We're ready to begin a nine-day run through the Bracket Semifinals, the fourth round of this year's Tournament. Leading off...
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stinky v. Pedey. The purple cue gets the opening series, playing in 12-ball. Freedom's Stinky maintained better positioning and efficiency in his shooting in game 1, having no trouble in a win over Todavía's Pedey. Stinky leads the series 1-0. The Stills' Pedey began with a four-ball run in game 2, and looked good despite giving the Cascades' Stinky a wild-card ball. Stinky held on defensively and blocked Pedey at the top right multiple times. Stinky also scratched, but used a missed contact from Pedey to get his last ball. Stinky extended his series lead to 2-0. Stinky used a four-ball run to establish his lead in game 3. Pedey challenged on a late four-ball run, but a scratch and no positioning stalled him out before Stinky finished for the win. Stinky clinched the series at 3-0. Pedey dodged total disaster in game 4, overcoming an early surge from Stinky. Pedey was able to assemble a challenging four-ball run-out for the win to cut his deficit to 3-1. Pedey looked good to start game 5 as well, but this faded as Stinky bounced back with a firm attack. Stinky took the win and won the series 4-1, punching the first ticket to the bracket finals.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Isabella. The silver cue will be next, also playing 12-ball. Pacific's Leonette opened with a three-ball run in game 1, and that gave her enough of an edge to hold off Atlantic's Isabella at the end. Leonette made her last shot at the bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Leonette wasn't quite as sharp on her shots in game 2, and that combined with a faster pace from the Pirates' Isabella to turn the momentum. Isabella had better late positioning and won with a pair of shots, tying the series at 1. Leonette made a strong push in game 3, but she was stalled by a scratch that ruined her momentum. Isabella pieced together good shots and won on a spinning kick to the bottom right for the 2-1 series lead. Isabella had the lead for much of game 4, but Leonette showed some veteran savvy to block up Isabella's path to the top right. Leonette then converted three balls over three turns for the win to get the win, retying the series at 2. Leonette found some early success in game 5, but Isabella wouldn't stay down for long. Leonette got desperate late, and it led to Isabella taking her last shot to the bottom right for the win and 3-2 series win. Isabella is set to appear in the bracket finals. Isabella took her second kill of the year to make Leonette the 66th player eliminated.
Sony Center, Queens: Mario v. Dusky. The green cue draws its lone series of the day in 9-ball. Queens' Mario couldn't get much going after a solid start to game 1. Atlantic's Dusky picked up the pace with a four-ball run-out for the win, going ahead 1-0 in the series with confidence. The Pirates' Dusky found a five-ball run in game 2, but her shot on the 9 left it out of the top left. The Flames' Mario made a tap-in to poach the win, tying the series at 1. Mario wasn't able to finish game 3 after making a three-ball run and leaving the 9 at the top right. Dusky buried it on a tap-in to regain the series lead at 2-1 after a close battle. Dusky opened with three balls on the break in game 4, but she didn't find much offense after that. Mario got the win with a three-ball run-out, again pulling even with the series tied at 2. Game 5 showed a little tension for both players, as neither wanted to make a mistake. Dusky would anyway, missing her chance on the 9 before Mario buried it at the top right for the 3-2 series win. Mario is in line to host his bracket finals appearance.
T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Sage v. Sierra. Star players collide with the silver cue in 7-ball. Todavía's Sierra had a bit more of the early offense in game 1, but Victoria's Sage posted a 4-7 combination to the top side for the win and 1-0 series lead. Both players potted a pair early in game 2, and each pair ended with an error. The Spurs' Sage then used her ball-in-hand situation to make a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-0 series lead over the Stills' Sierra. The 6 fell late in the top side on Sage's game 3 break, and she immediately struck the 1-7 combination to the top left on the next shot to prevent Sierra from having a chance at a comeback. Sage sealed the series at 3-0. Sage opened game 4 on a four-ball run, which Sierra answered with a pair before missing her cut on the 7 toward the top right. Sage cleaned it up for the win, stretching her lead in the series to 4-0. Sage scratched on the break, but Sierra quickly missed on her first shot. Sage locked in a five-ball run-out to sweep the series 5-0, keeping her perfect run in the event going. Sage will be back on the road in the bracket finals. Sage took her second kill of the year, and Sierra is the 67th eliminated player this season.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Katharine v. Oreo. An Urban derby home-and-home between two teams begins with this 8-ball series using the purple cue. Terrace City's Oreo just held on from a hot start, as Whitewater's Katharine countered with a six-ball run but couldn't corral the 8. Oreo put it in the bottom side for the win and 1-0 lead in the series. The Knights' Oreo began with a five-ball run in game 2, setting the standard on offense quickly. The Shores' Katharine lacked good aim, and Oreo took her time to finish off the win to go ahead 2-0. Katharine finally timed an attack well enough to get the win, finding her way to a five-ball run-out after Oreo thought she had time to play patiently. Katharine's win cut Oreo's series lead to 2-1. Oreo made six balls over two turns but appeared to be a bit too slow at the end. Katharine dropped her pace a bit as well, and a miss on the 8 would be costly, as Oreo finally struck for the win to secure the series in her favor at 3-1. In game 5, Oreo had a bit of a delayed start to her attack. She still had enough of a lead to hold Katharine back again, and Oreo grabbed the win to take the series 4-1. Oreo is set to play in the bracket finals.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Jennifer v. Shaggy. The home-and-home ends with the silver cue in Rotation. Whitewater's Shaggy established the lead quickly in game 1, and a few fortunate bounces helped her dominate for an 8-3 win over Terrace City's Jennifer. Shaggy leads the series 1-0. The Shores' Shaggy built a lead with a four-ball run to start game 2. The Knights' Jennifer never really came close to mounting a challenge, and Shaggy went on to win 8-2 for the 2-0 series lead. In game 3, Shaggy struggled initially before surging to the brink of victory. Jennifer bounced back with a couple of hot turns at the end to snag the 8-7 win, cutting Shaggy's series lead to 2-1. A back-and-forth battle emerged in game 4, with Jennifer looking solid again, but she came up short this time. Shaggy was there to make the final pair for an 8-7 win to seal the series at 3-1. Shaggy wasn't able to make much of an impact in game 5, showing a little frustration. Jennifer stayed calm in a tough battle and won 8-2. Shaggy won the series 3-2 and will be on the road again in the bracket finals. Jennifer is the 68th player out this year, and Shaggy picked up her second kill.
Sony Center, Queens: Crystal v. Ms. Kitty. The red cue's lone outing today is in 10-ball. Queens' Crystal chipped together a bit more offense in game 1, as Pacific's Ms. Kitty lacked precision and power late in the game. Crystal made a pair for the win, going up 1-0 in the series. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty had a bigger impact with her five-ball run over the middle of game 2. A cagey finish saw her add the 9, but the Flames' Crystal poked the 10 to the bottom left for the win to extend her series lead to 2-0. Crystal couldn't find much offense in game 3, as Ms. Kitty worked a six-ball run and then managed to make the final pair turns later without Crystal challenging. Crystal maintains a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 was probably the closest of the series, as Crystal put up a good fight but couldn't quite match Ms. Kitty at the end. Ms. Kitty made a pair for the win, and that tied the series at 2. Crystal avoided a total collapse in game 5, weathering a big surge from Ms. Kitty early on before countering with a three-ball run-out. Crystal won the series 3-2 and will take to the road in the bracket finals.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Jake. Southeastern rivals battle in Accuracy as the purple cue exits the day. Golden's Valencia was unrelenting on offense, a pace Royal's Jake failed to keep up with in game 1. Valencia picked up the 1-3 win for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Valencia stayed close even after an early miss in game 2. The Crowns' Jake let two leads slip away, and the second time saw Valencia assert herself late. Jake missed again, and Valencia won 2-3 to go up 2-0 in the series. Valencia made a ball on the break in game 3, but that would hurt her later, as the last-shot advantage didn't come through. Jake stayed perfect and earned a 0-1 win to cut Valencia's series lead to 2-1. Jake couldn't duplicate the performance in game 4, falling apart in the middle as Valencia dominated possession and positioning. Valencia earned a 1-5 win to clinch the series at 3-1. Valencia kept a steady hand in game 5, showing off with some decisive plays late to get the 1-3 win over Jake. Valencia won the series 4-1 and maintains the right to host in the bracket finals.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gizmo v. Sprinkles. The blue cue's only appearance today is in 13-ball. North Modernistic's Gizmo had a big attack in game 1, but a miss on his last ball would be costly. Capital City's Sprinkles stayed close and kicked her last ball to the bottom side before hammering the 8 to the top left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Gizmo looked to have the edge multiple times in game 2, but scratches and misses wore down his lead. The Sharpshooters' Sprinkles again struck just in time for the win, moving to a 2-0 series lead. Sprinkles was all offense early in game 3, and she was responsible for the only ball Gizmo sank as he was eliminated from the event. Sprinkles took her time at the end to get the win, securing the series at 3-0. Sprinkles made one of each on the game 4 break, turning that into a three-ball run on stripes. Gizmo tried to keep pace, but Sprinkles' jump-start was enough for her to grab another win, stretching her series lead to 4-0. Sprinkles surged with a six-ball run in game 5, but it ended with a fateful scratch. Gizmo held her off from there to narrowly get a win, dodging the sweep as Sprinkles took the series 4-1. Sprinkles will be on the road in the bracket finals. Gizmo is the 69th player out of the Tournament, and Sprinkles joined the kills lead with three.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Pounce v. Sarah. The silver cue closes the day with 13-ball. Southern's Pounce had a very good start to game 1, but he wasn't able to strike at the bottom side. A patient comeback from Tysini's Sarah sufficed to earn the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sarah took off with a three-ball run in game 2, but she got stuffed at the top side and never recovered. The Monarchs' Pounce rallied back with five balls over his last two turns for the win to tie the series at 1. Pounce took the early lead in game 3 with a big run, but he couldn't sink his last ball legally. Sarah took advantage of that, eventually using ball-in-hand to collect a three-ball run-out for the win. Sarah leads the series again at 2-1. Sarah made a pair on the break in game 4 but couldn't solve anything after that. Pounce dealt with tough positioning in much better fashion, earning the win to retie the series at 2. Pounce took a massive lead in game 5, forcing Sarah to play defense at the top left to block his look at the 8. Pounce poked the defense away, and Sarah couldn't make a comeback run, allowing Pounce to get the win for a 3-2 series win. The dramatic finish sets Pounce up to host his bracket finals appearance.
That's all for the opening day of the Bracket Semifinals. We've got eight more to go in the round.
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