UPCL Cricket: Week 3 Part 3

Here's the final section of week 3 games, beginning at...

Microsoft Pitch at Del Sur: Goldy of Everton started off strong with 623 in a big appearance for the respected captain. Panda got a lot of it back with 520 for Southern, a solid performance in its own right. Puff III hauled in 384 to protect the lead for the Eagles, a reasonable effort. Shannon slipped one of her swings for the Monarchs, causing her turn to end at 311, allowing the deficit to grow slightly. Cleo had a highlight-worthy play, going full extension to haul in a high bouncing ball, spiking it high off the ground to the 6-run zone. She did end shortly after that with 432, but the play itself sparked jubilation in the Everton side. Kirstin let things get out of hand, hitting only 81 for Southern when she tried a double-hit play that went very awry. Blizzard got cut down with only 25 for the Eagles, giving them a final of 1464, which is considered in range. Nicole did not take advantage of it, trying a little too hard and ending up scoring 96 for the Monarchs for a final of 1008 in another loss. Everton stands at 4-1, while Southern drops to 1-8, and they already appear overwhelmed this season.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Prestige's first road trip continues to keep them in the southeast sector. Acorn struggled similarly in this appearance, putting up only 102 for Lighton. Boots countered with 389 to put Southridge in a decent early lead. Spirit scored exactly the same 256 she scored in her previous game for the Prestige. Debby added on with 384 for the Defenders, building the lead up some more. Twinkie I had just 168 for Lighton, digging their hole a little deeper. J. Garcia didn't help the Southridge cause, scoring only 81 to leave them a bit vulnerable late in the game. Lydia rallied for 552 for the Prestige, giving them a total of 1078, forcing a response from the hosts. Shaggy took a meager 81 on the reply, losing the game for the Defenders as they can only scrape up 935. Lighton's lucky break puts them at 3-2, while Southridge can't get any luck to go their way, sitting at 2-5.

Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: Mr. Snowman emerged with 627 for Viewpoint Sound. Snowball had a weak answer, taking only 192 for Swordpoint as they'll work from behind in this game. Mams left the door open, scoring a measly 36 for the Meteors. Dreamy walked right through the door, slamming 772 for the Blades to pull them into the lead at the halfway point. Zach fired back with 608 for Viewpoint Sound, regaining the lead for them. Shawn's 423 served Swordpoint well, giving them a narrow lead heading into the final players. Kelly couldn't do enough for the Meteors, as they took a loss when she hit 51 for a total of 1322. Stealth spared no feelings, crushing 1164 for the Blades to give them an unnecessarily high final score of 2551. Swordpoint continues to look like a reformed side, holding a record of 4-1, while pushing Viewpoint Sound down to 2-2.

Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: The established team and the league newcomers battle in a Center Division showdown. Chris grabbed 264 for Capital City in an unremarkable opening effort. Kiwi had a poor answer to that, posting only 48 for Terrace City to put them behind early. Missy added on with 302 for the Sharpshooters, supporting the lead decently. Jennifer only reclaimed 108 for the Knights, causing concern for the hosts. Sprinkles faltered with 16 for Capital City, leaving them vulnerable in the later half of the game. Oreo made it a closer game by producing 352 for Terrace City, setting up an interesting finish. Dani did not get much separation, scoring 133 to put the Sharpshooters at 715 in the offensively challenged game. Stripes made a convincing finish for the Knights, blasting 807 to give them 1315 total. Terrace City's dream start extends to 3-0, while Capital City is still scuffling along at 1-3.

Apple Park, Todavía: After a frantic road trip, the Stills rested and returned home to face a struggling Union squad. Juno launched 542 for Modernistic in a surprisingly strong lead-off showing. Easter managed only 99 for Todavía, putting them in trouble early on. Ms. Puppy smashed another 512 for the Union, keeping their lead very strong. Sierra sold all the way out for her turn, and ended up failing with 112 for the Stills, likely putting the game out of their reach at this point. Chimpy only took 195 for Modernistic in his turn, padding the lead modestly. Leonardo answered with 353 for Todavía, chipping them a bit closer in the game. Puff I took 164 for the Union, leaving them at 1413 overall. Sparkles shot her game with purpose, but had 397 for the Stills, not enough for them to avoid a loss at 961. Modernistic gets an elusive win to go to 2-3, while Todavía is already at 6-3 in a busy season.

Cisco Tysini Field, Tysini: A Southwest regional rivalry game between an undefeated team and the only winless team; what could possibly happen in this match? Spice started with a solid 590 for Victoria, setting an aggressive tone. Princess absolutely dominated on her turn, posting a revolutionary 1776 for Tysini to take a massive lead with. B. Chapman got 376 back for the Spurs, still a bit shocked from the huge effort. Leandra kept things simple with 243 for the Hummingbirds, maintaining the lead sufficiently. Yekaterina took only 208 for Victoria as the pace of the game slows a bit. Charli tacked on 133 for Tysini to mitigate the damage. Kavan rallied for 805 for the Spurs, but they still took the loss with 1979 total. Bright scooped 404 to give the Hummingbirds a final of 2556 in the big win. Tysini stays perfect again, moving up to 5-0, while Victoria slides to 0-4.

Sprint Pitch, Victoria: Frosty knocked 513 to begin for Royal, getting off to a solid start. Spice made things uncomfortably close, ripping 509 for Victoria. Jake answered right back with 545 for the Crowns, restoring their initial lead to almost the exact same margin. B. Chapman had 405 for the Spurs, a reasonable total that keeps them behind but in striking distance. Marsell had 192 for Royal, leaving them vulnerable. Yekaterina couldn't close the gap, posting only 130 for Victoria as they slip a little farther behind. Nightfur swung 337 for the Crowns, producing their final score of 1587. Kavan covered a lot of the gap, but his 402 only put the Spurs at 1446 in their loss. Royal sneaks away with a win to go to 3-1 while keeping Victoria at a winless 0-5.

Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: This is the first match between these two teams, with the return fixture next week for these West Division rivals. Panda took a reasonable 322 to get things started for Southern. Mr. Snowman faltered with 58 for Viewpoint Sound, putting them in a tough spot early on. Shannon's backhand-settle combination led her to scoring 504 for the Monarchs to extend their lead. Mams let a ball roll behind her bat, but she couldn't bring it back, and it sunk her at 55 for the Meteors. Kirstin pounded another 593 to solidify the Southern lead, likely at a safe margin at this point. Zach sliced 208 for Viewpoint Sound, doing little to help the cause. Nicole iced the Monarchs' efforts with 128, giving them a final of 1547. Kelly hit 448 for the Meteors, but it was too late, and they took a loss with 769. Southern is up to 2-8 in a busy and challenging season, while Viewpoint Sound drops to 2-3.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: Watermelon wasted little time in establishing a lead for Pearl, smacking 819 to open. Shadow took only 63 for Web City, as they get buried very early on. Neopolitan belted 679 for the Surfers to add onto the lead. Rainmane hit 310 for the Spiders, trying to limit the damage. Wings wiped all of that out, striking a convincing 388 for Pearl to keep the lead strong as the game progresses. Sugar handled a backhand and a quick change to block a rolling ball, but the incoming bouncing ball ended her effort at 115 for Web City, further damaging the chances of a comeback. Cowzart tapped 257 to give the Surfers a final of 2157 in what will likely become a win. Shiny took just 208 for the Spiders, and they lost with 696. Pearl looked very strong in their win to go to 4-1, destroying a punchless Web City team that is now 1-2.

BMW RockDome, Westside: These two teams meet for the second time, with the Knights having already won one game in the Suburban Derby. Kiwi struck 445 for Terrace City in their first competitive road game, setting a decent pace for the game. Misty kept Westside in range, lining 353 for the hosts in a decent showing. Jennifer dropped a big one for the Knights, unleashing 759 to secure their lead some more. Goatee fired back with 467 for the Rockers, maintaining a noticeable presence. Oreo extended the Terrace City lead with 344. Midnight ripped 525 for Westside, cutting into the deficit very effectively to tighten things up at the end of the game. Stripes tallied 409 to give the Knights a final of 1957. Chicky Phil couldn't avoid an early exit, taking just 24 for the Rockers for a losing total of 1369. Terrace City is still a perfect 4-0, all divisional games, while Westside is 1-4 after losing the season series to the Knights.

Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: This is the week's last challenge to perfection, as the Hummingbirds look to hold both a perfect record and average pace at the end of this match. Princess took a bit of a disappointing 274 for Tysini, given her lofty standards. Bear answered with 434 for Whitewater, giving them a modest lead. Leandra hauled in 368 for the Hummingbirds, keeping them in the game. Twinkie III maintained the Shores lead with 396, doing well to cancel out her direct opposition. Charli got cut down at 52 for Tysini, making a mess of their comeback effort. Cheddar had 289 to extend the Whitewater lead. Bright's 176 put the Hummingbirds at 870 total in their first loss of the season. Wild Thing impressively capped the game with 1022 for the Shores, producing their final score of 2141. Whitewater appears to be back in the groove now, going to 3-3, while dropping Tysini to 5-1.

Earlier than expected with this. Standings update to come immediately after this post.

UPCL Cricket: Week 3 Part 2

Here's the middle eleven games of the week, beginning with...

Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: Panda had a decent 279 to begin for Southern in a very probing effort to get back into rhythm. Slinks had another poor showing for Harrison, hitting a measly 24 points. Shannon finally had a reasonable effort for the Monarchs, lining 535 to add onto their early lead. Twinkie II chipped 202 for the Specters, not contributing much to the comeback effort. Kirstin pounded another 719 to extend the lead for Southern, as they appear to finally have found good form. Sydney made it a much more interesting game, slashing her way to 1135 to cut the deficit drastically for Harrison, putting them in striking range. Nicole grabbed only 113 for the Monarchs, leaving them at 1646, which is definitely not safe. Brownie thought she had done enough with 262 for the Specters, but they ended up taking a loss with 1623. Southern got their first win of the season in dramatic form, improving to 1-6, while Harrison is now 4-3 in the heartbreaking defeat.

Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: Twilight ripped 627 to open for Central, continuing her rapid progression in road games on offense for Central. Smudge kept things close, striking 579 for Infinity. Dustin faltered with 168 for the Warriors, leaving them a bit vulnerable at this stage in the game. Shelley's 208 for the Torpedoes brought the margin within ten points halfway through the game, which is almost as close as it can be. Noelle restored a healthy lead for Central, blasting 967 to put them well ahead. Gabe got 218 back for Infinity, but they still face a steep challenge heading into the back of the lineups. Gizmo had a bit of misfortune, taking just 64 for the Warriors, but they end with a strong 1826 total. Whiskers mistimed her swing, ending with 162 for the Torpedoes, who lost with a total of 1167. Central continues to overcome its championship hangover, now standing at 4-3, while Infinity's prove-it season is at 1-5 just under ten percent of the way in.

Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: Western powerhouses meet in this divisional match. Starlight set the tone with 1182 for Pacific, albeit against one of the teams best suited for an offensive free-for-all. Acorn couldn't respond strongly, taking only 233 for Lighton. Ms. Kitty slapped another 840 for the Volcanoes, extending the lead to a ridiculous margin. Spirit countered with 752 for the Prestige, giving the hosts a sign of life, however small that sign may be. Jack tacked on 336 for Pacific, maintaining the lead subtly. Twinkie I countered with 433 for Lighton, chipping at the deficit again. Leonette poked 287 for the Volcanoes, giving them 2645 in a dominant effort likely to go in the books as a win. Lydia still ripped off 755 for the Prestige, but they took a hard loss at 2173. Pacific toppled an undefeated team to go to 4-2 while Lighton slides to 2-1.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: Having already beaten them in their own place, the Lumberjacks look for a quick season sweep of a Northeast regional rival. Slinks managed to produce 240 for Harrison to get going. Fluffina spiked 816 for Maplewood to begin with a strong lead. Twinkie II fired back with 1096 for the Specters, making a very strong case. Bryant stumbled with 45 for the Lumberjacks, putting them far behind. Sydney supplemented the Harrison lead with 408 more points, putting them in a good position. Diddley hauled in 263 for Maplewood, doing little to change the outlook of the game. Brownie tacked on 343 for the Specters, giving them a final of 2087. Cubby nearly covered the gap, striking 814 for the Lumberjacks, but they lost with 1938. The season series is a split between these two teams, with Harrison on the upswing to 5-3 on their first division win while Maplewood slides to 2-3.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union debut their blue home jerseys in their first match against a western team. Panda regressed to only 28 points for Southern in a poor start. Juno didn't do a lot better, posting 90 for Modernistic in a similarly weak start. Shannon looked to produce decently, but unraveled late and had 215 for the Monarchs. Ms. Puppy chipped 197 for the Union, keeping things low and close at the halfway point. Kirstin got cut down at 202 after her backhand swing got redirected into the out zone, sawing away a decent showing for the Southern rookie. Chimpy faltered with 90 for Modernistic, with the game still close but the leadership in different hands. Nicole's 136 put the Monarchs at 581 for their final score. Puff I ended it when she got clear, taking 218 for the Union, giving them 595 total in the sloppy win. Modernistic gets into the win column at 1-3, while Southern's progress is stalled as they fall back to 1-7.

AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: Jasmine ripped 583 for Freedom before getting tangled up with some odd bounces. Snuggle lifted 420 in response for Oceanside, keeping them within range early on. Stinky left the Cascades vulnerable, proving unable to hold a ball on his backhand long enough to flip it forward, which put him at just 10 points in his turn. Bells slammed another 433 for the Waves, giving them a decent lead. The one-time Wave, Roxy, responded with 568 for Freedom, restoring a lead for the visiting team. Alyssa's 327 gave Oceanside a very narrow lead heading into the final players for each team. Nikolai smacked 513 for the Cascades, producing a final of 1674 and turning the attention toward Pounce. Pounce couldn't muster anything more than 314 for the Waves, taking the loss with 1494. Freedom continues to look good this season at 5-3, while Oceanside is fading a bit at 3-2.

Verizon Field, Pacific: The Cascades stay along the coast in a case of back-to-back games. Jasmine didn't churn out as much for Freedom this time, putting up 320. Starlight brought down a couple of high flying balls en route to 425 points for Pacific. Stinky knocked 376 more for the Cascades, keeping things very reasonable. Ms. Kitty belted 677 for the Volcanoes, extending the lead well as her solid home history continues. Roxy's 184 for Freedom only covered part of the deficit, leaving them in trouble as the game enters the late stages. Jack countered with 256 for Pacific, only ending because his wicket came forward of the bat and got struck. Nikolai rallied with 441 for the Cascades, but they fell short at 1321. Leonette iced the cake with 296 for the Volcanoes, for a final score of 1654 in the win. Pacific continues to surge, going to 5-2, while Freedom drops to 5-4.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The Volcanoes get a back-to-back set, traveling just slightly northeast for a road game after their home victory. Starlight produced 370 for Pacific, a decent opening salvo for this west division battle. Watermelon slugged 1188 for Pearl, putting them well ahead in a dominant showing. Ms. Kitty pummeled 784 in response for the Volcanoes. Neopolitan slapped a crisp 434 for the Surfers, restoring a lead. Jack pulled in 345 for Pacific, which did not cover the deficit. Wings faltered with 48 for Pearl, leaving them a bit vulnerable near the end of the game. Leonette only had 160 for the Volcanoes, so they took a loss with 1659 total. Cowzart cranked 448 for the Surfers, putting them at 2118 total in the win. Pearl is now 3-1 after their first division win, while Pacific takes a step back to 5-3.

Tridents Park sponsored by Ford, Pronger: Princess crushed an early 920 for Tysini, making a big statement at the start of the game. Strawberry got 289 back for Pronger in a reasonable effort. Leandra drilled 515 for the Hummingbirds to add onto the lead. Hoot dropped 112 for the Tridents, allowing them to fall further behind at the halfway point of the game. Charli dug up 424 for Tysini, continuing to move the visitors forward in another strong appearance. Precious put a dent into the deficit for Pronger, blasting 995 to make the game significantly closer. Bright had 160 for the Hummingbirds, giving them a total of 2019. Paps wrangled only 145 for the Tridents, as they lost with 1541. Tysini stays perfect at 4-0, while Pronger takes their first non-division loss to drop to 2-4.

Ebay Center, Queens: Two big Urban Core South rivals battle to get their seasons back on course. Boots continued to play poorly on the road, hitting only 148 for Southridge. Crystal replied with 388 for Queens, putting them ahead modestly in the early parts of the game. Debby answered with 745 for the Defenders, posting a solid score to stir the pot offensively. Kayla grabbed 264 for the Flames, putting them at a deficit. Southridge's J. Garcia used the mandatory replay she was charged with to slap 424 to extend the lead. Max dazzled with his bat skill for Queens, pulling off many tricks to end up with 777 points, making the game much closer as the hosts take control of the lead. Shaggy lined 411 for the Defenders, forcing a substantial response as the Defenders close with 1728. Paige couldn't do it, taking only 64 for the Flames, saddling them with a loss at 1493. Southridge is now 2-4, snapping a four-game losing streak, while Queens drops to 1-3.

Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The second part of the week ends with this match, which sees the Prestige travel for the first time this season. Acorn got shut down with 108 for Lighton in a poor outing. Frosty narrowly eclipsed that mark, hitting 117 for Royal for a very small lead. Spirit tallied 256 for the Prestige, giving them a stronger second lead. Jake countered with 439 for the Crowns, pulling them farther ahead. Twinkie I rattled off 541 for Lighton, again reclaiming the lead. Marsell did just enough to buy Royal a modest lead, posting 373 to make it extremely close heading into the final players. Lydia did little to convince anyone that the Prestige deserved a win, grabbing only 81 as they finish with an extremely vulnerable 986. Nightfur's 112 put the Crowns into the win column with 1041 overall. Royal's win puts them at 2-1 while Lighton slides to 2-2.

Part 3 to come either very early or very late tomorrow, depending on other activities.

Pool: 2016 A-level First Round - Day 1

We had thirteen series to open up the top tier of this year's tournament. We begin with...

Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Kayla. The first series came in Rotation, with the red cue doing the honors. In game 1, Tysini's Bright mopped up the 15 to the top right corner for an 8-7 win, taking a 1-0 series lead. Queens' Kayla had a three-ball run early in game 2, pacing her attack. The Hummingbirds' Bright tried to rally back, but the Flames' Kayla finished with an 8-2 win to tie the series at 1. Kayla used a three-ball run early in game 3 and a three-ball run-out late for an 8-4 win in game 3, clinching the series 2-1. Kayla is the first player through to the second round.

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Wild Thing v. Leonardo. The first of ten players who did not appear in B-level games gets the hosting honors in this Accuracy series with the silver cue. The final ball caused havoc in game 1, eventually forcing overtime, where a miss by Todavía's Leonardo set Whitewater's Wild Thing up for the 6-7 win and a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Wild Thing remained dominant for the Shores, and the Stills' Leonardo had many misses, allowing Wild Thing to go up 2-0 in the series on a 2-6 win. Leonardo missed six straight shots in game 3, allowing Wild Thing another easy win by the same 2-6 score, for a 3-0 series sweep that puts Wild Thing through to round two.

Verizon Field, Pacific: Jack v. Ruby. The silver cue remains at the table for 12-ball now. Archtown's Ruby had a three-ball run and good positioning to gain the edge on a poorly organized Jack of Pacific in game 1, making it a 1-0 series lead for the Arrows' Ruby. In game 2, the Volcanoes' Jack took advantage of a wild card ball, using the added flexibility to convert a three-ball run-out at the end of the game to move into a tie at 1 for the series. In game 3, Jack's defense failed him despite being set fairly well in that regard, as he missed on his final ball from a ball-in-hand position. Ruby got set up later and finished the game, taking the series 2-1 to advance into the second round.

Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Brownie v. Slinks. The all-Specters 9-ball series with the red cue began with a game 1 highlight from Brownie, as she double-potted the 5 to the top side and the 8 to the top right, but Slinks mopped up the last two balls for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 featured a lot of back-and-forth play, with a late Slinks scratch putting Brownie through by putting the 9 in the bottom left from ball-in-hand, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Slinks proved superior, working a three-ball run-out that ended with a bank of the 9 from the right rail to the top left to take the series 2-1 and advance to the second round.

Verizon Field, Pacific: Starlight v. Misty. Back along the coast, the red cue is back to Rotation. Pacific's Starlight dominated in game 1, working a six-ball run to pace herself on an 8-1 win for a 1-0 series lead over Westside's Misty. In game 2, the Volcanoes' Starlight scratched three times, helping the Rockers' Misty use a four-ball run and lots of free shots to take the game 8-3 and tie the series at 1. Game 3 ended up being a lot of back-and-forth play, but Misty made the last two shots in the game to seal an 8-6 win and take the series 2-1, putting herself into the second round.

Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Chicky Phil. The red cue continues its run, now playing 12-ball. Game 1 followed a race format, with Westside's Chicky Phil making a late and successful three-ball run-out after Lighton's Acorn took a little too long to get set up, giving Chicky Phil a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, Acorn scratched late in the game, but it just delayed his win as Chicky Phil had no direct shot, with the Prestige captain tying the series at 1. Chicky Phil had a three-ball run to pull ahead in game 3, but missed a shot from distance, allowing Acorn to make his last two balls and take the series 2-1. Acorn advances to the second round.

Ebay Center, Queens: Kayla v. Juno. Another of the A-level only players is the visitor here for 15-ball with the silver cue. Modernistic rookie Juno debuted in competitive play with a three-ball run-out in game 1, stunning Queens' Kayla to take a 1-0 series lead in a competitive game. In game 2, Kayla had a four-ball run early and a three-ball run late, but it didn't earn her the game, as the Union's Juno cut the 15 in to clinch the series at 2-0. In game 3, Juno ran out of magic, running four balls before scratching, with Kayla potting the 15 from ball-in-hand to salvage a 2-1 series win in favor of Juno. With the series win, Juno is through to the second round.

UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Patches. The silver cue stays active for 8-ball. Patches of Boston had a four-ball run in game 1, but Maplewood's Diddley chipped away, using interesting maneuvers to top the Swifts' Patches for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 had a bit of a sloppy ending, with Patches missing contact on the 8, allowing Diddley of the Lumberjacks to mop it up for a 2-0 series lead. Patches found another way to lose in game 3, scratching on the 8 to end a three-ball run and give Diddley the 3-0 series sweep. Diddley is into the second round with the convincing series win.

GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Shaggy v. Pounce. A daughter hosts her father for 15-ball with the silver cue. Southridge's Shaggy played her best at the start and end of Game 1, shutting down Oceanside's Pounce to take a 1-0 lead in the series. In game 2, the Waves' Pounce left the 15 short at the bottom left corner, and the Defenders' Shaggy tapped it in for a 2-0 series lead. Shaggy a late four-ball run in game 3, but it wouldn't be enough, as Pounce buried the 15 to make it a 2-1 series win for Shaggy, who will play in the second round.

Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Sparkles. The game is again Rotation with the red cue. Both players had a weak start in game 1, but Todavía's Sparkles pulled away for an 8-1 win when Commerce's Ice Cream kept scratching, giving the former a 1-0 lead in the series. In game 2, the Tradewinds' Ice Cream overcame repeated illegal contact shots, taking the 15 from ball-in-hand after a scratch by the Stills' Sparkles for an 8-7 win that tied the series at 1. In game 3, Ice Cream used a three-ball run-out to clinch the fast-paced 8-7 win that put her into the second round on a 2-1 series win.

HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Chelsea v. Marsell. The blue cue makes its first appearance of the A-levels in 12-ball. Royal's Marsell used effective defense to claim a 1-0 series lead over Eastside's Chelsea in an unremarkable game 1. The Sharks' Chelsea bounced back in game 2, improving with positioning and accuracy to tie the series at 1 with the Crowns' Marsell. In game 3, Chelsea's defense prevented Marsell from making legal contact, and Chelsea finished off the game for a 2-1 series win. Chelsea will play in the second round.

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Wild Thing v. Sierra. The silver cue is up for 10-ball. Todavía's Sierra tapped in the 10 after Whitewater's Wild Thing left it short at the bottom right, taking a 1-0 series lead with the easy finish to game 1. In game 2, the Stills' Sierra caromed a 4-10 combination off the 6, called to the bottom right to clinch the series at 2-0 on a highlight reel shot. The Shores' Wild Thing had no answer in game 3 either, watching Sierra pull off a five-ball run-out to clinch a 3-0 series sweep to advance to the second round.

Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Lorde. The location-based doubleheader concludes the games for the day, with a series of 8-ball with the silver cue. In game 1, Commerce rookie Lorde used a five-ball run to pace her attack, finishing on a distance shot after a scratch by Whitewater's Twinkie III that allowed the rookie a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Shores' Twinkie III used a six-ball run to ignite her offense, and a pair of mistakes from the Tradewinds' Lorde paved the way for Twinkie III to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Lorde had a four-ball run-out to top Twinkie III in a fast-paced game, taking the series 2-1 and advancing to the second round.

Pool updates will be sporadic for the next couple of months, but I hope to play one to three times a month at this point.

UPCL Cricket: Week 3 Part 1

Welcome to the first part of Week 3 in the current UPCL Cricket season. We begin with...

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: This game is an eastern division battle. Strawberry got shut down at 28 for Pronger, with a bad bounce being her undoing. Sally took 408 for Archtown, punishing the mistake strongly. Hoot's attempted double-hit let him down, as he produced only 135 for the Tridents, allowing them to fall farther behind. Sleepy B. pummeled 554 for the Arrows in a very good outing to protect the lead. Precious hit just 37 for Pronger, likely ending any chance of them rebounding in this game. Ruby lined 290 for Archtown, securing the lead again for the hosts. Paps had a measly 64, with the Tridents taking a loss with 264. Dusky hit 102 to top the Arrows victory at 1354. Archtown stays perfect at home and is now 3-2 with a 2-0 division mark. Pronger drops to 2-3, and all three losses have come in the division.

McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: Two powerhouse teams of the season meet in a critical early battle. Tigerette faltered with 106 for Commerce, her first real misstep of the season. Her longtime professional rival and Atlantic captain Delila launched 490 to give the hosts a significant lead. Ice Cream couldn't handle a strange bounce, getting stalled at 368, which did not cover the deficit for the Tradewinds. Amber didn't get as much separation as she would have liked, hitting 208 for the Pirates. Lionel slugged 530 in response for Commerce, hauling them into a tentative lead. Americus scooped 368 for Atlantic, giving them a very small lead heading into the final players. Lorde had 208 for the Tradewinds as the final ball rolled up her bat, giving them a final of 1212. Dominic sealed the Pirates win with 287 to give them a victorious score of 1353. Atlantic surges to 7-2 now, while dumping Commerce to 5-1.

Coca-Cola Field, Boston: Slinks hauled in 305 for Harrison to get this game going. Patches found a happy middle ground for Boston, slapping a crisp 589 to give them a noticeable lead. Twinkie II fired back with 742 for the Specters, pulling them into the lead. Puff II had only 90 for the Swifts, continuing a rough stretch of home appearances. Sydney had her game pulled back for a replay after she played on through a technical error, resulting in her scoring 49 on the replay to endanger the Harrison lead. Gradley chipped back with 222 for Boston as the game turns a bit chippy. Brownie pounded 499 to give the Specters a solid final of 1595. Sweetheart managed only 72 for the Swifts, and they lost with 973. Harrison gets a much needed win to go to 4-2, while Boston is now at 4-4 and looking somewhat burned out already.

Capital City SuperCenter: Jasmine twice backhanded a ball, but neither time was all that convincing, and she ended up taking 122 for Freedom. Chris busted out with 1134 for Capital City, his first explosive look of the season to assure a much stronger candidate for Urban Core South Player of the Week. Stinky clubbed 652 for the Cascades, chipping away at the deficit immediately. Missy put the Sharpshooters in an unassailable position, crushing 2294 to take over the season-high for individual score as well as secure the team season-high. Roxy stayed competitive with 295 for Freedom in the lost game. Sprinkles chipped 138 for Capital City to keep things quick. Nikolai's 128 for the Cascades left them at 1197 in the loss. Dani rallied for an unnecessary 900 for the Sharpshooters, giving them 4466 total in the end. Capital City's first win of the season is in grand form, putting them at 1-2, while Freedom hopes not to get discouraged by this setback as they go to 3-3. Historically speaking, it's the second highest team score in Sharpshooters' history, behind last year's 5312 at home in week 23 against the Southridge Defenders, and it stands at fourth in all-time league history. The Sharpshooters are one of three teams to have multiple 4k games. The Archtown Arrows have done it three times, while the Whitewater Shores have also done it twice. Two of the Arrows' forays into this particular level are the second and third best scores in league history. The other teams to achieve 4k are the Lighton Prestige, the first team to ever do so, and the Viewpoint Sound Meteors last season. It happened twice in the first season, six times in the second season, and this is the first instance of a 4k game this season.

Nestle's Warriors Field, Central: Two of last year's proudest teams are off to scuffling starts this season. Bear shrugged off one high-flying ball, but got brought down by the next one, which deflected off his bat into the stumps to give him 368 for Whitewater. Twilight exploded with 1036 for Central, keeping her strike rate at a final of 5.29, one of the higher marks in league history (the stat is not tracked, so a ranking is unverifiable). Twinkie III put up 304 for the Shores, a reasonable total in a game they are chasing. Dustin knocked 592 for the Warriors, adding onto the lead at the halfway mark in the game. Cheddar scored 122 for Whitewater, likely ceding the game at this point. Noelle took 192 for Central, cancelling out Cheddar's efforts. Wild Thing's 152 left the Shores at 946 in the loss. Gizmo belted a convincing 566 at the end to give the Warriors a final of 2386 in the big win. Central is 2-3, hovering around the middle of the pack at this point, while Whitewater is now down to 2-3 as well, with their issue being road games.

Nike Field, Commerce: Twilight stepped up with 433 for Central, producing well as her team gains a little momentum. Tigerette countered with 439 for Commerce, getting the game off to an exceptionally close start. Dustin pounded 470 for the Warriors in response, keeping the offense high. Ice Cream had a bit of a slip up with 343 for the Tradewinds, but the game is still tight. Noelle cancelled that out directly with 343 of her own for Central. Lionel screwed up for Commerce all on his own, hitting just 28 when he overshot a ball and couldn't double back in time to save it. Gizmo's 443 for the Warriors put them in a strong position with a final score of 1689. Lorde's 112 didn't get the job done for the Tradewinds, as they lost with 922. Central is back to a level 3-3, while Commerce has to try to avoid letting this spiral out of control as they fall to 5-2.

The Intel Pitch, Diamond: Here's a huge rivalry match from the Eastern Hills. Delila continued to display mastery of the bat, striking 1195 to get Atlantic off to another fabulous start. Smokey took 305 back for Diamond, attempting to hold on in the face of difficult circumstances. Amber faltered, taking only 20 for the Pirates after getting overwhelmed right in front of the wicket. Citrus capitalized for the Gems, drilling 529 to pull them significantly closer in the game. Americus did little to relieve the pressure, producing only 82 for Atlantic. Pedey smacked 671 to give Diamond a decent lead of their own late in the game. Dominic hit 351 for the Pirates, forcing a response as the Pirates rest at 1648. Cassandra chipped 233 to give the Gems a win with 1738. With their Trap Queen routine, Diamond is now at 2-3, while Atlantic faltered in the middle of the order, dropping to 7-3.

HP Field, Eastside: Starlight swatted 543 for Pacific to get started in this game, a strong opening salvo. The beleaguered Eastside captain Graham managed just 60 points, starting his team off in a hole. Ms. Kitty got a little wild with her game, producing just 129 for the Volcanoes. An odd bounce ended Chelsea's turn at 158 for the Sharks, putting a ball on a high arc out of her reach to squash her chances of reigning it in. Jack took the wrong angle on his swing, scoring a meager 112 for Pacific as they are left vulnerable again. Taylor chipped back with 199 for Eastside, shrinking the deficit. Leonette had 192 to give the Volcanoes a final of 976 that they will have to hope can hold one more attack. Niki poked 144 for the Sharks, causing them to take the loss with 561. Pacific eked out a narrow win to go to 3-2, while Eastside is now at 1-3.

Chevrolet Field, Everton: This game is another Northeast region battle that has been pretty intense so far this season. Sally slapped a solid 368 for Archtown to begin. Everton's Goldy belted 851 to build a significant early lead, finally breaking free from her early-season struggles. Sleepy B. tried to deflect a ball off a stationary ball on the pitch, but this meant she ended with 336 for the Arrows, failing to cover the gap. Puff III blasted another 643 for the Eagles, adding onto their lead. Ruby fired back with 392 for Archtown, again failing to reel in the deficit. Cleo tripped up with 140 for Everton after a bad bounce brought her turn to a close. Dusky raked in 456 for the Arrows, but it still ended up leaving them short at 1552 in a competitive loss. Blizzard finished with 208 individually to seal the Eagles win at 1842. Everton improves to 3-1, all divisional games, while Archtown's road luck continues to be poor, as they are 3-3 but winless on the road and perfect at home.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: Another East Division game shifts the focus to the Eastern Hills region with this particularly brash territorial rivalry. Smokey ripped 696 for Diamond, getting them off to a confident start against their geographic rivals. Jasmine took a meager 30 points for Freedom, as they face a large deficit going forward. Citrus couldn't settle a ball coming in with pace, taking 256 for the Gems in a lead-maintaining performance. Stinky, continuing to be a tricky out, crushed 1220 to pull the Cascades into a big lead. Pedey failed to cover the deficit for Diamond, poking just 135 in a poor showing. Roxy rallied with 371 for Freedom, keeping their lead strong. Cassandra's 447 looked to give the Gems a chance, but they ended up losing when they fell short at 1534 total points. Nikolai churned 337 for the Cascades, for a final of 1958 in the win. Freedom continues to impress early in the season, going to 4-3 while bumping Diamond to 2-4.

Amazon Field, Golden: The first return match of the season is between these two teams, with the Pirates having already taken care of business at home in this season series. Delila kept her attack on point with 631 for Atlantic in another huge effort in the lead-off role. Valencia edged Golden ahead in the game, pounding 681 in a breakout performance for her season. Amber kept the full-offense approach in style with 659 for the Pirates, giving them a nearly equally sized lead as last time around. Dusty hauled the Pilots into the lead again, crashing through with 713 to regain the lead by a narrow margin. Americus faltered with 224 for Atlantic, leaving them highly vulnerable. Strut's 153 for Golden made the game even closer going into the final players in each lineup. Dominic's 499 put the Pirates at a final of 2013, forcing a response from the hosts. A. Charlton posted 319 for the Pilots, taking the loss as they finished at 1866 total. Atlantic continues to be the perfect combination of lucky and good, going to 8-3, while Golden is pretty much the exact opposite in going to 1-4.

This week's part two should arrive around the end of the workweek if not sooner.