Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Round 1 Day 1

We're set to begin the Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament. In the First Round, all series will be three games long. We'll play 16 series a day over the next nine days, all at Golden's Amazon Field complex, beginning with...

Kiwi v. Chimpy. The red cue will open the day with an Accuracy series. Westside's Chimpy had a solid performance in game 1, holding a perfect game until the very end when he missed on the last ball. He ended up with a 1-2 win over Terrace City's Kiwi to earn a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Kiwi held the lead deep into game 2, but faltered three times in a row at the end. The Rockers' Chimpy did just enough for a 2-3 win to seal the series at 2-0. Kiwi got a little redemption in game 3, holding a perfect score for a 0-2 win. Chimpy advanced to the second round on a 2-1 series win.

Twilight v. Watermelon. The blue cue's first action comes in a 13-ball series. Central's Twilight buried a pair on the break in game 1, but got shut down after that, while Pearl's Watermelon worked around the table with confidence to earn the 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Watermelon overfilled the top left in game 2. She also pushed a four-ball run in the middle, but couldn't get her last ball down. The Warriors' Twilight fought back with steady offense to get the win, tying the series at 1. Twilight held the early lead in game 3, but Watermelon picked her corners up on a four-ball run. Twilight couldn't counter it, and Watermelon sank the 8 to the top left for the 2-1 series win. Watermelon is headed to the second round.

Sweetheart v. Celestia. The silver cue draws in for this Rotation set. Oceanside's Celestia had a fine start in game 1, but Boston's Sweetheart rallied back later to earn an 8-5 win. Sweetheart is ahead 1-0 in the series. The Swifts' Sweetheart had to battle for possession early on in game 2, as the Waves' Celestia did well to keep things close. Sweetheart took over late to win 8-4, clinching the series at 2-0. Sweetheart couldn't keep up the battle in game 3, as Celestia emerged with an 8-4 win after some strong work in the middle of the game. Sweetheart settled for a 2-1 series win to make the second round.

Leandra v. Easter. In 10-ball, these two current captains clash with the purple cue. Todavía's Easter took over on offense by making five of the last seven balls to stymie Tysini's Leandra at the end. Easter's surge gave her a win and a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter stayed strong in game 2, picking off a three-ball run-out after the Hummingbirds' Leandra missed on the 8. Easter's big finish was good enough to secure the series in her favor at 2-0. Leandra tried to stay on track in game 3, but faded late just as Easter got on track with a three-ball run-out again. Easter swept the series 3-0 to earn her place in the second round.

Fluffina v. Spirit. Big-name players break out the green cue for 10-ball. Maplewood's Fluffina wasn't able to gain control in game 1, with Lighton's Spirit slightly pacing play and cleaning up the scraps at the end for the win. Spirit holds a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina had a three-ball run late in game 2, but left the 10 at the top left. The Prestige's Spirit made her tap-in for the win, sealing the series at 2-0. Fluffina had her plays in game 3, but Spirit picked it off at the end by sinking the 10 to the top right. Spirit swept the series 3-0, an upset earning her a place in the second round.

Twinkie II v. Easter. The red cue gets back in for a 9-ball series. Todavía's Easter looked out of sorts on some of her shots in game 1. Harrison's Twinkie II controlled the majority of the offense for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Twinkie II controlled game 2 as well, especially after an early scratch from the Stills' Easter. Twinkie II finished off a long run for the win, earning the series at 2-0. Twinkie II dominated again in game 3, executing a six-ball run-out for the win and 3-0 series sweep over Easter. Twinkie II will play in the second round.

Roxy v. Watermelon. The designated visitor's second series today is with the blue cue in 10-ball. A back-and-forth game 1 saw multiple deferrals of possession in a choppy battle. Freedom's Roxy eventually poked her way to the win with a pair for the 1-0 series lead over Pearl's Watermelon. The Surfers' Watermelon had a four-ball run and a pair to establish a majority of offense, but the Cascades' Roxy overcame it with a three-ball run and the 10 for the win. Roxy sealed the series at 2-0. Roxy got the win in game 3 as well, converting the 10 on her second try to finish a 3-0 series sweep over Watermelon. Roxy heads to the second round.

Misty v. Zach. The halfway point sees Accuracy played with the silver cue. Pronger's Zach had a rough go in game 1, faltering early and late as Westside's Misty dominated in a 0-5 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Zach bounced back in game 2, while the Rockers' Misty hit a rough patch that would cost her the result. Zach held on late for a 1-3 win to tie the series at 1. Misty couldn't get back on track after missing late in game 3, and Zach closed her out with a 0-2 win. Zach took the series 2-1 in a comeback to earn his place in the second round.

Jake v. Victoria. Another returning player is visitor here in 9-ball with the purple cue. Pearl's Victoria showed her experience by making the last six balls over three turns for the win and 1-0 series lead versus Royal's Jake. The Surfers' Victoria locked down the series quickly in game 2, sinking the 9 to the top left on the break to seal the series at 2-0 over the Crowns' Jake. Victoria then made a quick four-ball run-out capped by a 2-9 combination to the top left to take game 3 without Jake seeing a shot. Victoria's 3-0 sweep puts her in the second round.

Victoria v. Panda. The designated host plays a doubleheader, finishing with Rotation and the green cue. Southern's Panda established his lead pretty quickly in game 1, and he made it stand at the end for an 8-3 win over Pearl's Victoria. Panda holds a 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Victoria looked ready to make a challenge in game 2, only for the Monarchs' Panda to fire back at the end to take an 8-5 win. Panda clinched the series at 2-0. Victoria got a little redemption in game 3, pulling off a tight 8-5 win to leave Panda with a 2-1 series win. Panda is in the second round.

Princess v. Roxy. The red cue's third turn features 12-ball. Tysini's Princess gave away a wild-card ball on the break in game 1. She looked to be fine until a late scratch, and Freedom's Roxy soon took over to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Princess got frustrated in game 2, which led to her giving away a wild-card ball. Positioning still evaded Princess, and the Cascades' Roxy managed to pick up another win to secure the series at 2-0. Princess received three wild-card balls in game 3, and it still took a miracle bank shot for her to beat Roxy at the end. Roxy settled for a 2-1 series win to move on to the second round.

Neopolitan v. Dominic. Another 10-ball series uses the blue cue. These Coastal rivals struggled to get anything right in game 1, with Pearl's Neopolitan eventually poking the 10 down at the top right for the win. Neopolitan leads Southern's Dominic 1-0 in the series. The Monarchs' Dominic failed to recover on offense in game 2, as the Surfers' Neopolitan was stronger and more efficient. Neopolitan poked in a 9-10 combination to the bottom left for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Dominic didn't make an improvement in game 3, faltering late as Neopolitan drove the 10 to the bottom right for the win and 3-0 series sweep. Neopolitan is through to the second round.

Max v. Nightfur. A current Pilot enters the fray with the silver cue in 12-ball. Nightfur, who will represent Royal in this series, had a good start before a mid-game scratch. Golden's Max made a push, but squandered game 1 late with his own scratch, which set up Nightfur for the win. Nightfur leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Nightfur smashed in a pair on the break in game 2, and that provided her margin of victory as the Pilots' Max never got a run in his comeback effort. Nightfur sealed the series at 2-0. Nightfur kept it up in game 3, her offense growing stronger at the end as she blocked Max from the bottom left. Nightfur swept the series 3-0 and went into the second round.

Fuchsia v. Starlight. The purple cue goes again in 9-ball. Game 1 saw both players excel at times, but it was Fuchsia, in her Midland gear from years gone by, who struck a three-ball run-out in the end to beat Pacific's Starlight for the 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Fuchsia got the 2 to drift to the bottom right on the break, then deflected off the 1 to drive the 9 to the top left for the win. Fuchsia's tricky play helped her clinch the series at 2-0 over the Volcanoes' Starlight. Fuchsia continued her dominance by shutting out Starlight in game 3 as well. Fuchsia ran the table in the finale to complete a 3-0 series sweep that sends her on a wave to the second round.

Crystal v. Ruby. More 9-ball sees these two long-time legends battle with the green cue. Queens' Crystal picked up a win in game 1 with a bank of the 8 saving her last turn to complete a three-ball run-out. Crystal leads Archtown's Ruby 1-0. The Flames' Crystal wasn't able to maintain dominance in game 2, and that led to a miss on the 9 late in the game. The Arrows' Ruby fired back with a bank on the 9 to the bottom right for the win, tying the series at 1. A back-and-forth game 3 saw Ruby get the short end of the offense. Crystal did enough late to earn the win, claiming a 2-1 series win and a place in the second round.

Celestia v. Ice Cream. Today's finale is in 12-ball with the red cue. Oceanside's Celestia committed an overfill on the game 1 break, but Boston's Ice Cream didn't get very good positioning to fight it. Celestia ultimately won with a three-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia tried to keep playing a similar style, but the Swifts' Ice Cream made enough improvements to fend her off in game 2. Celestia came up a ball short as Ice Cream tied the series at 1. Ice Cream held the lead for nearly all of game 3, but a scratch and multiple missed contacts ruined her effort. Celestia walked away with a pair of shots for the 2-1 series win to get herself to the second round. 

There's eight more days in the opening round of this competition.

UPCL Bowl Series 2020 - Day 8

Today, we bid farewell to the 2020 season with the final three bowls. Leading off...

Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Ms. Kitty v. Hershey. The silver cue is on hand for the opening series between Prime and Forest SC. Pacific's Ms. Kitty made a pair early in 7-ball, but Stonebridge's Hershey handled the rest with a five-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead. The Wolves' Hershey led for much of 8-ball, but couldn't get a look at his last ball. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty held him off long enough to rally on a four-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Hershey missed contact on a kick attempt on the 7 near the bottom left. Ms. Kitty took over for a three-ball run-out at the end to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Hershey had a poorly timed scratch in 10-ball, as it allowed Ms. Kitty to easily make the 2-10 combination to the bottom left for the win. Ms. Kitty now leads the series 3-1. Ms. Kitty struggled with positioning so much in 12-ball that Hershey wasn't punished for giving away two wild-card balls late. Hershey had no trouble making his last ball to the bottom left for the win to cut the series to 3-2. Hershey had a chance to close out 13-ball as well, but he missed on the 8 at the bottom left. Ms. Kitty made a pair of shots to take the win, moving up to a 4-2 series lead. Hershey led for much of Rotation, but he stalled out in the middle. Ms. Kitty used one three-ball run to get close and another to win the game by an 8-6 score. Ms. Kitty secured the series at 5-2. Ms. Kitty guaranteed herself a majority of possession in 15-ball with a pair of early four-ball runs, but sloppiness late allowed Hershey to snipe his way to the win. Ms. Kitty's series lead sits at 5-3. Ms. Kitty made a ball on the break in Accuracy and stayed perfect to take a 0-1 win over Hershey at the end. Ms. Kitty took the Boston Bowl 6-3.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Pedey v. Citrus. Brute Force and Solid Core duel with the silver cue. Todavía's Pedey couldn't get anything going in 7-ball, and Lighton's Citrus stepped up with a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Pedey made one of each on the break in 8-ball and took solids. The Prestige's Citrus struggled on stripes, while Pedey was slow but good enough to win with a bank on the 8 to the bottom side to tie the series at 1. Pedey suffered a late scratch in 9-ball, but he ended up with the win anyway when Citrus whiffed on the 9 at the bottom side. Pedey sent it to the bottom right to earn a 2-1 series lead. In 10-ball, Pedey didn't get the late bounce-back he had enjoyed before. Citrus rallied with a five-ball run-out for the win, retying the series at 2. Pedey made two stripes on the 12-ball break, but also yielded a wild-card ball. Pedey came close to the win before Citrus struck her last shot to the bottom left to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Pedey made a solid on the 13-ball break, then blundered by shooting into a cluster that had him simultaneously overfill the top left while illegally sinking the 8 in the bottom left. Citrus took the free win to establish a 4-2 series lead. Pedey got back on track with a hot start to Rotation, and then managed to hold off Citrus late for an 8-5 win. Pedey's victory got him back to a 4-3 deficit. Pedey wasn't able to keep up the comeback attempt in 15-ball, as he missed contact late on the 13. Citrus made the final pair of shots to earn the win and seal the series at 5-3. Pedey worked his way onto the last-shot advantage and made it count, winning Accuracy 3-4. Citrus still prevailed in the series by a 5-4 margin.

AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Jack v. Misty. The finale uses the purple cue between Forest SC and Solid Core. Westside's Misty had a bad scratch late in 7-ball, and Web City's Jack used the ball-in-hand to make the final pair of shots. Jack leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Jack had to weather an attack from the Rockers' Misty in the middle of 8-ball. Jack then recovered with a bank of the 8 to the bottom side to get the win, taking a 2-0 series lead. Jack opened 9-ball on a six-ball run, but that ended with illegal contact. Misty was sharp in response on her three-ball run-out for the win to get on the board in a 2-1 series. Misty worked a four-ball run in the middle of 10-ball, but this ended with a scratch. Jack made no mistake from ball-in-hand, sinking the final pair for the win and 3-1 series lead. Both players were quick on offense to start 12-ball, but it came down to defense. Jack had the advantage by blocking the top left, and he walked away with the win for a 4-1 series lead when Misty couldn't solve his defense. Misty was a little more fortunate in 13-ball, as Jack's defense left a couple of gaps for her to exploit. Misty took her time on the 8 but got the win, cutting the series to 4-2. Misty held the lead deep into Rotation, but Jack made a comeback with a four-ball run-out to claim an 8-6 win. Jack also clinched the series at 5-2 in the process. Misty played strong in 15-ball, never letting Jack see much offense. Misty closed it out on a four-ball run-out to get back to a 5-3 deficit. Accuracy ended with a tight battle, ending in a 1-1 draw after Misty couldn't quite secure a victory at the end. Jack took the series 5-3-1 to claim the Oceanside Bowl. 

That's all for the Bowl Series, and the Tournament year 2020 as a whole. Youth Movement topped the Bowl Series standings with seven wins in seven tries, while Humanity, Prime, and Forest SC all had five bowl wins. We'll take the weekend off before kicking off the Ten Year Anniversary Tournament on Monday, which features over 150 past and present players who have performed well in individual events. This exhibition event, which will be at Golden's Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, will last approximately a month and crown nine Ultimate Champions, one for each event. A Tournament of Champions is not expected to come after that, but that may change in the end. For all of the action and all UPCL-related news, make sure to follow @UnitedPCL on Twitter.

UPCL Bowl Series 2020 - Day 7

The last full day of Bowl action begins with...

Apple Center, Todavía: Easter v. Fluffina. These two relatives from Prime and Enterprise battle on Easter's home field with the red cue. Todavía's Easter took an instant 1-0 series lead by making the 7 to the top side on the break in 7-ball, stunning Infinity's Fluffina. The Stills' Easter put in a solid start in 8-ball, but she didn't have a second wind. The Torpedoes' Fluffina stepped up with a five-ball run-out at the end to get the win, tying the series at 1. Easter regained control of the offense in 9-ball with a three-ball run at the start and a four-ball run-out at the end to sandwich a pair from Fluffina. Easter's win put her ahead 2-1 in the series. Fluffina had a chance at a late run in 10-ball, but she missed a soft bank on the 9. Easter cleaned it up and took the 10 at the top side to get the win, moving to a 3-1 series lead. Easter had a positive start in 12-ball, but late positioning took its toll. Fluffina held onto an easy shot at the top left while setting up the rest of her offense, ultimately sinking a three-ball run-out for the win. Fluffina pulled back to a 3-2 deficit. Fluffina had her chances in 13-ball, but couldn't cash in at the end. Easter was a little sharper and earned the win to take a 4-2 series lead. Easter had an excellent start in Rotation and got on the verge of a win, but she couldn't sink one more shot. Fluffina followed with a three-ball run and a four-ball run-out to take an 8-7 win to get back to 4-3 in the series. In 15-ball, both players had their moments in a low-key battle. Fluffina faltered late and Easter picked up the final pair of shots for the win to secure the series at 5-3. Easter missed early and late in Accuracy, and Fluffina made sure to make that enough in her 1-2 win. Easter settled for a 5-4 win in her own building for the Todavía Bowl.

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Hoppy v. Delila. The A-Line derby and an Outcast versus Prime series set checks in with the purple cue. Archtown's Hoppy came up with a win in 7-ball after Atlantic's Delila scratched. Hoppy knocked in a three-ball run-out and went ahead 1-0 in the series. The Arrows' Hoppy couldn't cash in on a comeback with her five-ball run, as the Pirates' Delila fired back with a three-ball run-out for the win. The series is tied at 1. Hoppy opened with a five-ball run in 9-ball, but Delila was a little better at the end. Delila sent the 8 toward the bottom right but got the right carom to sink the 9 to the top left for the win. Delila holds a 2-1 series lead. Hoppy had some good shots early in 10-ball, but a chipped play and a late fade opened the door for Delila to grab another win to go up 3-1 in the series. Hoppy opened on a four-ball run in 12-ball, but she gave away a wild-card ball as well. Delila surged with a four-ball run of her own, and Hoppy's late defense at the bottom right wasn't enough. Delila got a tap-in to surge to a 4-1 series lead. Hoppy kept her bowl hopes alive in 13-ball, as Delila needed a good play and instead got a miscue late. Hoppy then made the 8 at the top left to cut the series to 4-2. Hoppy didn't do enough early in Rotation to be able to capitalize on Delila's unsteady finish. Delila instead closed out an 8-4 win to seal the series at 5-2. Hoppy didn't have much structure to her play in 15-ball, but Delila wasn't very invested either. Delila ultimately sank the 15 to the top right with luck to propel her to the 6-2 series lead. Hoppy collected a solid 2-3 win in Accuracy, baiting Delila into the decisive late miss after making her own double-pot. Delila won the Whitewater Bowl 6-3.

Sony Center, Queens: Sage v. Sprinkles. Southwestern foes from Prime and Solid Core engage with the red cue. Victoria's Sage had a slow start to 7-ball, but she recovered to beat Capital City's Sprinkles at the end on a three-ball run-out. Sage holds a 1-0 series lead. The Sharpshooters' Sprinkles found a five-ball run in 8-ball to get onto the 8 before missing her bank at the bottom side. The Spurs' Sage shot back on a five-ball run-out to snag the win, moving ahead 2-0. Sage won 9-ball on her second turn, banking the 2-9 combination to the bottom left after Sprinkles fouled on the 1. Sage's strong play has her ahead 3-0 in the series. Sage had some shaky moments in the middle of 10-ball, but she overcame it with a four-ball run-out after Sprinkles left the 6 near the bottom right. Sage's lead is now at 4-0. Sage opened 12-ball on a four-ball run, but she appeared to be in danger as Sprinkles worked a five-ball run, only to miss at the top left on her last ball. Sage made her final pair just in time for the win to clinch the series at 5-0. Sage kept the offense up in 13-ball, turning a pair on the break into a five-ball run. Sprinkles fired back to keep things close, but Sage made a pair at the end for the win to stay perfect at 6-0. Rotation brought its share of challenges for both players, but it was Sage who had just a little more offense in her for the 8-6 win over Sprinkles. Sage extended her series lead to 7-0. Sage had plenty of offense in a relaxed 15-ball battle. Sprinkles turned on a bit with a four-ball run near the end, but Sage made the final three balls over two turns for the win to surge to 8-0 in the series. Sage wasn't exactly clean in her performance in Accuracy, but a touch better than Sprinkles to earn a 3-4 result. Sage swept the Queens Bowl 9-0, the first sweep in the bowl era.

Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Charli v. Mario. The Celebrity Championship is up with the red cue. Tysini's Charli got an early win in 7-ball with her 2-7 combination to the bottom right, stunning Queens' Mario as Charli earned a 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Charli fired off some strong offense to overcome a hot start from the Flames' Mario early in 8-ball. Charli then missed on the 8 at the top left, and Mario tapped it down to tie the series at 1. Charli had some plays in 9-ball as well, but the overall choppy pace of the game faded to Mario in control at the end as he made four of the last five balls. Mario owns a 2-1 series lead. Charli had a six-ball run to start 10-ball, but that ended in a scratch. Mario tried to get on track, but Charli was strong at the end to grab the win, retying the series at 2. Charli took solids to start 12-ball, but she struggled to position her final pair. Mario struck in that moment, finding a three-ball run-out for the win to regain the series lead at 3-2. Mario attacked well with a three-ball run in the middle of 13-ball. Charli fired back at the end, executing a five-ball run-out for the win to tie the series again at 3. Mario held the lead for most of Rotation with his early three-ball run to pace play. Charli had one chance to push back and she did, converting a five-ball run-out for the 8-7 win to pull ahead 4-3 in the series. Charli kept herself involved early in 15-ball, but Mario took over with a late six-ball run. Charli missed her one look at the 15, and Mario made it on his second try for the win, pulling even at 4 games each. Accuracy was a fitting end to this series, as both players were perfect late in the game. Charli made a double-pot but missed on her next turn, followed immediately by Mario's miss. Charli then left Mario in an awful position for the overtime break, and Mario went empty. Charli converted for the 1-2 win to earn the 5-4 series win in the Archtown Bowl.

Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Lionel v. Violetta. The green cue gets today's final series between Brute Force and Outcast. North Modernistic's Lionel took over at the end of 7-ball, beating Queens' Violetta on a four-ball run-out. Lionel leads the series 1-0. The Flames' Violetta improved in 8-ball, but struggled to find an angle on her last ball. The slow finish allowed the Nighthawks' Lionel to rally on a four-ball run-out for the win, going ahead 2-0 in the series. Lionel continued to find his way late in games, winning 9-ball with a three-ball run-out sealed by an 8-9 combination to the bottom right. Lionel's lead over Violetta is now 3-0. Violetta tried to work something up at the end of 10-ball, but her shot on the 8 took her out of position. Lionel was able to make the final pair for the win, pushing his series lead to 4-0. It was a close battle in 12-ball, as Violetta confidently got onto her last ball. Lionel pushed back with some bold positioning and narrowly missed his last ball, but Violetta couldn't sink the winning shot. Lionel converted at the bottom right and clinched the series at 5-0. Violetta and Lionel battled for the right moment at the end of 13-ball, but Violetta ended up overfilling at the bottom left and illegally sinking the 8 on the last shot. Lionel took the free win to stretch his lead to 6-0. Lionel took the early lead in Rotation, but he would finally take a loss as Violetta rallied on a five-ball run-out for the 8-4 win. Lionel's series lead takes a hit to 6-1. Lionel and Violetta both made four-ball runs during 15-ball, but Lionel slipped up later. Violetta sank the 15 to the top left for another win, putting Lionel at a 6-2 series lead. Accuracy was a good battle despite the series already being decided. Lionel stole away a 1-2 result after Violetta missed the last ball. Lionel also won the series 7-2. 

Tomorrow, we close the door on the 2020 Tournament year with the final three bowls.

UPCL Bowl Series 2020 - Day 6

The sixth day of the bowl series is here, leading off with the most anticipated matchup yet...

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Sugar v. Kitty. The Reality Championship uses the red cue and is at Sugar's home venue. Tysini's Sugar struck for the win in 7-ball after a rather confidence-lacking performance for both herself and Midland's Kitty. Sugar's tap-in finish put her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Hummingbirds' Sugar took the early lead in 8-ball, and held off a four-ball run from the Predators' Kitty near the end. Sugar tapped the 8 in at the top left to take a 2-0 series lead. Sugar wasn't very good in 9-ball, but Kitty missed on the 9 at the end after potting a pair to gain momentum. Sugar again converted on the 9 for a late win, moving ahead 3-0 in the series. Sugar took over the offense at the end of 10-ball, as Kitty hadn't contributed much to that point. Sugar ripped a five-ball run-out for the win and earned a 4-0 series lead in the process. Sugar had control early in 12-ball, but three scratches denied her chances to win, and Kitty used the extra time to make a comeback. Kitty's late surge earned a win, and she now trails 4-1 in the series. Kitty had her own trouble with scratches in 13-ball, but Sugar was too wound up from the previous game to stay in control. Kitty eventually snagged the win and pulled to a 4-2 deficit. Kitty had a four-ball run in the middle of Rotation, but she peaked there, and Sugar took over with her own four-ball run-out for the 8-6 win. Sugar sealed the series at 5-2. Another chaotic and aggressive battle was set forth in 15-ball, which Sugar got the win in with an 11-15 combination to the top left. Sugar leads Kitty 6-2. Sugar was perfect in Accuracy, leaving no room for Kitty to get redemption. Sugar won 0-4 in the game and 7-2 in the series to claim the Tysini Bowl in her own home.

Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Cheddar v. Summer. The blue cue goes between Youth Movement and Outcast in today's second series. Both players opened 7-ball with three-ball runs, but Maplewood's Summer twice missed on the 7. North Modernistic's Cheddar got a tap-in on her second try for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Cheddar made a good effort to keep 8-ball close, but the Lumberjacks' Summer was good enough to fend off the challenge with a three-ball run-out at the end. The series is tied at 1. Cheddar opened 9-ball on a six-ball run and added the 7 on the next turn before Summer struck down the final pair of shots. Summer's poached win put her ahead 2-1 in the series. Cheddar replied with force in 10-ball, winning in just three turns as she had a pair of three-ball runs to sandwich a four-ball run. Summer got nothing, and Cheddar retied the series at 2. Cheddar gave away a wild-card ball at the start of 12-ball, but an innovative attack paid off. Summer was too passive and Cheddar charged forth to get the win for a 3-2 series lead. Cheddar again mastered positioning in 13-ball, giving her a chance to be patient at the end. She didn't have to be, as a couple of quick shots helped her get another win over Summer to move ahead 4-2 in the series. Cheddar mixed in a little defense in Rotation, and also got a bit lucky. Summer had very few clear looks for offense, and Cheddar ran away with an 8-1 win to seal the series at 5-2. Cheddar provided plenty of early offense and kept it up late, but Summer struck a three-ball run-out to win 15-ball, cutting the series back to 5-3. Summer held a lead late in Accuracy, then missed twice as Cheddar turned it around for a 2-3 win. Cheddar took the Pacific Bowl by a 6-3 score. Youth Movement swept all seven of their bowls.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Nibbles v. Shaggy. Outcast and Solid Core battle with the blue cue. Web City's Nibbles had a three-ball run in the middle of 7-ball, but faltered at the end with a scratch. Whitewater's Shaggy made the final pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Spiders' Nibbles didn't have much consistency in 8-ball, but a large lead was enough for him to beat the Shores' Shaggy this time. The series is tied at 1. Nibbles again struggled to make many shots in a row, but Shaggy wasn't any better in 9-ball. Nibbles took the final pair and earned a win for the 2-1 series lead. Shaggy looked to make a push in 10-ball, but scratched after missed contact on the 7. Nibbles sank a three-ball run-out in response for the win and 3-1 series lead. Nibbles received a wild-card ball during Shaggy's opening five-ball run but immediately gave it back. He then sank Shaggy's last ball for her at the end, gifting away the win as Shaggy pulled back to a 3-2 series. Shaggy got onto the 8 faster in 13-ball, but a few misses put her in some danger. Nibbles missed his only chance on the 8 as well, and Shaggy buried it to the top left to tie the series at 3. Nibbles made a pair on the break and a three-ball run to get on the brink of victory fairly fast in Rotation. Shaggy didn't respond, and a late-falling bank of the 7 to the bottom left gave Nibbles an 8-2 win to retake the series lead at 4-3. Nibbles seemed to have a little more pace in 15-ball, although it almost didn't matter when he missed on the 15 at the top left. Shaggy also missed a cut, and Nibbles banked it to the bottom left for the win to secure the series at 5-3. Nibbles had a chance to grab another win in Accuracy, but he scratched on his last shot. Shaggy converted to produce a 2-2 tie in the game for a final series score of 5-3-1 favoring Nibbles.

FedEx Arena, Eastside: Oreo v. Princess. Another quality pairing features Prime and Brute Force with the silver cue. Terrace City's Oreo made the 7 to the top side on the 7-ball break, good for an instant 1-0 series lead over Viewpoint Sound's Princess. The Knights' Oreo started well in 8-ball, but it was the Meteors' Princess who ripped an eight-ball run-out on her third turn to get the win. Princess' confident cuts helped her tie the series at 1. Oreo retook control of the series in 9-ball, jamming the 2 past the 8 at the bottom left to generate a deflection that sent the 9 to the top side for the win. Oreo leads the series 2-1 over Princess. Oreo had a couple of good shots in 10-ball, but Princess worked a 3-10 bank combination to the bottom left from a tough angle to get this win. The series is tied again at 2. Oreo had a three-ball run off the break in 12-ball, but a late scratch and the wild-card ball she surrendered both hurt. Princess pulled back with five balls over her last two turns for the win and 3-2 series lead. Oreo was a little cleaner on offense in 13-ball, and that adjustment was enough to get the better of Princess. Oreo's crisp win tied the series again at 3. Oreo took a large lead in Rotation, but not enough to stop Princess, who pulled ahead on a five-ball run and made the final pair to win 8-5. Princess regained the series lead at 4-3. Princess made a push with a four-ball run in 15-ball, but she fouled while attempting to make the 13. Oreo made a three-ball run-out from there, once more tying the series at 4 games apiece. Oreo and Princess had an effective duel in Accuracy, but Oreo was a little better in a 1-2 win to take the Eastside Bowl 5-4.

Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Sleepy B. v. Chicky Phil. Solid Core and Oriental United end the day with the blue cue. After a slow start to 7-ball, Midland's Chicky Phil pushed in a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead over Archtown's Sleepy B. The Arrows' Sleepy B. also lagged behind badly in 8-ball. The Predators' Chicky Phil had room to be a little sloppy and still easily earn the win to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Sleepy B. was much improved with a majority of the offense in 9-ball, but she missed the 9 on a kick after losing her positioning advantage. Chicky Phil jammed it to the top left and now leads the series 3-0. Chicky Phil kept rolling in 10-ball, converting a double-pot of the 7 to the top left and the 10 to the top side to earn another win. He leads Sleepy B. 4-0 in the series. Sleepy B. looked to be in a good position in 12-ball despite yielded a wild-card ball, but she had overfilled the bottom right. Chicky Phil had no trouble winning after that, and his win sealed the series at 5-0. Sleepy B. had a couple of chances to get the win in 13-ball, but a scratch near the end ruined her play. Chicky Phil scooped up the 8 at the top left for the win and 6-0 series lead. Sleepy B. got on the board in Rotation with an 8-2 win, controlling play from the start and enjoying a large run over the middle. Chicky Phil's series lead shrunk to 6-1. Sleepy B. did it again in a rather uninspired 15-ball performance. Chicky Phil picked up a three-ball run right before Sleepy B. got the win with a four-ball run-out to trim the series to 6-2. Sleepy B. scratched on the break in Accuracy, but she was good enough to salvage a 3-3 draw with Chicky Phil, leaving him with a 6-2-1 series win. 

Tomorrow is the last full day of bowls on the schedule.

UPCL Bowl Series 2020 - Day 5

Some high-level battles await in today's matchups. First up...

Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Max v. Gradley. Enterprise and Youth Movement clash with southeastern rivals in play using the blue cue. Golden's Max fouled as he made the 6 in a slow 7-ball battle. The ball-in-hand play made it easy for Boston's Gradley to collect a win and 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Gradley made 8-ball harder than it had to be, missing frequently at the end while leaving the Pilots' Max with poor shots. Gradley eventually got the win anyway and went ahead 2-0 in the series. Max wasted two chances late in 9-ball to sink the 9, and Gradley turned it in on his second try to earn another win for a 3-0 series lead. Gradley had a foul on his only shot in 10-ball after Max hit a three-ball run. Max then sank the 3-10 combination to the top left to get on the board in a 3-1 series. Max cranked a four-ball run off the break in 12-ball, but Gradley quickly caught up and used defense at the top right to leverage his way to a win. Gradley's fierce comeback put him up 4-1 in the series. Max was much stronger at the start of 13-ball, asserting himself on offense. Gradley had a couple of nice shots, but Max won on a four-ball run-out to stay alive while trailing 4-2 in the series. Gradley took total control in Rotation, winning 8-0 in just three turns with a mix of luck and skill Max couldn't match. Gradley sealed the series at 5-2. Gradley lacked the same control in 15-ball, while Max looked much stronger at the end of the game. Max made the final pair to cut back to a 5-3 series. Max was the better player in a tight Accuracy battle that saw Gradley take the last shot advantage before two late misses put him behind. Max won 3-4 this time, but Gradley took the series 5-4 to claim the Central Bowl.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Cleo v. Valencia. Brute Force and Youth Movement meet with the green cue. Everton's Cleo was too inconsistent in 7-ball, and Golden's Valencia eventually punished that with a six-ball run-out. Valencia holds a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Cleo was much improved in 8-ball, attacking furiously while the Pilots' Valencia struggled to elevate to that level. Cleo easily earned the win, tying the series at 1. Valencia went deep with a five-ball run in 9-ball, but she missed on the 7. Cleo was there to attack on a three-ball run-out, the counterattack play working to give her a 2-1 series lead. Cleo had her chances in a sloppy start to 10-ball, but Valencia was able to scoop up the 10 at the end to get the win. The series is tied again at 2. Valencia ripped a four-ball run early in 12-ball before yielded a wild-card ball. Cleo made a push to get back in the game, but missed at the top side. Valencia made her final pair for the win, retaking the series lead at 3-2 in the process. Cleo was solid in positioning for 13-ball, but didn't have enough at the end of the game. Valencia held her off and made a three-ball run-out for the win and 4-2 series lead. Cleo fell behind in Rotation but staged a comeback with a three-ball run to tie the game. The 15 eluded her, and Valencia made it for the 8-7 win to seal the series at 5-2. Valencia had little motivation left to put in a good effort in 15-ball. Cleo wasn't quick to pick up on that, leading to a long game that Cleo only won narrowly to trim the series to 5-3. Valencia bounced back to finish the series strong with a 2-3 win in Accuracy over Cleo. Valencia took the series 6-3 overall.

McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Angelica v. Marsell. The green cue stays up for Enterprise versus Forest SC. Lighton's Angelica rattled off a seven-ball run-out in 7-ball after an empty break saw Whitewater's Marsell miss on his first turn. Angelica leads the series confidently 1-0. The Prestige's Angelica started 8-ball well, but the Shores' Marsell fired back on a six-ball run. Marsell won two turns later, his quick attack enough to tie the series at 1. Angelica had a five-ball run going in 9-ball, but she scratched as she potted the 8. Marsell made no mistake on the 9 to earn the win, going ahead 2-1 in the series. Marsell took over the offense about halfway through in 10-ball, unleashing a six-ball run-out as Angelica could only watch. Marsell's massive surge put him up 3-1 in the series. Angelica's late attempt for positioning in 12-ball backfired badly, setting up Marsell to make his last pair of balls just one turn after a foul. Marsell leads the series 4-1. Angelica salvaged her series in 13-ball, digging out of some troublesome positions before Marsell could find his way on offense. Angelica picked up the win and cut the series to 4-2. Angelica's comeback hopes ended early in Rotation, as Marsell established a large lead and then waited to strike until he was confident. Marsell won 8-4 and clinched the series at 5-2. Angelica didn't have a ton of favorable offense in 15-ball either, and Marsell was able to win with a 10-15 combination to the bottom right. Marsell leads the series 6-2 now. Angelica earned herself a bit of redemption in Accuracy, closing out a 1-2 win over Marsell, who had to settle for a 6-3 series win in the Atlantic Bowl.

Ford Forum, Pronger: Vincent v. Niki. Junior and Senior top players clash in Niki's farewell match with the red cue. Everton's Vincent struggled a bit too much in 7-ball, and Commerce's Niki was able to strike for a late pair and the win. Niki holds a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Niki pushed a six-ball run on her first turn in 8-ball, but the Eagles' Vincent shot back with an eight-ball run-out to win. This tied the series at 1. Vincent opened 9-ball on a four-ball run, impressively showing control on long shots. Niki replied with a three-ball run, but Vincent took the final pair for the win to pull ahead 2-1 in the series. Niki had something working near the end of 10-ball, but her five-ball run ended with a miss on the 10. Vincent poached the win at the bottom left, moving to a 3-1 series lead. Niki didn't stick to defense in 12-ball, while Vincent readily challenged her around the table. Vincent won on a three-ball run-out to extend his series lead to 4-1. Niki got more aggressive with the series on the line in 13-ball, and that paid off as Vincent struggled to find positioning. Niki's solid win kept her going even as she trails 4-2. Vincent opened Rotation on a three-ball run, only for Niki to rattle off a four-ball run and a three-ball run on her first two turns. Niki eventually won 8-4 to cut the series to 4-3. Niki made a good effort in 15-ball, but Vincent made three combos on a four-ball run-out that ended with the 5-15 combination in the top side. Vincent secured the series at 5-3. Niki had a rather unimpressive last game, falling by a 4-6 score to Vincent in Accuracy. Vincent won the Pronger Bowl by a 6-3 score.

Chevrolet Center, Everton: Fuchsia v. Sparkles. The titanic Outcast versus Oriental United match closes today with the red cue. Golden's Sparkles asserted herself with a six-ball run-out in 7-ball, capitalizing on a slow start from Infinity's Fuchsia. Sparkles leads the series 1-0. The Torpedoes' Fuchsia performed better in 8-ball, using a six-ball run to establish the lead. The Pilots' Sparkles couldn't overcome it, and Fuchsia eventually took the win to tie the series at 1. Fuchsia kept the momentum up for 9-ball, converting a fortunate five-ball run-out at the end after Sparkles didn't find much offense. Fuchsia holds a 2-1 series lead. Fuchsia ripped a bigger finishing attack in 10-ball, turning in a seven-ball run-out this time to extend her series lead to 3-1 over Sparkles. Fuchsia had poor positioning in 12-ball, but it still took Sparkles quite a bit of time to convert the necessary shots. Sparkles did get the win, cutting the series back to 3-2. The two players were about as close as possible in 13-ball, but it was Fuchsia who buried the 8 at the top right in the end for the 4-2 series lead over Sparkles. In Rotation, Sparkles proved she still had something left in the series, winning 8-3 with a little fortune on her side as Fuchsia struggled. Fuchsia maintains a 4-3 series lead. Sparkles had a chance to wrap up 15-ball, but she missed on a 12-15 combination at the bottom right, and Fuchsia converted it to secure the series at 5-3. Fuchsia kept up her quality well in Accuracy, claiming a 2-4 win over Sparkles to finish the series with a 6-3 win. Fuchsia has won the Everton Bowl. 

That's all for today. More to come tomorrow.

UPCL Bowl Series 2020 - Day 4

We're back for another full day of bowl action. Leading off...

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Goatee v. Chimpy. A pair of Rockers teammates meet in the venue of their rivals with the purple cue. Goatee tried to make an early impact in 7-ball, but Chimpy was able to supply a three-ball run-out at the end for the 1-0 series lead. Chimpy held the lead in 8-ball for most of the game, and he was just fast enough to hold off Goatee at the end after her three-ball run. Chimpy's series lead is now 2-0. Chimpy again came up clutch in 9-ball, knocking in a four-ball run-out after Goatee was again uninspiring on offense. Chimpy's series lead is 3-0. Goatee had a chance to get back in the series late in a choppy 10-ball battle, but she scratched after making the 9. Chimpy made the 10 on a free play to move ahead 4-0 in the series. Goatee gave away a pair of wild-card balls early in 12-ball, and Chimpy took the path of least resistance from there, filling the corners to earn the win. Chimpy sealed the series at 5-0 in the process. Goatee finally got on the board in 13-ball, taking a narrow victory after Chimpy couldn't quite capitalize on two separate leads in the game. Chimpy remains ahead 5-1 in the series. Goatee trailed for much of Rotation, but took over at the end for a four-ball run-out to win a comeback result 8-7. This trimmed Chimpy's series lead to 5-2. Goatee's luck ran out in 15-ball, as a late missed contact opened up Chimpy's chance to pot the final pair. Chimpy converted and moved to a 6-2 series lead. Goatee tried to maintain a lead in Accuracy, but Chimpy positioned well enough to make it a 3-3 draw at the end. A 6-2-1 series went to Chimpy in the Capital City Bowl.

Nissan Hall, Infinity: Spot v. Bandit. Outcast and Forest SC clash here with the silver cue. Swordpoint's Bandit was in control in 7-ball, with a three-ball run and a pair at the end to beat Pronger's Spot. Bandit owns a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Spot led for much of 8-ball, but the Blades' Bandit rallied on a late four-ball run. Spot had a chance to counter and failed, leading to Bandit winning for the 2-0 series lead. Spot turned in a good effort with a four-ball run in 9-ball, and he added a pair at the end after Bandit wasn't able to close it out. Spot's win cut the series back to 2-1. Bandit bounced back well in 10-ball with a five-ball run-out after a fairly shaky battle against Spot. Bandit's win put him up 3-1 in the series. Spot began on a five-ball run, but Bandit shut down defensively and picked his plays well. Bandit pulled all the way back to win on a pair, extending his lead to 4-1. Spot kept himself in the series with a positive performance in 13-ball, breaking loose from a slow start to beat Bandit narrowly at the end. Bandit leads the series 4-2 now. Spot surged again in Rotation, winning 8-4 on a three-ball run-out that Bandit couldn't prevent after a couple of poor turns. Spot's within a game, trailing 4-3 in the series. Spot's comeback effort fell short in 15-ball, as he missed his chance for the win and Bandit converted the 15 to the top right to seal the series at 5-3. Spot took away one more win, grabbing Accuracy by a 1-5 score in a dominant display versus Bandit. In the end, Bandit won the Infinity Bowl 5-4.

Mitsubishi Arena, Apex: Spice v. Missy. Another venue-opening occurs with the purple cue between two of Reality's stars. Victoria's Spice got nothing on the break in 7-ball, and Capital City's Missy used small shots to ping in a five-ball run-out capped by a 4-7 bank combination to the bottom right. Missy leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Spice had little success early in 8-ball, and her comeback run started too late to make a difference. The Sharpshooters' Missy finished on a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-0 series lead. Missy took a step back in shot quality, and Spice was there to punish it in 9-ball, picking up a hard-earned win to get on the board in the 2-1 series. Spice looked better in 10-ball, but she fouled as she potted the 9, giving Missy ball-in-hand to sink the 10. Missy obliged easily, putting her ahead 3-1 in the series. Spice had a wonderful start to 12-ball, but positioning held her back. Missy had no such troubles and won on a four-ball run-out, moving to a 4-1 series lead. Spice began 13-ball with a four-ball run, but it almost wasn't enough. Missy had a three-ball run near the end before missing on the 8, and Spice converted at the bottom left for the win to pull back to a 4-2 series score. Spice jumped out to a lead quickly in Rotation as well. Missy again tried to post a comeback, falling short as Spice sealed this win at 8-5. Missy's series lead is down to 4-3. In 15-ball, Spice looked to have a chance to tie the series until Missy came out of nowhere to bury a seven-ball run-out. Missy's stunning run clinched the series in her favor at 5-3. Missy wasn't anywhere near as good in Accuracy, as Spice ran away with a 1-4 win in the finale. Missy took the series 5-4 overall as the first player to win a series in Apex.

Intel Center, Diamond: Precious v. Leonette. Enterprise and Solid Core meet with the blue cue, with the host unlikely to feel welcome. Pronger's Precious had a convincing start with a four-ball run, but Pacific's Leonette took advantage of Precious' scratch. Leonette made the last three shots to win for a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Leonette had a good start in 8-ball, and the Tridents' Precious came up just short on a counterattack. Leonette sank the 8 to the top right to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Leonette tried to keep pushing in 9-ball, but she overextended herself on a late miss on the 7. Precious stood and made a pair for the win, getting on the board as she trails 2-1 in the series. Precious carried that momentum into 10-ball, but a missed kick on the 8 ruined her chance to tie the series. Leonette made the last pair easily for the win, moving ahead 3-1 in the series. Precious started hot in 12-ball, and kept the momentum going even as Leonette added pressure late. Precious won at the top right to cut back to a 3-2 series. Precious looked to be in good position to tie the series in 13-ball, but she overfilled the top right and then sank the 8, an illegal sequence resulting in Leonette getting an automatic win for the 4-2 series lead. That mistake was costly for Precious, as she was in must-win mode when Leonette rallied late for an 8-4 win in Rotation. Leonette's victory this time locked up the series in her favor at 5-2. Precious was frustrated at the end of 15-ball and slammed the last shot to the top left, resulting in a follow-through scratch to gift away another win to Leonette. The series stands at 6-2 heading into the last game. Precious and Leonette had an excellent start in Accuracy, and it was just one late failure for Precious that gave Leonette the 1-2 win. Leonette won the Diamond Bowl 7-2 with a little help from the opponent.

Audi Hall, Terrace City: Katharine v. Andrew. Today's finale pits Celebrity against Humanity with the silver cue. Whitewater's Katharine had the stronger performance in 7-ball, leaving little for Freedom's Andrew to do. Katharine made the final pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Katharine was good early in 8-ball, but clusters of balls slowed her down. The Cascades' Andrew picked up momentum late and rallied for the win to tie the series at 1. Andrew delivered again in 9-ball, rallying on a three-ball run-out after Katharine left the 7 short at the bottom left. Andrew's surge earned him a 2-1 series lead. Katharine worked on offense in a sloppy 10-ball battle, but a late error again set up Andrew for a three-ball run-out. Andrew made it tougher than it needed to be as he went ahead 3-1 in the series. Katharine had a lot of early offense, but struggled to strike at the top side. Andrew made a small venture onto the comeback trail before his foul allowed Katharine to finish with a win. Andrew's series lead shrunk to 3-2. Katharine and Andrew exchanged collateral damage plays late in 13-ball, leaving them on level terms. Katharine added some defense and got Andrew to foul before she made a pair for the win. The series is tied at 3. Katharine's rally continued into Rotation, where Andrew took an early lead before Katharine fired back. Katharine surged late and won 8-5, pulling ahead 4-3 in the series. In 15-ball, Katharine paced the offense and featured a late four-ball run before a miss on the 15 at the top right. Andrew sent the winning shot to the bottom right to even the series once more at 4 games apiece. Katharine held the lead initially in Accuracy, but she fell into a tie on the last ball of regulation. Andrew then held her off in overtime to win 3-4, taking the series 5-4 as he claims the Terrace City Bowl.

We're just over halfway through the Bowl Series, which continues tomorrow.

UPCL Bowl Series 2020 - Day 3

We're ready to begin the third day of bowls, beginning with...

Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Bianca v. Hoot. A potentially lopsided bowl with the purple cue pits Youth Movement against Oriental United. Southridge's Bianca made the 7 on her second attempt to win 7-ball after shaky efforts from herself and Viewpoint Sound's Hoot. Bianca holds a 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot got onto his last ball quickly in 8-ball, but couldn't find a home for it. The Defenders' Bianca overcame a scratch to end on a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-0 series lead. Hoot paced the offense for much of 9-ball, but he scratched as he sank the 8. Bianca took the 9 on a free shot to extend her series lead to 3-0. Bianca controlled 10-ball pretty easily, winning on her second turn with a five-ball run-out capped by a deflection off the 4 to drive the 10 into the bottom left. Hoot barely had a chance as Bianca surged to a 4-0 lead. Hoot got himself on the board in 12-ball after Bianca yielded a wild-card ball somewhat early. Hoot ended with a three-ball run-out after some patient set-up play, cutting the series to 4-1. Bianca made quick work of stripes in 13-ball, attacking with force and power that Hoot had no chance of matching. Good positioning helped as Bianca sealed the series at 5-1. Bianca erased a huge deficit early in Rotation, but Hoot had just enough time after that to snag an 8-6 win, drawing him closer in a 5-2 series. Bianca came close to victory again in 15-ball, but fell short with a poor attempt on the 15. Hoot was there to tap it in at the bottom left, leaving Bianca with a 5-3 series lead. Bianca and Hoot battled quite evenly to begin Accuracy, but Bianca lost the pace at the end as Hoot won 1-3. Bianca still won the series 5-4 despite the late skid.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Dusty v. Greg. Reality and Humanity clash with the silver cue in the Northeast. Both players missed a couple chances on the 7 in 7-ball, but Archtown's Greg got the win on his third try for a 1-0 series lead over Golden's Dusty. In 8-ball, Greg began with a six-ball run halted by a scratch. The Pilots' Dusty tried to catch up but never came close, and Greg patiently worked his way to the win for a 2-0 series lead. Dusty had a four-ball run in 9-ball that ended with a scratch. Greg had struggled to that point, but he made the final pair easily for the win and 3-0 lead in the series. Choppy offense defined the battle in 10-ball. This hurt for Dusty, because she had a good chance at a late run, only to flub a shot on the 6. Greg took over for the final pair of shots and the win, stretching his advantage to 4-0. Dusty avoided the danger in 12-ball, taking it right down to the end. Greg was on his last ball but couldn't beat Dusty's defense, and she quickly made a pair for the win to get on the board in a 4-1 series. Dusty put in another good effort in 13-ball, and it was also a close battle, but Greg poked down a pair at the end for the win to seal the series at 5-1. Dusty built up a lead in the middle of Rotation and just held on long enough for an 8-7 win over Greg to trim the series back to 5-2. Greg made quick work of 15-ball, banking the 3-15 combination to the top left for the win after Dusty had a reasonable start. Greg's quick strike moved him to a 6-2 series lead. In Accuracy, Dusty fell behind early, but kept it close enough to eke out a draw with a 3-3 score. Greg took the series 6-2-1 in the Harrison Bowl.

Kraft Forum, Royal: Strawberry v. Stealth. Enterprise also gets a crack at Oriental United in this bowl with the silver cue. Victoria's Strawberry couldn't get anything going in 7-ball, while Swordpoint's Stealth tallied a five-ball run and a pair on the following turn. Stealth leads the series 1-0. The Blades' Stealth looked very strong in 8-ball as well, but he was too slow at the end. The Spurs' Strawberry made a comeback with five balls over two turns for the win to tie the series at 1. Stealth suffered illegal contact in his early attempt on the 1 in 9-ball. Strawberry took the positioning as it was and converted the 1-9 combination to the bottom side for the win and 2-1 series lead. Strawberry couldn't get anything going in 10-ball, and Stealth had his own struggles. Stealth got the win with a fortunate bank of the 10 to the bottom side to retie the series at 2. Stealth didn't see much success on offense in 12-ball, while Strawberry had the luxury of patience at the bottom left. Strawberry easily earned the win for a 3-2 series lead. Strawberry kept the pace up in 13-ball as well, although Stealth did have the opportunity for a late run. Stealth failed to convert, and Strawberry sent the 8 to the bottom right for the win and 4-2 lead. Strawberry asserted herself early in Rotation, and Stealth only managed a pair in response. Strawberry got loose and won 8-2 to secure the bowl win at 5-2. Stealth made significant improvements on offense in 15-ball, but he left the 15 at the top left. Strawberry was there to strike it down for another win and 6-2 series lead. Strawberry was a little shaky in Accuracy, while Stealth put in a perfect effort for the 0-3 win. Strawberry settled for a 6-3 series win in the Royal Bowl.

Porsche Events Center, Zenith: Twinkie I v. Buddy. A showcase of an expansion home is the third all-Reality battle, using the green cue. Atlantic's Buddy controlled most of 7-ball, but couldn't finish at the bottom right. Pacific's Twinkie I won on a tap-in to take the 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Buddy took a noticeable lead in 8-ball, and the Volcanoes' Twinkie I could just barely erase the initial damage. Buddy then made the last pair for the win to tie the series at 1. Twinkie I wasn't able to punish Buddy for his scratch in the middle of 9-ball, and Buddy wasn't as kind when Twinkie I fouled late. Buddy made the 7-9 combination from ball-in-hand to take a 2-1 series lead. Twinkie I was steady on offense in 10-ball, but Buddy was creative enough to make a three-ball run-out for the win that put him ahead 3-1 in the series. Twinkie I yielded a wild-card ball early in 12-ball, but Buddy was all out of sorts with his positioning. Twinkie I was able to attack quickly and get the win, cutting the series back to 3-2. A close battle in 13-ball could have gone either way, but Twinkie I was sharper with a three-ball run-out at the end to beat Buddy. This tied the series again at 3. Twinkie I aggressively established a lead in Rotation, and Buddy could only make an effort for a comeback. Twinkie I shut him down and earned the 8-4 win to move ahead 4-3 in the series. Twinkie I dominated on offense with a five-ball run near the end and plenty more before that in 15-ball. However, she missed the 15 on a cut toward the top right that Buddy brushed in to even the series once more at 4 games apiece. Accuracy saw Twinkie I get caught behind late in the game, and despite some flaws, Buddy locked down a 3-5 win for the 5-4 series win. Buddy took the Zenith Bowl in the inaugural event in the building.

BMW RockDome, Westside: Sunshine v. Americus. Southeastern foes from Enterprise and Brute Force use the purple cue in today's finale. Royal's Sunshine picked off the last two shots after Midland's Americus wasn't able to extend a turn late in 7-ball. Sunshine holds a 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Americus briefly held an edge in 8-ball until the Crowns' Sunshine ripped a four-ball run-out for the win. Sunshine leads the series 2-0. Sunshine made three balls on the break and added a later three-ball run in 9-ball, only for Americus to deflect off the 6 to pot the 9 at the top left. Americus' win cut the series to 2-1. Sunshine worked his own deflection play in 10-ball, using the 10 and some forward spin to jam the 10 into a congested top left corner. Americus could only watch as Sunshine bounced back to a 3-1 series lead. Sunshine yielded two wild-card balls in 12-ball, although Americus scratched one back onto the table as he struggled with the flexibility. Sunshine nearly overcame his deficit before Americus finished off a win to get back to 3-2 in the series. Sunshine had to play defensively in 13-ball, but it didn't matter when Americus broke out a successful jump shot at the top side. Americus added the 8 in the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 3. Americus started well, but Sunshine blew past her early on. Americus then rallied to tie the game, only for Sunshine to pull away to an 8-6 win that restored his series lead at 4-3. Sunshine had a little too much power at times in 15-ball, leading to avoidable misses. Americus made it less important by striking the 7 to the bottom right and getting the right carom to just put the 15 in the top side for the win. Americus has tied the series once more at 4. Sunshine refused to go down in Accuracy, forcing Americus into a late miss to get the 2-3 win. Sunshine won the Westside Bowl 5-4. 

We'll keep rolling with the bowls tomorrow.

UPCL Bowl Series 2020 - Day 2

The second day of postseason bowls is here. We begin with...

Google Hall, Modernistic: Dominic v. Mams. Southern Monarchs teammates meet up north with the green cue as Brute Force and Oriental United watch on. Dominic took three shots in 7-ball, but the last one was a foul that also sank the 7, gifting the win away to Mams, who now holds a 1-0 series lead without taking a shot. Mams was better in 8-ball, making a six-ball run in the middle. Dominic put up a fight with a few shots after that, but Mams drilled the 8 to the bottom left for the win and 2-0 series lead. Dominic had some moments early in 9-ball, but Mams once again took control late with a five-ball run-out for the win. Mams leads the series 3-0 now. Mams provided solid offense in 10-ball, but took a slight step back at the end. Dominic surged on a three-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 3-1. Dominic yielded a wild-card ball and scratched early in 12-ball, but somehow still managed to play better than Mams to get another win. Mams' series lead is down to 3-2. Dominic looked good early in 13-ball, but Mams took control with a four-ball run. Dominic couldn't answer it, and Mams banked the 8 to the top side for the win and 4-2 series lead. Mams held the lead for nearly all of Rotation, but couldn't close it out. Dominic rallied with a three-ball run-out for an 8-7 win, pulling back in a 4-3 series. Mams again lacked success in 15-ball, chipping in decently in the middle before Dominic took over with a three-ball run-out at the end to tie the series at 4. Dominic made a ball on the break in Accuracy and kept control right to the end to block out Mams in a 1-2 win. Dominic completed the comeback in a 5-4 series win to claim the Modernistic Bowl.

HP Field Events Center, Midland: Sweetheart v. Brownie. Southeastern members of Prime and Youth Movement clash in the second series using the blue cue. A choppy battle in 7-ball showed poorly for both players, although Royal's Brownie picked up the win at the end for a 1-0 series lead over Boston's Sweetheart. The Swifts' Sweetheart started well and got some help from the Crowns' Brownie early in 8-ball. Brownie recovered well, overcoming a pair of blunders to win on a three-ball run-out for the 2-0 series lead. Sweetheart made a pair on the break in 9-ball, then yielded as Brownie attacked on a large run. Brownie whiffed on the 9, which Sweetheart sank at the top right for a win to trim the series to 2-1. Sweetheart had some offense in a tight 10-ball match, but Brownie used ball-in-hand to convert the 3-10 combination to the bottom left. Brownie strengthened her series lead to 3-1 on the play. Sweetheart gave up a wild-card ball on the break in 12-ball, but worked quickly to overcome the disadvantage while Brownie was still getting set. Sweetheart won on a four-ball run-out to get back to a 3-2 series. Sweetheart had some good plays in 13-ball, but Brownie had the two best. Brownie sank the 10 to the bottom side on a tough bank, then added the 8 on a kick deflected off the defensively aligned 2 that Sweetheart had in place. Brownie's determined win put her up 4-2 in the series. Brownie was relentless on offense in Rotation, allowing Sweetheart just a little room to work early on. Brownie ended with a trick play, sinking the 11-13 combination banked to the top right after the option for the 11 to deflect in the top side didn't fall. Brownie's 8-3 win sealed the series in her favor at 5-2. Brownie's interest in 15-ball was minimal, so she did what she could to expedite the game. Sweetheart obliged at the end with a three-ball run-out to get the win, cutting the series back to 5-3. Sweetheart tried to hang on in Accuracy, but Brownie did just enough for a 2-3 win to complete her 6-3 series win in the Midland Bowl.

IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Sarah v. Yekaterina. Friends clash with the silver cue in the third-level Senior v. Junior battle. Victoria's Yekaterina had some solid plays in 7-ball, but Tysini's Sarah stepped up with a pair at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. Both players did fine early in 8-ball, but struggled on their last ball. The Spurs' Yekaterina was worse off, and the Hummingbirds' Sarah cashed in the 8 at the top side while using Yekaterina's 13 to avoid a scratch. Sarah leads the series 2-0. Yekaterina had a large run in 9-ball but appeared set for another loss as Sarah counter-attacked. Sarah then whiffed on the 9, and Yekaterina turned it in to get on the board while trailing 2-1 in the series. Sarah worked a six-ball run and later added a deflection off the 9 to grab the 10 at the top left, stunning Yekaterina with the execution of a tough call. Sarah restored her series lead to 3-1. Sarah had to do some work with positioning in 12-ball, but a scratch from Yekaterina bought her extra time. Sarah worked brilliantly on the last pair of shots for the win, going up 4-1. Sarah got down to her last ball fairly quickly in 13-ball, but Yekaterina staged a comeback. Sarah would scratch late, and Yekaterina made a three-ball run-out to pull back to a 4-2 deficit. Yekaterina grew frustrated in Rotation as her shots rattled out frequently. Sarah capitalized on that, weathering Yekaterina's surge before replying on a five-ball run-out for the 8-6 win. Sarah clinched the series at 5-2. Sarah tallied a four-ball run over the middle of 15-ball, but that wouldn't be enough. Yekaterina fought back with five balls over her last two turns for the win to cut the series to 5-3. Both players were perfect deep into the Accuracy game. At the end, they each had a miss, settling for a 1-1 draw. Sarah won the series 5-3-1 and took the North Modernistic Bowl.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Noelle v. Jake. Brute Force and Forest SC meet with the red cue. Central's Noelle struggled to get going in 7-ball, and Royal's Jake was able to convert a four-ball run-out for the win. Jake leads the series 1-0. The Warriors' Noelle employed defense after falling behind in 8-ball, but that didn't work out in the end. The Crowns' Jake pinched the 8 off the 1 and sent it as called to the bottom right for the win and 2-0 series lead. Jake continued to play with force in 9-ball, but Noelle answered him effectively this time with a five-ball run-out to get on the board in the 2-1 series. Noelle couldn't lock things down in 10-ball, a late four-ball run going to waste as she scratched while sinking the 10 in an uncalled pocket. Jake took the 10 from ball-in-hand to boost his series lead to 3-1. Noelle yielded a wild-card ball on the break in 12-ball. Jake cruised with solids and held off Noelle's comeback late to extend his own lead to 4-1. Noelle had the lead and positioning in 13-ball, but a pair of scratches took her off the pace. Jake took over late and earned the win, securing the series at 5-1 with a comeback. Jake couldn't close out the battle in Rotation, allowing Noelle to pluck a win by an 8-7 score. Jake remains ahead 5-2 in the series. Noelle made a push near the end of 15-ball on a nice run, but she left the 15 at the top left. Jake made a 13-15 combination at the same spot to earn the win, stretching his series lead to 6-2. Noelle made two balls on the break and kept rolling all through Accuracy, snagging a 0-1 win over Jake. The series went to Jake by a 6-3 margin to give him victory in Lighton.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Dustin v. Goldy. Northeastern rivals end the day with green cue in a battle between Forest SC and Oriental United. Central's Dustin had an early four-ball run in 7-ball, but Everton's Goldy got the win on a three-ball run-out. Goldy holds a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin looked good throughout 8-ball, but the Eagles' Goldy was just a touch faster to get through the game. Goldy's crafty play at the end earned her a win to move ahead 2-0 in the series. Dustin took over the pace in 9-ball, finishing with a three-ball run-out to block out Goldy, who remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Dustin had a couple chances to surge for the win in 10-ball, but he couldn't convert either time. Goldy cleaned up the 10 at the bottom left for the win and 3-1 series lead. Goldy received a wild-card ball late in 12-ball after holding strong on defense, but Dustin broke through after that. Dustin made his last pair cleanly for the win to get back to a 3-2 deficit. Dustin got down to his last ball with little trouble in 13-ball, only for Goldy to rally on a four-ball run-out for the win. Goldy's surge put her a win away from clinching with a 4-2 series lead. Goldy had just about everything right early in Rotation, but she left Dustin alone too long. Dustin battled late and stole away an 8-7 win to pull within a game, trailing 4-3 in the series. Dustin didn't look likely to get the win in 15-ball, but Goldy's deflection off the 6 to sink the 15 at the bottom right ended with the cue following it in. This gifted the win away to Dustin, who tied the series at 4 in the process. Dustin surged on momentum to a wonderful 1-3 win over Goldy in Accuracy. This gave Dustin the 5-4 series win and victory in the Commerce Bowl. 

That's all for now. We'll have more tomorrow on a similar schedule.

UPCL Bowl Series 2020 - Day 1

A delayed start to the UPCL Bowl Series is finally here. We'll play five all-around series a day for the next week and wrap up with a three-series day next Friday. All matches are nine games long and played at neutral sites as a showcase of the league's most talented. We begin with...

T-Mobile Center, Victoria: Twilight v. Gal. The blue cue will get the opening set here in a battle between Reality and Celebrity members. Central's Twilight weathered a three-ball run from North Modernistic's Gal to start 7-ball. Twilight then made the last four balls over two turns for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Twilight and the Nighthawks' Gal each had a four-ball run in 8-ball. Twilight followed it up with more strength at the end to earn another win, going ahead 2-0 in the series. Twilight did damage on her second turn in 9-ball, smashing a three-ball run-out capped by a deflection off the 3 to take the 9 at the bottom left. Gal can't get anything going versus Twilight, as the latter leads the series 3-0. Twilight came out with a fiery seven-ball run in 10-ball. Gal then picked off the 8, but it was Twilight on two tough cuts for the win and 4-0 series lead. Twilight wasn't able to complete a massive comeback attempt after Gal quickly got down to her last ball in 12-ball. Twilight's defense was good, but Gal had enough time to earn the win, getting her on the board in the 4-1 series. Twilight made one of each to start 13-ball, but she made the right choice to play on solids. Gal struggled with stripes, and Twilight cruised to victory to clinch the series at 5-1. Twilight had a fairly solid effort in Rotation, but Gal made a four-ball run and added a pair at the end to win 8-4. Twilight leads the series 5-2. Twilight attacked well again in 15-ball, and this time her late positioning was good enough to take the win over Gal for a 6-2 series lead. Twilight finished off the series victorious in Accuracy by a 3-5 margin as Gal stumbled again. Twilight's 7-2 series win earns her the first of the 38 bowl titles.

Subway Arena, Stonebridge: Celestia v. Sally. The purple cue is on hand for the second bowl of the day as Youth Movement meets Forest SC. Oceanside's Celestia won 7-ball on the break, as the 7 dropped in the top side and the 6 fell in the bottom left. She leads Archtown's Sally 1-0. The Waves' Celestia had a decent start in 8-ball, but the Arrows' Sally rallied from behind to get the win that tied the series at 1. Sally made some plays in 9-ball, but Celestia wouldn't let that stop her from winning on a 6-9 combination to the bottom left. Celestia's clutch finish put her ahead 2-1 in the series. Celestia again denied Sally a shot in 10-ball, running the table from the break by making ten straight shots. Celestia's dominant offense gave her a 3-1 series lead. Celestia yielded a wild-card ball on the break in 12-ball, and Sally strategized quickly. Sally's positioning was good and she finished with time to spare to pull back in a series she trails 3-2. Celestia again potted one of each to start 13-ball, but she attacked better this time. Sally kept it close but couldn't nab the side pockets before Celestia finished with a win. Celestia holds a 4-2 series lead. Celestia couldn't hold the lead after a four-ball run in Rotation. Sally pushed back with a three-ball run-out to win 8-6, pulling back in a 4-3 series. Sally made some smooth plays early in 15-ball, but Celestia locked down the win on a 5-15 combination to the bottom left. This secured the series in Celestia's favor at 5-3. With the series already decided, both players had good showings in Accuracy. They also played evenly, as Celestia's late miss created a 3-3 tie, and Sally agreed not to play on. Celestia has a bowl title in Stonebridge.

Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Spirit v. Leonardo. Youth Movement and Solid Core clash with the red cue. Lighton's Spirit started and ended well in 7-ball, overpowering a strong middle from Diamond's Leonardo. The pair she made at the end gave Spirit her 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit was inconsistent in 8-ball, and that forced her into a late rally that came up short. The Gems' Leonardo closed the door in time after a strong run in the middle of the game, tying the series at 1. Spirit tried to pinch the 3 off the 7 toward the top right in 9-ball, but that ended up being a decoy, as the 7 came around to bump the 9 into the top left for the win. Spirit regained the series lead over Leonardo at 2-1. In 10-ball, Spirit had a four-ball run, Leonardo answered with a five-ball run, and Spirit slammed the door by putting the 10 in the top left. Spirit leads the series 3-1. Spirit rattled off a four-ball run in 12-ball, but that wasn't enough to deter Leonardo. The designated visitor put up a comeback run, only for Spirit to snatch the victory away on her third try at the bottom left, putting her ahead 4-1 in the series. Spirit was more in control basically throughout 13-ball as Leonardo couldn't get any offense going at all. Spirit calmly finished for the win to seal the series at 5-1. Spirit didn't find much offense at all in Rotation, and Leonardo dominated in an 8-1 win to cut the series down to 5-2. Spirit showed some power with a four-ball run-out to finish a strong 15-ball battle, moving ahead 6-2 over Leonardo. Spirit had some shaky but fortunate moments early in Accuracy, while Leonardo faltered late. Spirit won 1-3 and took a 7-2 series win to claim the Golden Bowl.

Toyota Arena, Freedom: Dani v. Autumn. Senior versus Junior 2 goes with the blue cue in this series. Diamond's Autumn let a couple of opportunities get away from her in 7-ball, and Viewpoint Sound's Dani was good enough in the end to win with a pair. Dani leads the series 1-0. The Meteors' Dani made a pair of three-ball runs to get onto the 8, then completely blundered through multiple attempts to win. The Gems' Autumn stabilized right on time, winning with a four-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Dani had some good play in 9-ball, but it was Autumn with the kick on the 9 to the bottom side for the win and 2-1 lead in the series. Autumn had a good push on offense near the end, only for Dani to step up and make the final pair of balls in 10-ball for the win. Dani's victory retied the series at 2. Dani took over at the start of 12-ball, quickly getting down to her last ball. Autumn stuck in there with some defense, but Dani was good enough to win, claiming a 3-2 series lead. Dani was pretty good early in 13-ball, but studly play from Autumn was enough to get her a lead. Autumn cashed in at the end for a win, again evening the series at 3. Back-and-forth was the theme of Rotation, with Autumn riding the momentum into an 8-6 win over Dani. This gave Autumn the 4-3 edge in the series. Another comeback wasn't in the cards for Dani, who couldn't get a run going at the end of 15-ball. Autumn took over late and got the win, clinching the series at 5-3 in the process. Dani's late-series skid continued in Accuracy as Autumn played perfectly for a 0-3 win to finish with a 6-3 series win. Autumn claims the Freedom Bowl title.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Potter v. Puff III. Outcast and Enterprise players clash in today's finale, using the green cue. Pronger's Potter nearly got the 7 on the break in 7-ball, but Everton's Puff III instead made the 4-7 bank combination as a double-pot to the top left. Puff III owns a 1-0 series lead. Puff III didn't have good enough positioning in 8-ball to capitalize on a scratch from the Tridents' Potter. At the end, Potter made a pair for the win to tie the series at 1. Potter had a missed contact on the 7 in 9-ball, and that proved costly when Puff III buried a three-ball run-out for the win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Puff III had a brilliant double-pot of the 6 banked to the top left with the 9 tapped in just ahead of it, but her miss on the 10 allowed Potter to clean up 10-ball with a win. The series is tied again at 2. Puff III received a wild-card ball in 12-ball, but couldn't get favorable positioning in the end. Potter survived the late threat for a win and pulled ahead 3-2 in the series. Potter wasn't able to gain momentum in 13-ball, as his play was rather pedestrian. Puff III took over at the very end and earned a strong win, retying the series once again at 3. Puff III jumped out to a nice lead in Rotation and weathered a late push from Potter to grab the 8-4 win. Puff III returned to the series lead at 4-3. Puff III couldn't finish off the series in 15-ball, as a spirited effort from Potter was rewarded with a victory to tie the series at 4. Potter played better in Accuracy, doing enough to beat Puff III by a 2-4 score. Potter then won the series 5-4 to claim the Maplewood Bowl. 

We've got six more full-length days on the schedule before a short finale to the UPCL Bowl Series one week from today.

2020 City Cup - Semifinals and Finals

This is it when it comes to the main events of Tournament X. Three series will determine the City Cup champions by the end of the day. Leading off the Semifinals...

Golden Pilots v. Lighton Prestige. The purple cue will oversee the first semifinal series today. Golden's Dusty wasn't ready to hit the ground running in 7-ball, and Lighton's Citrus took advantage of it with a three-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty did better in 8-ball with a five-ball run, establishing a lead over the Prestige's Spirit. Dusty went unchallenged for the win at the end, tying the series at 1. Angelica bounced back for Lighton in 9-ball, striking a 4-9 combination to the top left to beat Golden's Dusty. Lighton regained the series lead at 2-1. Spirit had some moments in 10-ball, but also sank the 10 on an uncalled shot early on. Sparkles regathered herself and struck a four-ball run-out at the end, helping the Pilots to retie the series at 2 versus the Prestige. Golden's Max was behind early after Lighton's Angelica executed a four-ball run. Max made a late push but ended with a scratch, and Angelica won at the top side to restore a 3-2 series lead to Lighton. The Pilots' Max exploded with three balls on the break in 13-ball. The Prestige's Citrus made a good push and led for most of the latter half of the game, but Max delivered the final pair and again evened the series at 3. Sparkles thought she'd done enough early in Rotation to give her team their first series lead, but Lighton's Citrus roared back on an eight-ball run-out for the 8-5 win to take the 4-3 series lead over Golden. A slow start to 15-ball gave way with a six-ball run by the Pilots' Sparkles. Angelica tried to latch on but couldn't find her shot, and Sparkles ran out the last four balls for the win to tie the series once more at 4. Max and Spirit would be on hand to decide the series in Accuracy, and it was here where Spirit lost control of the offense. She spiraled late and Max won 1-5, giving the Pilots a 5-4 series win with their first lead of the day. The Pilots await the winner of the next series in the City Cup Finals. 

Victoria Spurs v. Midland Predators. The second semifinal uses the silver cue. Victoria's Sage had a decent break in 7-ball, and Midland's Kitty couldn't get her offense going. Sage then banked the 1 toward the top side as a decoy to get the 7 at the bottom left for her team's 1-0 series lead. The Predators' Americus made a four-ball run in 8-ball, but that wasn't enough to make a difference. The Spurs' Sage rattled off an eight-ball run-out on her second turn, extending her team's lead to 2-0. Midland's Shawn had a chance to make an impact in 9-ball, but left the 8 short of the bottom left. Strawberry regained her offense and made the last pair to put Victoria up 3-0 in the series. Strawberry showed immeasurable control in 10-ball, rarely making a misstep against the Predators' Americus. At the end, Strawberry capped a four-ball run-out with a 7-10 combination to the bottom side to give the Spurs a 4-0 series lead. Spice came within half a ball of winning 12-ball, but the Victoria captain's shortcoming was just enough for Midland's Americus to make a pair to save their season. Victoria remains ahead 4-1. The Spurs put Sage in action for 13-ball, and she established a quick lead. Kitty tried to battle back and nearly got onto the 8 before Sage put it away at the top right to clinch the series at 5-1. Spice rattled off a productive run in the middle of Rotation, but the Victoria captain fell as Shawn made a three-ball run-out to win 8-6. Shawn's victory got Midland a game back, but they trail 5-2. Spice appeared to conserve some energy in 15-ball, playing with less intensity, which allowed the Predators' Shawn to snag another win. This shrunk the Spurs' lead to 5-3. Strawberry had some good moments in Accuracy, but it got away from her at the end as Midland's Kitty earned a 3-4 win. Victoria settled for a 5-4 series win to earn their place in the City Cup Finals. 

Victoria Spurs v. Golden Pilots. After a rest break, the top-two teams from the regular season battle for the postseason title using the red cue. Golden's Dusty was better in 7-ball, finishing on a three-ball run-out after Victoria's Sage struggled to attack. Golden leads the series 1-0. Dusty had some trouble after a six-ball run in 8-ball, but the Spurs' Sage wasted her chances on the 8 at the end. Dusty was able to grab another win to put the Pilots up 2-0 in the series. Dusty wasn't able to sweep her appearances for Golden as Strawberry made pair at the end of 9-ball. This got Victoria on the board, but they still trail 2-1 in the series. The Spurs' Strawberry kept her team trending in the right direction with four balls over the last two turns to beat the Pilots' Sparkles. This tied the series at 2. Max gained an early lead in 12-ball, but the Golden veteran never got a good look at his last shot toward the top side. An intentional scratch allowed Victoria's Spice to make her final pair to give her team a 3-2 series lead. Sage came back in for 13-ball and delivered a great start with a three-ball run for the Spurs. Max battled back to make it close, but Sage's positioning allowed her an easy win to put her team one win away from the title with a 4-2 series lead. Spice was up for Rotation and she battled with Sparkles quite evenly at first. Spice then unleashed a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win, securing the series at 5-2 for Victoria as they complete the double over Golden. After settling down from their emphatic celebration, the Spurs' Spice was able to put in a solid effort in 15-ball. Sparkles still grabbed the win at the very end to cut the Pilots' deficit to 5-3. Strawberry handled the rest in Accuracy, dominating in her 1-5 win over Max to close Victoria's series win at 6-3. During their run, Sage won nine of her 12 games to be named as the City Cup MVP as the Spurs won both of the league's major team trophies. 

The Victoria Spurs have joined the Modernistic Union as the only two-time City Cup Champions, and the Spurs are also the first team to earn three trophies in pool as they also have this year's Governor's Cup. The team will stay intact heading into next season, which bodes well for the group led by Spice, who has been on both City Cup winning rosters.

2020 City Cup - Quarterfinals

Today's third day of City Cup action features the quarterfinals round. We begin with...

Midland Predators v. Archtown Arrows. The silver cue starts the day here. Midland's Kitty delivered a one-shot win in 7-ball, sinking the 6 and 7 to the bottom side on the break to keep Archtown's Hoppy from seeing the table. Midland leads the series 1-0. The Predators' Americus hopped out to an early lead in 8-ball, although the Arrows' Greg pushed back on a five-ball run. Americus was good enough at the end for the win, making it a 2-0 series lead for the Predators. Midland's Shawn checked in with a win in 9-ball, picking off some late shots to counter Sally's strong early play for Archtown. Shawn's win put Midland up 3-0 in the series. Sally finally stopped the bleeding for the Arrows with a productive finish in 10-ball. Sally made six of the last seven balls over two turns to beat the Predators' Americus, who then saw her team's lead shrink to 3-1. Americus had a great start in 12-ball, but that disappeared when Hoppy pulled off a four-ball run. Hoppy fouled making her last ball the first time, but Americus was too slow to steal the win, and Hoppy sank the 12 at the top right legally to pull the Arrows within a game in the 3-2 series. Kitty got the Predators back on track with a dominant 13-ball showing versus Greg, who sank just one ball while Kitty executed a three-ball run-out for the win. Kitty has her team up 4-2 in the series. Shawn got to the edge of victory in Rotation, but the Midland captain choked from there, allowing Archtown's Greg to slowly make a comeback. Greg won 8-7, cutting the series deficit to 4-3. The Predators' Shawn also had a chance to wrap it up in 15-ball, but scratched as he converted the 10-15 combination to the top right. This gifted the win to the Arrows' Hoppy and tied the series at 4. Midland's Kitty fell behind early in Accuracy, but worked positioning well late to drag Sally all the way down. Kitty emerged with a 2-3 win and 5-4 series win for the Predators. They're the first team to earn a place in tomorrow's City Cup Semifinals. 

Tysini Hummingbirds v. Lighton Prestige. The red cue checks in for this series between powerful Southwestern rivals. Tysini's Sarah had an acceptable start in 7-ball, but Lighton's Citrus rattled off a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Sugar had a solid three-ball run to start 8-ball, but the Prestige's Spirit picked up the pace after that. Spirit was much stronger at the end for the win, giving her team a 2-0 series lead. Sarah tried to keep pace for Tysini in 9-ball, but the end of the game provided her problems. Lighton's Angelica was a little cleaner by making the final pair for the win and 3-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit kept them rolling in 10-ball, countering the Hummingbirds' Charli by sinking a four-ball run-out at the end. The Prestige hold a 4-0 series lead. Sugar led for nearly all of 12-ball, but her play to sink the 5 at the top side wasn't good enough to set up her last shot. Angelica was able to pick up a pair, finishing a late surge by sealing the series at 5-0 for Lighton. Citrus started a little slow in 13-ball, but the Prestige star was able to overcome as the Hummingbirds' Sugar faltered late with bad positioning. The Prestige now lead 6-0 in the series. Tysini's Charli had a late three-ball run in Rotation, but she missed on the 13 at the bottom side. Citrus converted, and Lighton's lead extended again to 7-0. The Hummingbirds got on the board in a close 15-ball battle, as Sarah provided a three-ball run-out in response to Angelica's late three-ball run. The Prestige maintain a 7-1 series lead. In Accuracy, Charli and Spirit played to a scoreless draw and elected to leave it at that with the series already well decided. Lighton won the series 7-1-1 to earn their place in the Semifinals. 

Golden Pilots v. Everton Eagles. The Pilots play as hosts with the green cue in Chevrolet Center, home of the Eagles. Dusty made Golden feel at home by putting the 7 in the bottom side off the break in 7-ball, giving them a 1-0 series lead over Cleo and Everton. The Eagles' Puff III did well to get them back on track in 8-ball, completing a close battle with the Pilots' Dusty on a three-ball run-out. Puff III's win tied the series at 1. Frustration reigned early in 9-ball, causing Dusty to hammer her shots harder after Cleo missed multiple good looks on 1-9 combinations. Dusty won at the end when Cleo missed the 9 outright at the bottom right, and that put Golden in the lead again 2-1 over Everton. Sparkles made the 10 on the break in 10-ball, but that wouldn't haunt her later. Near the end, the Eagles' Puff III scratched as she made the 9, and Sparkles got the win from ball-in-hand to give the Pilots a 3-1 series lead. Max tried to start hot, but Puff III had much better positioning in 12-ball. At the end, Puff III broke Max's defense to help Everton shrink Golden's series lead down to 3-2. The Eagles' Cleo couldn't quite find the right plays in 13-ball, struggling to compete with the Pilots' Max. In the end, it was Max with a couple of crafty cuts to get the win for a 4-2 series lead for the Pilots. Vincent never stood a chance in Rotation, as the Everton man was completely outclassed by Sparkles, who finished on a double-pot for a 9-1 victory. This allowed Golden to secure the series at 5-2. Sparkles kept up the offense with a five-ball run in 15-ball. Vincent had more chances late in the game, but Sparkles kicked the 15 to the top left for the win and 6-2 Pilots lead in the series. Max added one more for Golden at the end, a dominant 1-5 win over Vincent in Accuracy to complete a 7-2 series win for the Pilots. They'll meet the Lighton Prestige in the Semifinals. 

Victoria Spurs v. Todavía Stills. The last quarterfinals series has the top seed against a cohesive dark horse, using the blue cue. Victoria's Sage had a strong game 1 with a ball on the break and some offense at the end to earn the win over Todavía's Easter. Victoria leads the series 1-0. The Spurs' Sage stepped back in for 8-ball but struggled after an initial push. The Stills' Pedey was much more consistent, overcoming a late scratch for the win to tie the series at 1. Strawberry got the nod in 9-ball for Victoria, and she wasn't good enough. Todavía went ahead 2-1 in the series as Easter scraped together enough late offense for the win. Strawberry again fell short on shot quality for the Spurs in 10-ball. Ruby was the beneficiary this time, collecting a lot of stray shots for the win that put the Stills up 3-1 in the series. Spice checked in for Victoria and narrowly avoided disaster, capitalizing on Pedey botching his positioning. Spice then made a final pair of shots for the win to cut the deficit to 3-2. Sage handled 13-ball for the Spurs, making a late move to get onto the 8 that didn't draw a response from the Stills' Pedey. Sage later sank the 8 without trouble to tie the series at 3. In Rotation, Spice did well to establish herself, earning a second win in as many tries to help Victoria pull ahead 4-3 in the series on a 8-2 win over Todavía's Easter. Spice continued to lead by example for the Spurs, smashing the 8 off three rails to a combination with the 15 at the top left for a quick win. Ruby wasn't able to save the Stills' season despite keeping things mostly competitive. The Spurs clinched the series at 5-3. Strawberry trailed late into Accuracy, but managed to turn it around for a 2-3 win over Ruby to give the Spurs a 6-3 series win. They'll next face the Midland Predators in tomorrow's Semifinals. 

The main event of Tournament X comes to a close tomorrow with the City Cup Semifinals and Finals, three series to crown the champion playoff team.

2020 City Cup - Day 2

We've got another four first-round series in City Cup play on tap. Leading off today...

Central Warriors v. Archtown Arrows. A bitter Northeastern rivalry takes center stage with the silver cue. Central's Dustin struggled with precision plays in 7-ball, and that allowed Archtown's Hoppy to give her team a 1-0 series lead as she played clean-up. The Warriors' Twilight had a hot start to 8-ball, but a late scratch turned the tide. The Arrows' Greg was steady in his finish, making a three-ball run-out for the win to put the Arrows up 2-0. Central's Noelle seemed to have a lot of offense, but it didn't lead to anything good in 9-ball. Archtown's Sally was able to make the final pair of shots for the win and 3-0 series lead. Dustin again struggled for the Warriors in 10-ball, and his late mistakes allowed the Arrows' Sally to snipe a three-ball run-out, stretching her team's series lead to 4-0. Central's Noelle looked to have a good chance in 12-ball, but this didn't work either as her early lead evaporated under a four-ball run-out from Archtown's Hoppy. That was the final nail in the coffin as Archtown sealed the series at 5-0. The Warriors' Twilight couldn't salvage 13-ball even with a late rally, as the Arrows' Greg poked down the final two balls for the win to move ahead 6-0. Dustin finally salvaged something for Central in Rotation, trailing Archtown's Greg for much of the game. Dustin then executed a four-ball run-out for a comeback 8-7 win, getting Central on the board as they trail 6-1 in the series. Noelle and Hoppy kept things pretty close in their 15-ball battle, but Noelle let it slip when she missed on the 15 at the end. Hoppy sank it to the top left for the win, moving the Arrows to a 7-1 series lead. Twilight led Accuracy for much of the game before slipping behind at the very end as Sally produced a 2-3 win for the Arrows' 8-1 series win. A huge upset sees the Arrows set to play the visiting role versus the Midland Predators tomorrow. 

Tysini Hummingbirds v. Infinity Torpedoes. Another regional rivalry from the Southwest goes with the purple cue. Tysini's Sarah needed just two shots to win 7-ball, making the 3 on the break before banking the 1-7 combination to the top right for a 1-0 series lead over Fuchsia and Infinity. The Hummingbirds' survived a five-ball run by the Torpedoes' Blaze early in 8-ball. Sugar rallied back and sank the 8 to the bottom left at the end for the win, giving her side a 2-0 lead. In 9-ball, Sarah again controlled the pace, but her lack of ability to shut out Fuchsia would be crucial. Fuchsia made the 9 on a bank to the top side, getting Infinity on the board as they trail 2-1 in the series. Fluffina had very little success for the Torpedoes in 10-ball, and her late scratch allowed the Hummingbirds' Charli to complete the win with six balls over the last two turns. Charli restored her team's lead to 3-1. Fluffina had the lead for most of 12-ball, but her positioning on her last ball wasn't good. Sugar was patient and eventually worked a three-ball run-out to put Tysini ahead 4-1 over Infinity. Sugar and Fluffina dueled again in 13-ball, with Fluffina taking another quick lead before positioning failed her. Sugar took her time at the end but got the win, sealing the series at 5-1 for the Hummingbirds. Blaze came out hot in Rotation, but quickly lost all control near the end. Charli had to be patient with her attack before rallying to win 8-3, pushing Tysini's series lead to 6-1. The Hummingbirds took a step back in 15-ball as Sarah's frustration led to too many missed shots. Fuchsia finished with a 7-15 combination to claw a game back for the Torpedoes in the series they trail 6-2. Charli was virtually untouchable after making a ball on the break in Accuracy, and the Tysini star paced herself to a 1-3 win over Infinity's Blaze. The Hummingbirds won the series 7-2 to earn their place in the quarterfinals versus the Lighton Prestige in another Southwestern battle. 

Golden Pilots v. Boston Swifts. Today's regional rivalry trilogy ends with these storied Southeastern foes playing with the blue cue. Golden's Dusty took her time in 7-ball, then made the final pair after Boston's Ice Cream failed to extend her run with a miss on the 6. Golden leads the series 1-0. The Pilots' Dusty and the Swifts' Gradley exchanged four-ball runs early in 8-ball, but Gradley fired off his later offense faster. Dusty couldn't keep up and the series became tied at 1. Dusty again faltered in 9-ball, causing Golden to fall behind as Gradley made five of the last six balls to get the win and a 2-1 series lead for Boston. Sparkles had four of the last five balls over her last two turns, but she sent the 10 wide of the top side. The Swifts' Gradley cut it to the top right to give his team a 3-1 lead over the Pilots. Golden's Max got into a fairly good position late in 12-ball, but it was just a turn too late. Boston's Ice Cream converted her last two balls for the win and 4-1 series lead. Ice Cream looked to work her way to victory in 13-ball, but after a long grind, she sank the 8 in an uncalled pocket. This gifted a lifeline and a win to Max and the Pilots, who trail 4-2. Sparkles ran away with the win in Rotation, an 8-1 result over Sweetheart helped drag Golden to within a game as Boston's lead in the series shrunk to 4-3. Sparkles turned up the heat against Sweetheart at the end of 15-ball. Sparkles made a six-ball run, then baited Sweetheart into a foul before taking the final pair of shots. Sparkles' win tied the series at 4. Sweetheart committed a scratch early in Accuracy, and that tiny edge was all Max needed to lift Golden in a 0-2 win over Boston by a 5-4 series score. Golden's thin margins were just enough to send them to the quarterfinals versus the host team, the Everton Eagles. 

Victoria Spurs v. Whitewater Shores. The final series of the first round plays with the green cue. Victoria's Sage gave them an instant 1-0 series lead after 7-ball by sinking the 7 to the bottom side on the break, denying Whitewater's Shaggy a shot. The Spurs' Sage had to put in more work in 8-ball, but the Shores' Katharine plateaued her offense a little too early. Sage then made the final pair of shots to extend the series lead to 2-0. Strawberry and Marsell took over for 9-ball, and it wasn't a pretty battle for both teams' third players. Strawberry eventually prevailed by tapping in the 9 at the top right to stretch Victoria's lead to 3-0 over Whitewater. The Shores' Katharine had a four-ball run late in 10-ball, but wasted two big chances at the end. The Spurs' Strawberry gladly cashed in a tap-in at the bottom left to keep perfect with a 4-0 series lead. Victoria's winning streak ended as Spice got absolutely run over by Whitewater's Marsell in 12-ball. Marsell was on point in the win, getting his team on the board in a 4-1 series. Marsell stayed on for the Shores in 13-ball, but he wasn't able to recapture his previous magic. The Spurs' Sage did what was necessary to lock down a win, securing the series at 5-1 in the process. Victoria's Spice competed well initially in Rotation, but Whitewater's Shaggy got loose on a four-ball run-out at the end for an 8-4 win. Victoria remains ahead 5-2 in the series. Spice faltered again in 15-ball, missing on a bank of the 15 toward the bottom left. It caromed nicely for Shaggy, who banked it to the top side to tack on another win for Whitewater, cutting Victoria's lead to 5-3. Neither player could be bothered to make a good effort in Accuracy, with the Spurs' Strawberry grabbing a 5-8 win over the Shores' Katharine in an ugly finale. The Spurs won the series 6-3 and will face the Todavía Stills tomorrow. 

Tomorrow, we play the City Cup Quarterfinals to determine which four teams will battle for the trophy on Saturday.