We're ready to keep going today. This is the official midway point of the combined Play-In and First Round schedule, which was expected to lead to equipment maintenance. However, the players playing today will decide if that happens as planned, as the play has been exceptional in the last two days. First up...
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Panda v. Chris. The green cue gets the start today in 9-ball. After a little bit of a slow start, Everton's Panda smashed a seven-ball run-out that ended with a deflection off the 7 to drive the 9 to the top left. He took a 1-0 series lead over a hapless Capital City's Chris. The Eagles' Panda had a good break in game 2, but he struggled to put in consistent offense. The Sharpshooters' Chris struck back with a three-ball run-out at the end for the win to tie the series at 1. Panda and Chris battled in a much slower game 3, which saw Panda eventually win at the end with a pair of shots. Panda will host his appearance in the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Shelley v. Stinky. The purple cue goes second today, playing in 7-ball. Freedom's Stinky had an edge in possession thanks to a three-ball run, but he scratched as he made the 5. Infinity's Shelley potted the final pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Shelley nearly took game 2 on the break, as the 7 rattled out of the top right and sat in front of the bottom right. At the end, it was a six-ball run-out for the Cascades' Stinky that resulted in the series being tied at 1. Stinky didn't let Shelley shoot in game 3. With a ball on the break and a sublime double-pot of the 2 to the top left and the 7 to the top side, Stinky took game 3 for a 2-1 series win to reach the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Steven v. Tigerette. The purple cue stays on for a 10-ball series. Atlantic's Steven took some time to get in form in game 1, but he finished it with a four-ball run-out for the 1-0 series lead after Boston's Tigerette fell flat on offense. The end of game 2 was almost a carbon copy of game 1, but the Pirates' Steven missed on the 9 this time. The Swifts' Tigerette cleaned up the final pair of shots for the win to tie the series at 1. Neither player took control in game 3. The choppy battle ended with Tigerette sinking her first look at the 10 after Steven left it standing. Tigerette's 2-1 series win puts her in the second round.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Graham. The green cue is back in action for Rotation. Pearl's Boots had a surge to get on the brink of victory in game 1, but she came up short. Central's Graham bounced back with a four-ball run-out for the 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Boots won more of the small battles in game 2, as the Warriors' Graham had a bit of a scratching problem. Boots' 8-3 win tied the series at 1. In game 3, Graham nearly got the win, but he missed his last shot. Boots rallied from way back on a five-ball run-out for the 8-7 win to take the series 2-1. Boots will host her second round series.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Cubby v. Ellie. Another Rotation series with the green cue is up. Capital City's Ellie had a good start to game 1, but Archtown's Cubby finished it off on a six-ball run-out. Cubby won 8-4 and took a strong 1-0 series lead with his burst of offense. The Arrows' Cubby had a good push in the middle of game 2, but the Sharpshooters' Ellie held him off late this time. Ellie took an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. In game 3, both players had their moments, and the game was tied late. Cubby broke the tie on a three-ball run-out for the 8-5 win to take the series 2-1 over Ellie. Cubby will host another Sharpshooter, the captain Chris, in the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Daisy v. Celestia. A new member of the Waves faces the new captain in 12-ball with the silver cue. Game 1 saw Daisy take solids on the break, but she was too slow to play her positioning. Celestia didn't hesitate much at all, needing just a handful of turns for the win and 1-0 series lead. Celestia had a hot start in game 2, but she was frustrated by Daisy's defense at the end. It was well played, as Daisy turned her blocking into a pair of shots for the win at the end to tie the series at 1. Daisy and Celestia battled right to the end of game 3, but Daisy scratched late. Celestia finished at the top side to get the 2-1 series win that puts her on the road for real in the second round.
Porsche Events Center, Zenith: Bells v. Snuggle. Former teammates battle in 10-ball with the silver cue. Zenith's Bells had a three-ball run to start game 1, but Harrison's Snuggle fired right back with a seven-ball run-out for the win. Snuggle's surge gave him a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Snuggle had a bad break in game 2. The Skywatchers' Bells broke things up better, but Snuggle made a pair on his next shot, then deflected off the 2 to get the 10 as called in the bottom left for the win. This secured the series at 2-0 for Snuggle. Bells had her best start with most of the early offense in game 3, but Snuggle still stuck her for a four-ball run-out at the end. Snuggle's 3-0 series sweep puts him in the second round.
IBM Cathedral, North Modernistic: Gizmo v. Jane. The blue cue's lone series today is in 15-ball. North Modernistic's Gizmo kicked off game 1 on a five-ball run, but things slowed down after that. At the end, Stonebridge's Jane found her offense on a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 lead in the series. The Nighthawks' Gizmo had a tough time finding much offense in game 2. At the end, the Wolves' Jane rattled off a four-ball run that ended with a miss on the 11-15 combination before she added a five-ball run-out for the win to clinch the series at 2-0. Gizmo tried to get a grip in game 3, but Jane opened with a five-ball run and added a pair at the end of another strong outing for the win and 3-0 series sweep. Jane is through to round two.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Kodiak v. Brownie. The green cue returns to action in 12-ball. Royal's Brownie struck first in game 1, but Web City's Kodiak pressured with a four-ball run in response. Brownie had no answer to that before Kodiak took the win and 1-0 series lead. The Crowns' Brownie played a strong defensive structure after the Spiders' Kodiak took solids on the break in game 2. Brownie's defense held long enough for the win to tie the series at 1. Kodiak had some moments in game 3, but he couldn't get his last ball down. Brownie had a scratch late, but recovered for the win anyway as she took the series 2-1 to reach the second round.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Twinkie I v. Kelsea. The silver cue checks out after Rotation. Capital City's Kelsea had a four-ball run in the middle of game 1, but she stalled out after that. Pacific's Twinkie I charged back slowly to pick up an 8-6 win, going ahead 1-0 in the series. The Sharpshooters' Kelsea had a couple of scratches that took points off the board in game 2. It likely wouldn't have changed much, as the Volcanoes' Twinkie I had a four-ball run and won 8-5 to secure the series at 2-0. Twinkie I started with a three-ball run in game 3, and that was her margin of victory over Kelsea in an 8-5 game. Twinkie I swept the series 3-0 to reach the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Dusky v. Buddy. Pirates teammates meet in 12-ball with the green cue. Dusky was forced into a defensive stance early in game 1, but she wasn't able to make it work. Buddy eventually broke through with a pair at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. Buddy paced the offense with an early four-ball run, but Dusky answered on a five-ball run to gain the lead late. Dusky finished it off at the top left for the win to tie the series at 1. Dusky showed remarkable flexibility in her strategy while shutting out Buddy in game 3. Dusky won the series 2-1 and will play in the second round.
Audi Hall, Terrace City: Kiwi v. Hoppy. The purple cue returns to action in 15-ball. Terrace City's Kiwi capitalized on a foul by Archtown's Hoppy early in game 1. Kiwi made the 1 to the top right and the 2-15 combination deflected off the 6 to the bottom left for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Hoppy answered back just as fast in game 2 after a poor break from the Knights' Kiwi. Hoppy made the 1-15 combination to the top left, with a deflection sending the 12 to the bottom left as a double-pot. The series is tied at 1. Game 3 saw better pace on both sides. Some chances for a quick finish occurred, but it went the distance. Kiwi's four-ball run came up short, and Hoppy took a pair at the end for a 2-1 series win to get into the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Celestia v. Jack. A captains' battle in Accuracy is the purple cue's last series today. Web City's Jack worked hard to get back into game 1, only to take a bad miss late that allowed Oceanside's Celestia to walk away with a 2-3 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Waves' Celestia kept the pace high, and the Spiders' Jack nearly held on. At the end, Jack stumbled a bit and Celestia picked up a 1-2 win to clinch the series at 2-0. Celestia couldn't finish off the sweep after an empty break led to some struggles in game 3. Jack took his lone win by a 2-3 score, but Celestia is set to host again in the second round after a 2-1 series win.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Max v. Paps. South Division rivals battle in Rotation with the red cue. Zenith's Paps had trouble early in game 1, and a later scratch didn't help his cause. Golden's Max used the ball-in-hand situation for a four-ball run-out, earning the 8-2 win to take a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Max had a great start on offense and defense in game 2, stifling the offense from the Skywatchers' Paps. Later on, Paps found some room, but Max finished off an 8-3 win to seal the series at 2-0. In game 3, Paps had nothing to show for his offense. Max took his time to win 8-3 again, sweeping the series 3-0 en route to the second round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Maison. Another South Division showdown ends the day with the red cue in 7-ball. Boston's Gradley took game 1 on the break as a bump off the cue deflected the 7 perfectly into the top right. Gradley leads Eastside's Maison 1-0 in the series. The Sharks' Maison got a chance to shoot in game 2, but his final turn ended in a scratch. The Swifts' Gradley replied on a three-ball run-out for the win, sealing the series at 2-0 in the process. Gradley nearly had a miracle shot on the 6 in a close battle, but it stayed up at the bottom right. Maison made the final pair for the win, while Gradley heads to a hosting position in the second round on a 2-1 series win.
Per the players' request, equipment maintenance has been postponed. A rescheduled date is to be determined.
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