finals.
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