UPCL Cricket - Week 4 Part 2

We're back in action for more cricket, with the week picking up near the middle. We begin with...

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks play the second of two in a row at home, while the Nighthawks are in the sixth of ten straight road games. Peach couldn't really establish a healthy swing for North Modernistic, scoring 248 in the opening attack. Fluffina got half of it back, doing perfectly fine until an offering came in at a high pace that she couldn't settle on her backhand, posting a weak 124 for Maplewood. Luigi took advantage of the chance to add to the score with his 487 for the Nighthawks, strengthening their lead. Diddley shrunk the deficit quite a bit with 575 for the Lumberjacks, keeping things close at the halfway mark. Cheddar shot back with 405 for North Modernistic, trying to keep the hosts at bay with the effort. Bryant lost a bit of ground, taking in 397 for Maplewood, and they'll be chasing the game at the end. Bright got aggressive and immediately regretted such a swing, hitting 256 for the Nighthawks to leave them at 1396. Waluigi came up clutch with 518 for the Lumberjacks, putting them at 1614 in the win to keep them undefeated at home. Maplewood improves to 5-3, while North Modernistic drops to 4-2 in the hard-fought game.

Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots are finally home for the first time, facing Southlands Derby and Southeast Division rivals, the Midland Predators, whom they met four league games ago in a Pilots victory. Shawn churned out a quick 547 for Midland, giving them a favorable start to the game. Valencia faltered with only 69 points for Golden, putting them far behind at the start. Rainmane fired back with 435 more, padding the Predators lead as she made a deft backhand save early on to keep her turn positive. Dusty gave the Pilots a sign of life with her 609, bringing them much more into the game than they were before. Leonardo provided another boost for Midland with his turn, tacking on 416 for the visitors. Strut's settling shot tactic failed on his turn, putting him at only 126 for Golden, which nearly assures them of a loss. Fuchsia flipped 480 for the Predators, ending their balanced offensive attack at 1878. A. Charlton took a meager 131 for the Pilots, ending the comeback threat early as they close with 935 in a brutal loss for their home opener. Midland's revenge sees them to 6-4, with a 1-1 division record, while Golden is 3-2, and holds a 2-1 division mark.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills play a doubleheader at home, with the first game featuring a very efficient Blades team that will take the short trip to the coast. Snowball crushed 1221 for Swordpoint right at the start, punishing a very tired bowling effort from the hosts. Easter pulled back with 327 for Todavía, a decent outing but not enough from the captain. Dreamy cranked out another 625 for the Blades, pushing them even farther ahead with their very quick start to the game. Sierra countered with 346, but the Stills do not seem to have it in them to catch up with their competition. Bandit didn't have the most elegant of turns for Swordpoint, but it worked out with him scoring 457 to add nicely to their lead as the game reaches its latter stages. Sparkles has regressed since her hot start, with only 140 to tally for Todavía in this game, her third straight poor home outing likely due to fatigue. Stealth poked another 471 for the Blades at the end, icing their high-flying offensive output at 2774. Bells managed 295 for the Stills, giving them their losing final score of 1108. Swordpoint is now 5-1 after the thorough victory, while Todavía drops to 7-6 with fatigue factoring in quite significantly.

Apple Park, Todavía: In the second doubleheader game, the Stills face an opponent just as tough as the Blades with the Warriors coming to town as part of the Stills larger four-game home stand. Twilight swatted 431 for Central at the start of the game, establishing a decent start for the visitors. Easter got a little more in this game, posting 361 for Todavía to keep them in range after the initial attacks. Dustin cobbled 348 for the Warriors in this game, finally breaking his road slump that has plagued him for the season. Sierra had 286 for the Stills, although it looked like she could have gone for more, allowing the deficit to grow at the midway point. Mario got stuffed at 153 for Central, destabilizing their lead with the mediocre performance from the rookie. Sparkles broke out of her slump for Todavía, ripping 729 to give them the late lead. Gizmo collapsed at 213, failing to flick a ball high enough on his backhand, and that left the Warriors with a loss on 1145 total. Bells struck 329 for the Stills, icing their win at 1705, an impressive feat for a very exhausted team. Todavía improves to 8-6 with the win, while Central is down to 4-2 after such a hot start to the year.

Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames and Lumberjacks meet for the first of two games in two weeks between them, with the teams looking fairly evenly matched. Fluffina had a bit of a dodgy turn, taking only 217 for Maplewood with an odd failed swing. Crystal couldn't match it for Queens, coming up a wee bit short at 208 as the game starts off close and low-scoring. Diddley failed to get his position locked in for the Lumberjacks, ending with 306 to keep them ahead by a reasonable margin. Paige replied with 386 for the Flames, pulling them ahead at the halfway mark by a slim margin with the effort. Bryant pummeled 950 for Maplewood in response, putting them far ahead with the game-changing outburst of points. Violetta cut into the deficit with 432 for Queens, but they are still noticeably behind with a player each to go. Waluigi hauled in 311 for the Lumberjacks, giving them a final of 1784, a high but reachable mark for the hosts to aspire to. Max failed against his former team, taking a measly 32 to leave the Flames with 1058 in the loss. Maplewood jumps to 6-3 with the win, while Queens will wait for revenge as they fall to 4-4.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders are at home for four straight games, hosting a very talented Torpedoes squad that is undefeated on the road. Smudge's turn crossed all the emotions, with a lucky bounce and some thrilling quick swings for the captain, but it ended early with 162 for Infinity, a poor start. Bianca belted 919 for Southridge, giving them a significant early lead with her great appearance. Solaris tried to show his cousin up, but he made a rookie mistake, ending with a paltry 64 for the Torpedoes. Debby sprayed 295 for the Defenders, adding to their comfortable lead at the halfway mark. Whiskers saw a ball roll off the end of her bat, giving her a meager 69 for Infinity as it seems to just be an off game for the team. Stephanie produced another 477 for Southridge, pulling them farther ahead late in the game. Mr. Snowman picked up 304 for the Torpedoes, leaving them at 599 in a humiliating loss. Hughbert's 280 for the Defenders gave the team a total of 1971 in a pretty convincing win. Southridge's upset victory sends them to 5-7, while Infinity drops to 6-2.

Cisco Tysini Field, Tysini: The Hummingbirds try to get their season track against the Waves, who are on the road for the next two games. Snuggle had a strong performance for the first time this year, tallying 496 for Oceanside to establish them early in the game. Princess answered with 576 for Tysini, a stronger response with a better pace from the superstar captain. Caitlin did not have her best effort on display for the Waves, getting called for a false start and then taking a paltry 88 on the replay. Leandra misplayed a bad bounce, sending it straight up and out for a score of 294 to add to the Hummingbirds lead halfway through the game. Oceanside's Celestia suffered a bad deflection very early in her turn, ending with only 16 points as it seems the visitors will not claw their way back in this game. Charli couldn't quite pick a corner, abbreviating her turn at only 64 for Tysini in a remarkably poor offensive game from both teams. Dewey had a measly 39, leading to much frustration for the Waves as they lost with 639 and wasted their captain's best effort of the year. Brownie popped 703 for the Hummingbirds, sealing their win at 1637, their first home win of the year. Tysini jumps to 2-5, while Oceanside is 4-6 after the defeat.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks are back at home for a one-off against the surprisingly strong Tridents, who play the second game in a three-game road trip. Precious had a decent outing from Pronger, collecting 373 in the first attack of the game. Fluffina unleashed 939 for Maplewood, showing no signs of fatigue despite the team's heavy schedule in recent weeks. Zach cut into the deficit with his 391 for the Tridents, featuring a brilliant backhand save to keep the turn going. Diddley stumbled with 104 for the Lumberjacks, destabilizing their lead at the midway point of the game. Spot failed to capitalize for Pronger, making an incorrect decision to swing when he could have let the ball go for a false start replay, and he had just 4 points in the appearance. Bryant paced Maplewood back to a substantial lead with 570, but he nearly had a fit when his bat got caught in the pitch for a second, disrupting the flow of his turn early on but ultimately becoming a meaningless footnote. Potter put in 366 for the Tridents, but they still took the loss with 1134. Waluigi iced the Lumberjacks win with 439 individually for a total of 2052. Maplewood's home ground is becoming quite the fortress after their fifth straight home win, pushing them to 7-3 on the year, while Pronger dips to 4-2.

Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: The Cola Wars Derby is on for its first edition this year, with the Prestige looking to cool the road-dominant Swifts. Patches didn't show well, trying to stop a low offering and then bouncing the next one high for a score of only 79 points for Boston. Acorn shot back with a very solid 480 for Lighton, giving them a noticeable lead at the start. Puff II got the Swifts back into the game, striking 512 for her side to cover the deficit for now. Spirit wiped out that contribution with 520 for the Prestige, maintaining a strong lead at the halfway mark. Gradley saw way too many collisions on the pitch and couldn't stop them when they split his swing and cut him down at 115 for Boston, hurting the chances of a comeback. Twinkie I flicked another 393 to pad the Lighton lead late in the game. Sweetheart stalled out at 196 for the Swifts, ending their game in a loss with a final of just 902. Salmo secured the win with 490 for the Prestige, bringing their total up to 1883 in the dominant victory. Lighton improves to 3-2 with the rivalry win, dumping Boston to 4-5 on the year.

Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: Two very good teams tangle in this battle that sees the Knights back at home for a game while the Volcanoes end a mostly successful seven-game road trip. Starlight couldn't stay locked into her angle for Pacific, ending up with 285 because of the erratic swings. Kiwi continued her ridiculous pace for Terrace City, pummeling 751 to establish another great lead at the start. Ms. Kitty got greedy going for the double-tap for the Volcanoes, and she hit it too hard, going out of bounds to end with 319, failing to cover the deficit. Jennifer gave the Knights a bit more room to breathe, scoring 458 to boost the lead. Leonette scooped 834 for Pacific, giving them the lead with a remarkable performance. Oreo restored a much smaller lead for Terrace City with her 402, leaving the game to be settled by the final players. Chicky Phil was conquered by a deflection for the Volcanoes, ending with only 39 and sending them to a loss with 1477. Stripes rallied with 576 for the Knights, capping their emphatic win at 2187 total. Terrace City is perfect at home and 5-2 overall, while Pacific slips to 5-5.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders continue their four-game home stand against a Knights team making a quick turnaround for this game. Kiwi batted a crisp 408 in this game for Terrace City, giving them a stable foundation to build upon. Bianca poked 425 for Southridge in response, giving the hosts a slight advantage after the first turns. Jennifer drilled 584 for the Knights, keeping them in charge of the game. Debby gathered 275 for the Defenders on her turn, putting them a bit behind as the game reaches half completion. Oreo smacked 729 more for Terrace City on her turn, making the team look like never before on the road. Stephanie did well to take 387 for Southridge, but they are still trailing and don't have much hope for the game to fall favorably for them. Stripes tapped 225 for the Knights, producing their total of 1946 in what should be a win. Hughbert raked in 257 for the Defenders, far from enough to reverse the game's course, as the hosts lost with 1344 overall. Terrace City is now 6-2 for the year, while Southridge crashes to 5-8.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union and Sharks wrap up this segment, trying to each get a grip on a season quickly fading away from them. Chelsea served up a quick 710 for Eastside on her opening turn, establishing an unfamiliar lead for the visitors. Ms. Puppy answered with 504 for Modernistic, keeping them somewhat close in the early going. Taylor slipped for the Sharks, taking in only 207 as their lead becomes a bit more vulnerable after that outing. Daisy couldn't capitalize for the Union, suffering an unfortunate bounce that ended her turn at 167 to allow the deficit a slight amount of growth. Niki racked up another 425 for Eastside, gaining a bit more ground for their lead. Puff I could not keep pace for Modernistic, failing at 241 as they appear unable to keep up with a more energetic team. Paps knocked another 324 for the Sharks, keeping their balanced attack in control with a final of 1666. Strawberry tried to rally the Union back into the game, but her 455 left them short at 1367 in the loss. Eastside has their first win of the year at 1-7, while Modernistic is stuck on one win at 1-6.

There's one more segment to be played this week, with the hopes of completion by Christmas.

2017 Qualifiers - Day 4

We'll be imposing a limit of 40 games today to allow ample time for cricket to take place tonight and tomorrow morning in all likelihood. We begin with...

Dusky of the Archtown Arrows using the silver cue to shoot 7-ball in her season debut to start the first group. Dusky got a ball on the break but saw the game turn south from there, as she took three errors and 14 shots to finish it off since she couldn't get a clear look on her shots early on. Next up, the Swordpoint Blades' Stealth is ready to make his season debut in 7-ball, also using the silver cue. Stealth had an insane poise in his game, making two balls on the break and then swiping at the 7 multiple times in his 4 shots, playing with no errors in the stunning performance. The third player of the day is Sweetheart of the Boston Swifts, shooting 8-ball with the red cue. Sweetheart made two balls on the break in her game, and narrowly avoided any errors to close with 20 shots after a bit of stagnation at the end of the appearance. Following that, Salmo, the Lighton Prestige rookie, will play 7-ball with the blue cue to make his career debut. Salmo scratched on the break, so his game only got better from there, and he shot 12 with just the single error to mostly erase the bad start. Wrapping up the group, Diddley, the Maplewood Lumberjacks veteran, shoots 7-ball with the silver cue. Diddley made the best of an inarguably atrocious break, which produced nothing. He took no errors and needed 13 shots to clear it out.

Leading off for group two is Fuchsia, the Midland Predators rookie, who will have the silver cue in hand for her 8-ball game. Fuchsia had a poor break, shooting from a wide angle and getting nothing on the shot, but she showed off her shooting skill with just 18 shots and no errors to finish the game. Moving along, Watermelon, the Pearl Surfers co-captain, shoots 8-ball with the silver cue as well. Watermelon had no issues in her game, shooting a ball in on the break and then systematically clearing the table after an early miss. She took no errors and finished with a great score of 16. Spot, the Pronger Tridents rookie, plays the next game, shooting 7-ball with the red cue in his career debut. Spot had a miserable time after making a ball on the break, twice committing illegal contact and suffering a scratch for three errors in 13 shots, ruining an otherwise fine game. The ninth player drawn today is Hannah, the Royal Crowns rookie, who will step in with the red cue for 7-ball in the first career game. Hannah didn't get a good result for her trouble, needing 15 shots after an empty break and a single error to complete the game, setting her pretty far back in the order. Rounding out the batch, Ms. Kitty, the Pacific Volcanoes stalwart, shoots 7-ball with the red cue and hopes for a better result than her predecessors. Ms. Kitty did get a little better of a game, but her break was just as bad, and she needed 12 shots, somehow avoiding an error, to finish the appearance.

The third batch starts with Diamond Gems veteran star Citrus, who will have the blue cue in use for 8-ball. Citrus continued the trend of poor scattering on break shots, but she also worked through it, taking one error on an early scratch and then busting the cluster to finish with 19 shots. Solaris, the Infinity Torpedoes rookie, gets the next game, and he'll use the blue cue to shoot 9-ball. Solaris made good on his hype in this appearance, getting a ball on the break and getting lucky a couple of times, including when his hit on the 5 caromed over to take the 9 in the bottom right for a score of 6 with no errors. That will be a tough act to follow for Pacific Volcanoes superstar Starlight, who uses the silver cue in her 9-ball game. Starlight did as well as she could to match it, taking 7 shots with an empty break and an error, finishing on a 4-9 combination to the top right after careful positioning. The pressure to perform mounts as Valencia, the Golden Pilots star, shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Valencia came up empty on her break, and took a late error on an illegal contact, but this allowed her to complete the game with 20 shots and just the one error, a good mark. The fifteenth player of the day is Twilight, the Central Warriors captain, who will use the silver cue as she rejoins the pacesetters with her 10-ball game. Twilight had nothing from her break, and she took an error for an illegally potted ball early on, pushing her to 20 shots in the end.

The fourth group opens on a game of 7-ball for Prism, the Stonebridge Wolves rookie, who will use the red cue for her first career appearance. Prism made a ball on the break to lead things off, and then needed only 8 shots with no errors in a pretty good turn at the table for the debut. Next up, the Prestige's Salmo is back to play 8-ball with the red cue in his second game of the day. Salmo had a rough break shot, but he didn't take any errors during the game, and his shooting tactics helped a lot, as he finished the game with 19 shots, a good effort from the youngster. The eighteenth player called today is Boots of the Pearl Surfers, playing 9-ball with the red cue in this appearance. Boots got unlucky that nothing went down on the break, and then an early error for illegal contact disrupted her game further, but she salvaged a score of 16 in the end to keep herself fairly positive. Continuing along, Tigerette, the Commerce Tradewinds superstar captain, shoots 7-ball with the blue cue in her season debut. Tigerette couldn't quite pot a ball on the break, but she wasted no time in finishing the game, needing only 9 shots with no errors. Finishing this group off is Hoot, the Viewpoint Sound Meteor, playing 8-ball with the red cue in his second appearance for the team. Hoot was frustrated from the start of the game, getting nothing on a terrible break, and then needing 26 shots with one error to finish a game that proved difficult to complete with a large cluster staying compact most of the time.

Batch five sees Watermelon return to the table for her second game today, playing 9-ball with the red cue. The red cue has proved tricky to break with today, and Watermelon's iffy break shot led to two errors during the game, requiring 16 shots to finish the rest of the rack without trouble after a near combination attempt. The 22nd player drawn to shoot today is Ice Cream of the Commerce Tradewinds, who will use the red cue in her second appearance of the year, a game of 8-ball. Ice Cream recovered from a very poor first game to make a ball on the break and complete the game in 20 shots despite another poor broken rack. Ice Cream also took no errors during the appearance. Next up, Blizzard of the Everton Eagles shoots 8-ball with the silver cue, hoping to shatter the rack better as that is the biggest problem today. Blizzard got a ball on the break, but her game was taken off track by a pair of late errors that forced her to stretch the game to 20 shots overall. Patches, the Boston Swifts superstar captain, got the next game, also using the silver cue for 8-ball. Patches struggled with another bad break for the league, and she had two errors during the game, needing 25 shots to navigate a near-impossible cluster to finish the game. The last game before the mid-afternoon break has Hughbert, the third of the Southridge Defenders rookie trio, making his career debut with the silver cue in 7-ball. Hughbert's empty break wasn't as bad as those before him, and he lined up a 1-7 combination to the bottom right on his first shot, converting despite his low expectations to, giving him a score of 1 with no errors.

After the break, the sixth group begins with Dusty of the Golden Pilots shooting 9-ball with the red cue. Dusty didn't sink anything on the break, and she did have an error for illegal contact during the game, but she settled down in the end, finishing with 16 shots for a decent performance. Panda of the Southern Monarchs got drawn next, and he'll step in to play 9-ball with the blue cue. Panda did very poorly, possibly his worst effort so far, taking 20 shots with one error and nothing on the break in this game, and only partially can he blame the inefficient breaking for his problems. The 28th player of the day, Panda's Monarchs teammate Shannon, will start her announced final season with the red cue in 7-ball. Shannon started her farewell season well with a 9 shot game, getting nothing from the break but also navigating the rack with no errors in quick time. Following that, Cascades captain Jasmine shoots 9-ball with the silver cue, hoping to get a good result. Jasmine didn't get what she wanted in this appearance, getting nothing from the break and racking up three errors during the game, needing 21 shots after a slow start to complete the game. The group ends with Fuchsia, the Predators rookie, who will use the blue cue in her 9-ball game. Fuchsia was stymied on the break as well, and while she had the 9 close to the top right, she couldn't convert it early, taking one error and 17 shots to finish the game.

The seventh batch gets going as Mr. Snowman of the Infinity Torpedoes shoots 8-ball with the red cue. Mr. Snowman also came up empty on his break, and he had struggles early in the game, but he gathered himself to shoot 21 shots and no errors in the appearance, a vast improvement over his last outing. Continuing along, Terrace City Knights captain Kiwi shoots 8-ball with the silver cue, with hopes of a strong performance. Kiwi had a fairly average appearance, getting nothing on the break despite an excellent shatter, and then she avoided errors in taking 22 shots to complete the outing. The last game of the afternoon features Rockers captain Misty using the blue cue in 12-ball as she takes the lead in the speed challenge. Misty did well in the appearance, needing only 18 shots after making a ball on the break and taking no errors during the game. Leading off the short night is the 34th player of the day, the Swifts' Patches, who is back to play 9-ball with the silver cue. Patches needed only 11 shots, including two errors, after making two balls on the break to simplify the game quite a bit in a strong outing. The group closes with Volcanoes superstar Starlight playing 10-ball with the silver cue. Starlight turned an empty break and two unfortunate misses into an easy tap-in, making the 1-10 combination after chasing the 1 around, and she scored 3 with no errors for the game.

The final group is led by Victoria Spurs captain Spice, who is up for her 8-ball qualifier using the blue cue. Spice had nothing on the break, and needed 24 shots in total, including a pair of errors from ill-placed trick-shot attempts, a mediocre performance for the veteran. Next up, Bells of the Todavía Stills makes her debut with the team in 7-ball, using the red cue with the hopes of an endearing performance. Bells had a terrible outing for her new team, coming close to getting something from the break, and then completely melting down, needing 21 shots and four errors before it was over. The pressure for a good game falls to Sydney Sierota of the Harrison Specters, who will use the red cue in her 8-ball appearance. Sydney did well, getting a ball on the break of her turn and then needing only 19 shots to finish the game, but she did have an unfortunate error mixed in near the end. The 39th player of the day is Caitlin of the Oceanside Waves, shooting 7-ball with the blue cue in her season debut. Caitlin made a ball on the break and then cleared the table with 10 shots, taking no errors in the process for a good game. The last player to shoot is Kayla of the Royal Crowns, making her debut with the team in 7-ball with the red cue. Kayla got nothing from the break and a single error on missed contact, ending with a middling 13 shots for the game.

No promises on any games tomorrow. Today was a rough day for the shooters, and if that persists, tomorrow may be an off-day, which is good news for cricket fans.

2017 Qualifiers - Day 3

We return to qualifying action with the typical 40-50 game slate on tap. We'll see how it goes, leading off in a short morning session with...

Boots, the Pearl Surfers draftee, who will use the blue cue in 8-ball to get the day started. Boots did alright despite an empty break, bursting out on a long run early in the game before being unable to secure the game quickly, taking her only error and closing with 21 shots in a suppressed finish. Next up, Atlantic Pirates rookie Isabella uses the red cue for her 7-ball qualifier and career debut. Isabella did well despite sinking nothing on the break, receiving lucky positions to be able to knock the rack away in quick succession, needing only 9 shots with no errors in the turn. The last game before lunch belongs to Diamond Gems captain Smokey, who shoots 8-ball with the blue cue. Smokey continues a strong run of play in qualifiers, getting unlucky with a bad rack to break with, but then picking at it for 17 shots with no errors to record a pace-setting score. Yekaterina Vasilyeva is the first to play after lunch, and fourth overall today, as the Victoria Spurs sophomore standout shoots 8-ball with the silver cue. Yekaterina couldn't pot anything from the break, and she had a decent time in the game, but faltered with an error late that sent her to 22 total shots. Finishing off this group, Rainmane of the Midland Predators uses the blue cue for 8-ball. This game went very poorly, featuring Rainmane taking two errors and needing a pitiful 28 shots to clear the table and end the forgettable turn.

Group two will hope someone can make something from the break, as it has the potential to be a long day if that doesn't begin to happen more. Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle gets the next chance, shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Snuggle didn't quite get anything on the break, but he shot well during his appearance, needing only 19 shots with a single error for his early scratch as he set himself up well for this season. The seventh player to shoot today is Peach, the rookie captain of the North Modernistic Nighthawks, who will use the silver cue in her career debut in 7-ball. Peach did well, getting a ball on the break and holding her own until the end, where command dropped a bit and she needed 11 shots but no errors to wrap it up. Moving along, the career Boston Swift Sweetheart shoots 7-ball with the silver cue as well. Sweetheart can bury her expectations for this year, as an empty break and one error as well as difficult shooting positions put her at 18 shots for the game. Twinkie II of the Harrison Specters was called next, and she'll start her year with the blue cue in 7-ball. Twinkie II left the table disappointed, suffering one error and no balls on the break, as well as a drastic cooling at the end of the game that left her on 14 shots. The group closes with Queens Flames rookie Violetta shooting 8-ball with the blue cue. Violetta impressed with a ball on the break, and she held her own save for her two errors on scratches, as she finished with 21 shots to end the appearance.

The third batch begins with Panda, the Southern Monarchs captain, shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Panda looked poised for success with a good break, but after his scratch, a bunch of narrow misses ruined his game, sending him to 24 shots on the high end of the acceptable range along with the single error. Following that, Puff I of the Modernistic Union has the blue cue up for her 8-ball qualifier. Puff I did get a ball on the break after the 7 rolled into the bottom left, and she had one error, a mid-game scratch, as she worked her way to 22 shots in a solid outing for the reliable veteran. Going thirteenth today is Neopolitan, the Pearl Surfers veteran, who will use the red cue in her 8-ball game. Neopolitan didn't really have any issues during her game, going empty on the break but also taking no errors among the 21 shots she employed to finish the rack. Along to the Boston Swifts captain and superstar Patches, who makes her season debut in 7-ball with the red cue as she looks to follow up last year's campaign with something better. Patches had a fairly textbook performance, making two balls on the break and selectively choosing her times to shoot for a potting, working for 9 shots and no errors in the game. The group ends with Oceanside Waves rookie Celestia playing 8-ball with the red cue in her second career game. Celestia's break did produce a ball, but it was a bit messy otherwise, and she could have used a bit more spread, as she took an error and 22 shots to complete the game.

Batch four kicks off with Dustin, the reigning MVP and Central Warriors superstar, shooting 7-ball with the red cue as he kicks off his next conquest campaign. Dustin couldn't score a ball on the break, and he also avoided taking an error in 11 shots, a fairly humble start to the year for a player of his caliber. Shawn, the Midland Predators captain, gets the next game, using the blue cue to make his debut with the Predators in 7-ball. Shawn had a ball on the break, and that was the only positive for the game, as he messed up the 4-7 combination he had lined up and needed 15 shots with an error to finish the appearance. Up next, Strut of the Golden Pilots plays 7-ball with the silver cue in his season debut. Strut was happy to get a ball on the break and need only 9 shots despite having to chase the 7 for a bit in his game, as he also took no errors in a good performance. The nineteenth player called to shoot today is Stripes of the Terrace City Knights, who will have the red cue on hand for her 8-ball game. Stripes shot very accurately in the game, going empty on the break but finishing with 19 shots and no errors for the appearance, a good mark for the veteran. Wrapping up this group, another Knight, Jennifer Livilotti, shoots 7-ball with the silver cue in her season debut. Jennifer produced nothing on the break, and saw an error disrupt her game midway through, ending with the lone error in 13 shots.

The fifth group opens with Stephanie Livilotti, Jennifer's sister and the Southridge Defenders rookie, shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Stephanie did okay, getting nothing from her break but also avoiding any errors, although she needed 24 shots after stagnating in the middle of the game. Going 22nd for the day is Diamond Gems sophomore Pedey, who will use the red cue for his game of 7-ball. Pedey didn't quite make the 7 on the break, but he left it close enough to the top right that after he made the 1, it was easy to deflect the cue off the 2 to pot the 7 cleanly. Pedey had no errors and just 2 shots in the remarkable appearance. That's a tough act to follow for Puff III, who has the silver cue up for 8-ball as the Everton Eagles star makes her second appearance this year. Puff III did basically as well as she could, getting a ball on the break and then shooting to near-perfection in her game, taking no errors and a small 16 shots to set a new pace in the event. Continuing along, Freedom Cascades captain Jasmine shoots 7-ball with the silver cue. Jasmine had an interesting game, getting a ball on the break, then scratching on the next shot for her lone error. A few shots later, she drilled the 2-7 bank combination to the top right to finish her game at 6 shots, somewhat surprisingly. Harrison Specters sophomore star Sydney Sierota plays the next game, her season debut in 7-ball with the blue cue. Sydney needed only 10 shots in her game, getting nothing on the break and committing no errors during the game for a solid effort all around.

The sixth bunch gets going with Spice of the Victoria Spurs playing 7-ball with the silver cue in her season debut. Spice had nothing on the break in her game, and she did take an illegal contact error, her lone one, early in the game, but she settled in to finish with 10 shots in a strong outing. Tysini Hummingbirds star Leandra got the next game, keeping the game at 7-ball, but bringing on the blue cue to shoot with. Leandra struggled during the game, getting nothing on the break and lacking the skill to make the tougher shots, ending at a score of 14 and one error for a late illegal contact call. The Commerce Tradewinds' Lionel gets the next game, using the red cue in his 8-ball qualifier. Lionel had plenty of poise on his turn despite coming up just barely empty on the break. He was very efficient with his shooting, needing only 17 shots to clear the table, and he took no errors in the process. Next up, Dusty of the Golden Pilots uses the silver cue to make her 8-ball appearance. Dusty got a ball on the break and didn't take any errors in a very strong performance, needing only 19 shots to clear the table with some savvy shot selection factoring into her success. Closing this group out is Brownie of the Tysini Hummingbirds, using the blue cue to play her game of 8-ball. Brownie excelled in this game, making two balls on the break, and her only mistake was a scratch for a lone error among the 17 shots she took to finish the game.

Leading off group seven is Midnight, the Westside Rockers veteran, who will use the red cue for 7-ball in the last game before the scheduled mid-afternoon break. Midnight couldn't get anything from her break, but she also didn't take any errors, dealing with long shots and scoring 10 to finish the appearance. The next player leads off the post-break portion, and that player is Charli XCX of the Tysini Hummingbirds, who will use the silver cue in her season debut in 7-ball. Charli had a rough turn at the table, needing 12 shots, including two errors, to clear the rack after an empty break left her a bit disappointed. Following that is Chris of the Capital City Sharpshooters, using the red cue for his 8-ball appearance. Chris was dominant on his turn at the table, getting a ball on the break and shooting 18 despite a single error on a poorly-timed scratch to disrupt an early run. Going 34th today, Bright of the North Modernistic Nighthawks uses the silver cue to shoot 8-ball. Bright couldn't quite make a ball on the break despite a solid shot, and he took a single scratch for his only error of the game, ending on 20 shots in a strong outing. The batch ends with Maplewood Lumberjacks stalwart Bryant shooting 8-ball with the red cue. Bryant had no trouble shooting well in his game, potting a ball on the break and then taking only 17 shots to finish the game without an error in a stunning performance.

In the eighth batch, the first player up is Mams, the Viewpoint Sound Meteors captain, who will play 7-ball with the blue cue in her season debut. Mams got a ball on the break and then needed only 3 shots to convert the 2-7 combination, ending with no errors in an abbreviated session. The last game before the afternoon ends belongs to Sparkles of the Todavía Stills, who will have the red cue in hand for her 8-ball qualifier. Sparkles didn't score a ball on the break, and while she started the game well, she struggled to close it out, ending with 20 shots and no errors despite the late flailing. The night starts, appropriately enough, with Nightfur of the Royal Crowns shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Nightfur went empty on her break shot, but also didn't take any errors during the appearance, ending early with a glancing hit off the 4 to tap the 7 to the bottom right for a score of 8. The 39th player drawn to shoot is Midnight of the Westside Rockers, using the red cue for 8-ball in this appearance. Midnight could have finished stronger in the game, as her empty break and a late error for missed contact sent her to 22 shots in total. Bryant of the Lumberjacks returns to action with the silver cue for 9-ball to wrap up this group. Bryant is putting himself in very good positions, making a ball on the break and taking this game in 7 shots with a 4-9 combination to the top right, although he had one error for a scratch that played an indirect role in his early finish.

The ninth group starts with Westside Rockers captain Misty using the silver cue to shoot 10-ball. Misty had no problems with her game, getting nothing on the break but taking no errors, and closing strong with 18 shots despite a very sluggish start and the temptation to take half-chances toward the 10. Up next, Everton Eagles sophomore Kirstin shoots 10-ball with the silver cue as well. Kirstin had arguably her best appearance so far in this game, needing just 12 shots despite an empty break to clear the table, and she had no errors in the briskly-paced game that gives her the lead in the event. Following that, Waluigi of the Maplewood Lumberjacks makes his second career appearance, shooting 8-ball with the blue cue. Waluigi shocked the crowd with his break, making two balls on it, and he barely slowed down from there, needing only 16 shots to finish the game with no errors in a great outing. Moving along, Bianca of the Southridge Defenders is up for 8-ball with the red cue in her second career appearance. Bianca proved unable to rise to the challenge of the game, needing 23 shots with nothing on the break and no errors, with the positioning of her shots lacking the skill it needed to be better. The 45th player of the day finishes this group, and that player is Starlight, the Pacific Volcanoes captain, who will use the silver cue to play 8-ball. Starlight looked to be in great form, going empty on the break but taking control of the game after that, needing only 17 shots to finish it with no errors.

The final group begins with Sally of the Archtown Arrows playing 8-ball with the red cue. Sally had a poor break, but she didn't let it get in her way. After an early scratch that counted as her only error, she buckled down and picked away at the rack to finish it off in 20 shots, a good mark given the circumstances. Nicole gets the next game, as the newest Capital City Sharpshooter will make her debut with the team in 7-ball with the red cue. Nicole dazzled on her turn, making a ball on the break and working from there to end the game in only 7 shots, as she lived up to her new team's name. Nicole took no errors during the game. Going 48th in the order today, Pedey, the Gems sophomore, shoots 8-ball with the blue cue. Pedey's break proved fruitless for him, and while he shot well during the game, a pair of errors late sent him to 22 shots, a solid but unremarkable effort in the end. Cascades captain Jasmine gets tonight's penultimate game, shooting 8-ball with the red cue on her turn. Jasmine was truly snake-bit at the start of her game, but it didn't last too long, and she closed the game down for 20 shots and no errors despite the empty break. Finally, Hoppy of the Southern Monarchs gets to play 9-ball with the silver cue to close out the day. Hoppy tried to play well, making a ball on the break and charging from the start, but two errors derailed her efforts and sent her to 17 shots in the end.

The league will see a shorter day for pool tomorrow, but with the chance that cricket might get another segment up. Also, Saturday will likely feature minimal play in either event.

UPCL Cricket - Week 4 Part 1

The fourth week of the season is upon us, beginning with...

Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Northeast Division gets a spotlight to open the week with this battle between the well-rested Warriors and traveling Lumberjacks. Fluffina flicked 532 for Maplewood at the start, setting a good tone for the game going forward. Twilight fired back with 371 for Central, struggling with pace at the start before settling into a positive groove. Diddley slapped back with 441 for the Lumberjacks, extending their lead slightly with the solid effort. Dustin cancelled out that performance with his 449 for the Warriors, keeping the game in range for the hosts despite trailing at the halfway mark. Bryant allowed Maplewood's lead to deteriorate a bit on his watch, as he managed 264 in a bit of a down turn. Central's Mario broke out with 726 for the hosts, capturing the lead at a great late point in the game despite fading quickly at the end of the appearance. Waluigi put up 416 for the Lumberjacks, giving them a final of 1653 as they force a response from the hosts. Gizmo answered the call with 141 for the Warriors, giving them 1687 overall in the narrow win. Central is 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the division, while Maplewood is 3-3 with a 1-1 division mark.

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: The Surfers took a week off and are back at home for the next two games, taking on the winless Sharks in the third of their five straight road games. Chelsea couldn't manage a difficult bounce on her turn, ending with a meager 52 for Eastside. Watermelon answered with 304 for Pearl, giving them the early lead. Taylor chipped only 136 for the Sharks, failing to cover the deficit as the team continues to struggle in this appearance. Neopolitan took very conservative swings on her turn for the Surfers, but it worked out, as she produced 361 to add a good amount to their lead. Niki submitted a pathetic 96 for Eastside, practically eliminating all hope of a comeback in this game for the team. Boots drilled 700 for Pearl, effectively securing their lead with a player each to go. Paps gained 209 for the Sharks, leaving them at 493 total in a pitiful losing effort. Wings added 302 for the Surfers at the end of the game, bringing them to 1667 in total. Pearl's back on track with the win, going to 5-5, while Eastside drops to 0-7, and the team is reported to be having a closed-door meeting post-game.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: In the Eastern Hills, the Cascades will look to prevent the Specters from getting their first win in the second match in a five-game road trip. Sydney initially seemed uncomfortable on her turn, but gathered composure and put up 368 for Harrison in the lead-off role. Jasmine shot back with 584 for Freedom, as the experienced captain was able to poke away a few of the more dangerous offerings with veteran savvy. Twinkie II proved relentless with 632 for the Specters, driving her hits deep and with pace to keep her team in the game. Stinky faltered with a bad-angle hit on his turn, tallying only 146 as the Cascades fall behind halfway through the game. Lexi didn't have a great game, taking only 168 for Harrison as she failed to solidify their lead. Roxy blasted 838 for Freedom, regaining complete control of the game after going unfazed by a cluttered pitch. Sugar struggled from the start, getting pinned back with fast offerings, and while she held on for awhile, her 312 left the Specters short with 1480 in the loss, keeping them winless. Nikolai had a bad turn, taking a measly 33 for the Cascades, but they still won with 1601. Freedom is up to 3-2 with the bold win, while Harrison is 0-5 after another disappointment despite a decent offensive output.

BMW RockDome, Westside: This is the last game at home for awhile for the Rockers, and they'll face the Crowns in their first road game of the year. Nightfur looked confident for the first time this season, but got beat when trying to settle a ball, ending her contribution at 448 for Royal. Misty got unlucky with a bounce off her arm going errant and ending her turn at 54 for Westside, who are unfamiliar with coming from behind. Jake lost his line a bit too soon into his turn, tapping 160 to add to the Crowns lead. Goatee helped get the Rockers back into the game with her 490, shrinking the deficit quite a bit at the halfway point. Royal's lead slipped again with Kayla hitting only 138 on her turn, an unusually bad effort from the typically reliable team newcomer. Midnight locked in early but had one bad swing to end her turn, but not after she reclaimed the lead for Westside with her 341-point performance. Hannah did her part for the Crowns, using her 434 in a calm appearance to bring the team to 1180, forcing the hosts to make a not-insignificant response. Slinks came up short with 240 for the Rockers, giving them a loss with 1125. Westside has fallen, going to 7-1 in their first loss of the year, while Royal has proved very dangerous at 3-1.

Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: The strong Blades team challenges a tired Defenders team on the road for their next two games. Bianca continued to look comfortable as the leading hitter for Southridge, scoring 384 in this game. Snowball just barely got outperformed by the rookie, answering with 375 for Swordpoint to keep the game close after the opening salvos. Debby clubbed 652 for the Defenders, just missing on a swing at the end sneaked under her bat. Dreamy kept things close with 609 for the Blades, but they've lost another small step at the halfway mark. Stephanie stumbled with only 111 for Southridge, leaving them vulnerable after the poor outing. Bandit put up a quick and crisp 490 for Swordpoint in response, pushing them a decent ways ahead of the visitors with a player each to go. Hughbert couldn't make a rally with 157 for the Defenders, leaving them at 1304 in the difficult loss. Stealth batted 384 for the Blades, icing their steep victory with 1858. Swordpoint is now 4-1 on the year, while Southridge takes another disappointing loss to fall to 3-7.

Chevrolet Field, Everton: The Eagles bring in an opponent that produced fireworks last year for the second of their four straight games at home, as the Knights make a quick jaunt east for this premier match. Kiwi suffered from a strange bounce that hit her elbow and went out, ending her offense at 375 for Terrace City after a sluggish start. Goldy put Everton slightly ahead with 408 on her turn, an edge that is likely to be challenged frequently. What Jennifer lacked in pace, she made up for in longevity for the Knights, as she gathered 444 over a long turn to keep the game interesting. Puff III got caught out with an early swing that missed the ball, giving her a measly 30 for the Eagles as they fall behind at the midway point. Oreo only collected 195 for Terrace City, spiking a ball too high at the end as the game is far from decided. Kirstin made a dent in the deficit with 385 for Everton, providing a solid attack in the middle of the lineup once again. Stripes faltered as she was blitzed from the start, gaining only 52 to put the Knights at a very vulnerable 1066 total. Blizzard stole the game away with 360 individually to put the Eagles at a final of 1183. Everton is now 4-0 on the year, while Terrace City falls to 4-2 as the road has not been kind to them once again.

Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: The Navy Blues Derby gets its first match of the year, with the Defenders finishing their interior Southwest road trip in Capital City to face the high-flying Sharpshooters. Bianca looked determined for Southridge, and successfully unleashed 708 for the visitors. Chris did not feel all that comfortable in his turn, taking just 101 for Capital City as they'll start from far behind. Debby chipped another 336 for the Defenders to boost their lead on her turn. Missy couldn't find her angle for the Sharpshooters, recording a paltry 57 as they're dead to rights halfway through the game. Stephanie got tabbed for a technical error and halted her game at 441, a respectable attack for the inconsistent rookie. Sprinkles couldn't solve Capital City's problems, producing just 148 as they will certainly lose this game without a minor miracle. Hughbert hammered 663 for the Defenders, capping what should be a win at 2148 for them. Nicole tried a rally for the Sharpshooters, battering her way to 751, but this left them at 1057 in the loss, a semi-respectable level. Southridge goes to 4-7, while Capital City slips to 5-4 after another tough defeat.

Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: The Monarchs kick off a six-game home stand against the Nighthawks, who will be halfway through their ten-game road trip after this match. Peach hit a reasonable 309 for North Modernistic, a middling first attack from the captain. Panda swung for 449 for Southern, finding his groove and riding that to a noticeable lead at the start of the game. Luigi fired back with a sharp 502 for the Nighthawks, establishing a stronger second lead for the team. Hoppy got split by a low and high offering, choosing to hit neither until it was too late to go backhand, which caused her demise at just 69 points, leaving the Monarchs behind at the halfway mark. Cheddar smacked 692 for North Modernistic, extending their lead quite well at a valuable moment. Pounce stumbled to 147 for Southern, making any hopes of a comeback dim quite a bit. Bright opened the door a bit with 135 for the Nighthawks, leaving them with a final score of 1638. Shannon tried to make a comeback with 583 for the Monarchs, but they still took the loss with 1248 overall. North Modernistic is far from road weary, going to 4-1 with the win, while Southern sinks to 1-3 in another defeat in their home opener.

Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: The Generations Derby commences with the last game in the Warriors' first home stand of the year, as they hope to topple the defending champions. Patches struggled with her pace for Boston, taking only 192 as they'll look for more points later in the game. Twilight did even worse for Central, posting just 141 as the hosts start the game from behind. Puff II had a moment of indecision with a ball bouncing behind her, and as she pulled back, she knocked it into the wicket, ending her turn with 194 for the Swifts in the gritty battle. Dustin knocked 395 for the Warriors, giving them the lead halfway through the game. Gradley fired back despite a distracting insect in front of his face, slashing his way to 598 to keep Boston competitive in the game's later stages. Central's Mario made a mess of his turn with only 208, putting them behind with a player each to go. Sweetheart slugged 871 for the Swifts in her appearance, bringing them to 1855 in total in what should be a win. Gizmo tried to rally with 387 for the Warriors, but they came up way short at 1131, taking their first loss of the year in the rivalry battle. Boston is up to 4-4, while Central's loss sends them to 4-1, making the Eagles the only undefeated team left in the league.

HP Field, Midland: The Predators and Pilots meet for the first of two games between these teams in short notice. The return match is in four games. This also acts as a Southeast Divisional and a Southlands Derby match, and ends the seven-game Predators home stand, as well as the Pilots' opening four-game road trip. Valencia couldn't bring a ball back from the edge despite getting her bat on it, ending with just 183 for Golden. Shawn was very precise on his turn, pulling in 425 for Midland to establish the initial lead. Dusty paddled 619 in response for the Pilots, giving them a lead of their own for awhile. Rainmane covered the deficit with 463 for the Predators, giving them a small advantage at the halfway point. Strut poked his way to 503 for Golden, setting up another barrier for the hosts. Leonardo choked under pressure, taking a measly 42 for Midland to put them far back late in the game. A. Charlton locked into her groove very early, riding it out to 597 for the Pilots, giving them 1902 as their final score, a very likely victory. Fuchsia tried to rally the Predators back in the game, but her 554 left them at 1484 in the loss, well short of the target mark. Golden is up to 3-1 and will finally return home, while Midland drops to 5-4 in a mixed start to the year.

Cisco Tysini Field, Tysini: The Hummingbirds play the third of five straight home games when the Gems come to town for the last game of their current two-game trip. Smokey might have had a couple of fortunate bounces as he collected 308 for Diamond, but he's happy to contribute in a meaningful way. Princess was stuck from the start, never establishing a shot before striking a ball out of bounds to end on a pathetic 20 for Tysini. Citrus tallied another 383, boosting the Gems lead by about double what it was. Leandra tried to keep pace, scoring 370 for the Hummingbirds, but they'll need a game-changing effort at some point. Pedey kept things stable with 314 for Diamond on his turn, a solid outing from the sophomore. Charli charged back into the game with 561 for Tysini, cutting deeply into the deficit and making it a close game to be decided by the final batters. Rosalina led the team in offense despite a cluttered pitch, rallying for a very tough 413 to give the Gems a final of 1418. Brownie likewise faced tough pitch conditions, but was done in quickly by a high-arcing ball that ended her turn at 40, leaving the Hummingbirds with 991. Diamond's win takes them to 3-4, while Tysini falls to 1-5.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks are home for a back-to-back, while the Stills finish off their three-game road trip with this match that also closes the segment. Fatigue is a concern for the heavily-scheduled Todavía side, and it was obvious in the 195 scored by their captain, Easter, to open the game. Fluffina pulverized her cousin's offerings to the tune of 681 for Maplewood, giving them the early lead by a significant margin. Sierra churned out 541 for the Stills in response, covering the deficit. Diddley restored a smaller lead for the Lumberjacks with his 441, keeping them far enough ahead at the halfway mark. Sparkles couldn't keep pace, bringing in only 227 for Todavía as their chances of getting the game slip. Bryant added a little more cushion with his 344 for Maplewood, keeping their lead strong. Bells tried to go big and held on for awhile for the Stills, but her 297 only got them to a score of 1260 in the loss. Waluigi kept it simple, taking 49 points and allowing the Lumberjacks to win on 1515 total. Maplewood goes to 4-3 on the year, while Todavía is 7-5 with plenty more games to play in the near future.

That's it for today's 12-pack. We'll try to get a segment up every day or two for a few weeks, until we're a bit closer to where we should be on pace for the league.

2017 Qualifiers - Day 2

We're looking to play 40 games today, but we'll bump it up to 50 if we're feeling lucky. We begin with...

A. Charlton of the Golden Pilots leading off group one with her 7-ball qualifier, using the blue cue in her season debut. Charlton got two balls in on the break, and rode that successful start to a strong 9 shot game with no errors to set a positive tone for the day. Central Warriors captain Twilight gets the next game, the league's first 9-ball of the qualifying season, which she'll play with the blue cue. Twilight had mild frustrations stemming from her empty break and a single error, as well as a bit of difficulty in corralling the 3, which led to her taking a mediocre 18 shots in the game. Back to 7-ball is where Bianca, the Southridge Defenders rookie, takes us, and she keeps the blue cue in action for her career debut. Bianca was devastatingly effective as a shooter, going empty on the break but working around obstructed shots for a score of 8 with no errors in a very confident appearance. Going fourth today is Mario, the Central Warriors rookie, who will use the red cue in his career debut in 7-ball. Mario played a very solid game, getting a ball on the break and then avoiding errors as he meticulously set himself up with tap-ins over 9 shots in the game. Finishing the group, we have Everton Eagles sophomore Kirstin shooting 8-ball with the blue cue, trying to break the curse that's fallen upon that event so far this year. Kirstin didn't get anything on the break, but she picked her way around the rack well, needing only 18 shots to clear the table, and she took no errors in the process.

Group two leads off with Southern Monarchs captain Panda shooting 7-ball with the blue cue, which has gotten quite a lot of action so far today. Panda had an unforgiving rack, getting nothing from his break and having the 7 being temptingly close to combinations but never falling, causing him to score 15 with no errors as he chased unclaimed glory. The seventh player of the day is Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades, who will shoot her 8-ball game with the red cue in this slot. Dreamy stuck to a fairly average game, getting a lucky ball in on the break and then keeping clean with no errors among her 20 shots, many of which challenged her with their difficulty. Ms. Puppy got the next game, and the Modernistic Union captain keeps the red cue at the table for her 7-ball game. Ms. Puppy got a ball on a very crisp break, and then played a strong game from there on, taking no errors and just 7 shots to finish the appearance. Following that, Southern Monarchs rookie Hoppy plays 8-ball with the red cue. Hoppy started slow in the game, but went a hot stretch over the middle before cooling at the end again, finishing with 21 shots and an empty break with no errors to close things out. The batch ends with Sleepy B. of the Archtown Arrows shooting 7-ball with the silver cue to make her season debut. Sleepy B. had an unimaginably bad start to her game, getting nothing on the break and chasing her shots around the table until her lone error, a scratch. From there, she closed the game in 15 shots, a frustrating score.

The third batch sees Yekaterina Vasilyeva, the sophomore Victoria Spur, trying her hand at 7-ball with the silver cue, hoping for better results than the previous player. Yekaterina also came up empty on the break, and appeared to lose track of her shots, but she settled in and finished with 11 shots, including an error at the end of the game on a scratch. Continuing along, Wings, the longtime Pearl Surfer, brings the blue cue back to action for a game of 7-ball. Wings couldn't really get settled after an empty break, struggling with command and accuracy, leading him to take 13 shots with no errors in the process. Up next, Swordpoint Blades captain Snowball plays 8-ball with the blue cue in her second appearance of qualifiers. Snowball gathered control for herself, making a ball on the break and then dominating her shots throughout the game for a score of 18 with no errors involved. Goatee of the Westside Rockers gets the fourteenth game today, playing 7-ball with the blue cue in this season debut. Goatee had nothing on her break and took an error during the game, but managed to hold on at 12 shots, a respectable score for the occasionally shaky veteran. Rounding out this group, Roxy of the Freedom Cascades steps up to the table to shoot 8-ball with the silver cue. Roxy couldn't produce anything on her break, and came dangerously close to errors, but she stayed error-free and finished the average game in 24 shots, a disappointment.

The fourth group opens with Strawberry, the Modernistic Union newcomer, shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Strawberry did very well, getting a ball on the break, and then setting up and converting the 2-7 combination to the top side, ending the game with 2 shots and no errors to vault near the top of the leaderboard. That's a tough act to follow, and Dominic, the journeyman playing with the Viewpoint Sound Meteors, will have the chance to as he shoots 7-ball with the blue cue. Dominic, as he often is, was very close to magic multiple times, but he ended with an empty break, two errors, and 13 shots as the 7 fell in the bottom side to end the game. Up next, we have the Eagles' Kirstin playing 9-ball with the silver cue to join the speed pace lead. Kirstin couldn't manage anything on her break shot, but she didn't take an error either, instead working around a difficult start to finish the game in 16 shots, ending with the 7-9 kick combination to the top right for an impressive highlight. Dusty, the one-time star for the Golden Pilots, gets the next game, shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Dusty came up empty on the break, but cruised through a fairly non-threatening rack for a palyer of her caliber, making her only error at the end with a scratch that iced her score at 10. The 20th player of the day closes this group, and that player is highly-hyped Infinity Torpedoes rookie Solaris, who makes his career debut with the silver cue in 7-ball. Solaris had no trouble in his first appearance, going empty on the break but scoring the rack in 11 shots with no errors and looking confident while doing so.

In batch five, the games start with Stephanie Livilotti, another Southridge Defenders rookie, shooting 7-ball with the silver cue. Stephanie had a little bit of everything in her game. She got a ball on the break, made illegal contact for her only error, and ran up to 12 shots due to a lack of clear shooting opportunities. Neopolitan got the next game, and the Pearl Surfers co-captain will shoot 7-ball with the blue cue as she starts her season. Neopolitan made a ball on the break and took no errors during the game, showing enough command for a three-ball run-out at the end to close on 9 shots. Going 23rd today is Torpedoes rookie Solaris, getting in his second game, which will see him use the blue cue for 8-ball. Solaris struggled early on in the game, demoralized by getting an empty break, but he settled in for 20 shots and no errors during the appearance, which is plenty acceptable. Following him is Cheddar, the North Modernistic Nighthawk, who will shoot 7-ball with the blue cue. Cheddar played a gutsy game, getting nothing on the break and missing an early deflected chance at the 7, only to make the 4-7 combination to the bottom left and end the game early at 8 shots, with no errors tallied during the appearance. The group ends with Fluffina, the Maplewood Lumberjacks captain, looking to bounce back in 8-ball with the silver cue after a bad start yesterday. Fluffina did alright, going empty on the break and taking her lone error early in the game on a scratch, before ultimately ending on 22 shots after a mid-game swoon derailed a promising series of shots.

Starting off group six, Web City Spiders captain Shadow plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Shadow had a rough go of things, scoring nothing on the break except for a scratch. Two easy misses and two errors in total later, Shadow was able to close with a still-healthy total of 12 shots for the game. Lorde of the Commerce Tradewinds is up next, using the silver cue to start her sophomore season in 7-ball. Lorde dominated throughout her game, making a ball on the break and not even thinking of erring during the 8 shots it took to clear the rest of the rack. Moving along to Waluigi, the Maplewood Lumberjacks rookie who will play 7-ball with the blue cue to lead us into the scheduled mid-afternoon break, a post-Reconstruction feature for weekday play. Waluigi's only mistake was a scratch on the break shot, as he was perfect from there on, although he did miss his 2-7 combination attempt, making the 2 on a bank to the bottom left. He had just one error in 8 shots for the game. After the break, Slinks makes her Westside Rockers pool debut with the silver cue in game of 7-ball. Slinks made three balls on the break in this game, including the 7, giving her a score of 0 shots with no errors in a perfect performance. The last player in the group is Acorn, the Lighton Prestige captain, using the blue cue in 7-ball as he tries to match the previous player's effort. Acorn had a much less positive experience, getting nothing on the break and stagnating mid-game, forcing himself into an error and 13 total shots to finish his season debut.

The seventh bunch kicks off with Oreo of the Terrace City Knights using the blue cue for 7-ball. Oreo had a mixed result for her turn, making two balls in on the break, but also suffering two errors, one at the start and one more at the end, running her up to 11 shots in total. The 32nd player drawn to shoot today is Boots, the Pearl Surfers newcomer who will use the red cue as she tries to make a good impression for her new team. She did just that, as Boots made the 7 to the bottom side on the break of the game, taking no errors and a score of 0 to impress the fans with. Following that, Americus of the Atlantic Pirates shoots 7-ball with the blue cue, trying to match the last result. Americus had an embarrassing series of missed shots, proving unable to lock things down after an empty break. She took no errors among the 15 shots necessary to complete the game. Misty, the Westside Rockers captain, was drawn next for a game of 9-ball with the blue cue. Misty is showing some serious veteran savvy through three qualifying games, needing just 9 shots in this appearance, with a couple of lucky bounces along the way. She made a ball from the break and took no errors in the game. The group is rounded out by Daisy, the Modernistic Union rookie, shooting 7-ball with the blue cue to end the afternoon session. Daisy didn't get anything on the break, making for a long session for the rookie, as she needed two jump shots to stay legal in the 13-shot appearance, taking no errors along the way.

For the night session, group eight is led off by Paps of the Eastside Sharks, who will play 9-ball with the red cue. Paps had some iffy situations to get out of, but he did so with much poise, avoiding an error among his 15 shots, which could have been lower with some more aggressive shots. Next up is Jake of the Royal Crowns, who has the silver cue up for a game of 7-ball to start his qualifying season. Jake had only one error after his empty break, a solid mark given the openness of the game, and he closed it out in 10 shots, establishing himself on the good side of the average. Moving along, Tysini Hummingbirds captain Princess keeps the silver cue at the table for another 7-ball game. Princess suppressed a bit of frustration with the course of her debut, as she took two well-earned errors and needed 13 shots to close out the game, in an all-around difficult appearance. The 39th player to shoot today is Delila of the Atlantic Pirates, as the captain makes it three in a row for the silver cue and 7-ball games. Delila looked to be in her best form in years, taking the rack in only 9 shots with no errors despite coming up empty on the break, which has been fickle so far tonight. Rounding out the group, Commerce Tradewinds veteran Ice Cream plays 7-ball with the silver cue to keep the streak going. Ice Cream got stuck with a whammy in this game, getting nothing from the break and no clean leaves throughout, taking 19 shots with one error in the enraging game.

The ninth batch opens with Snowball shooting 9-ball with the red cue, hoping a change of pace will help change the direction of the results. Snowball got her wish, and while she couldn't make anything on the break despite being close on both right corners, she took only one error among 13 shots to complete the game and set the league pace for the event currently. Diamond Gems captain Smokey gets the next turn, reverting to silver cue and 7-ball and hoping that Ice Cream's game was an anomaly. Smokey did just about his best, getting a bit unlucky not to get anything from the break, and then navigating unclear shots well enough to end with 10 shots and no errors in the appearance, a very strong showing. The 43rd player chosen today is Snowball again, as she shoots 10-ball with the blue cue to establish the new league pace for events. Snowball didn't do so well at the start, taking all three errors early on despite making two balls on the break, but she settled in over the middle and finished with a score of 19 overall. Following that game, Sugar, the new Harrison Specter, plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Sugar went from good to bad to great all over the course of 5 shots that she needed to finish the game. The good was a ball on the break, quickly followed by her lone error, a scratch, and then the great cluster-buster that sent the 7 to the top left. The batch closes with a game of 7-ball with the silver cue for Bright of the North Modernistic Nighthawks. Bright couldn't quite get anything on the break, but he avoided taking an error in the rest of the game, working efficiently to score 9 shots only.

The last group of the day begins with Ruby, the Archtown Arrows star, shooting 7-ball with the silver cue. Ruby got nothing on the break, but went on a six-ball run after that, only getting lucky when the 1 caromed to take the 4 at the bottom left. Ruby made the 7 later, scoring 8 shots with no errors in the stunning appearance. Going 47th today, Capital City Sharpshooters captain Chris keeps the silver cue at the table for more 7-ball in his season debut. Chris got a bit unlucky with an early error after an empty break, both of which conspired to contain him a bit too well, and he ended on 13 shots with the single error. Fuchsia, the Midland Predators rookie, gets the next game, also using the silver cue for a game of 7-ball. Fuchsia did alright in her game, scoring a ball on the break but also taking an error among the 11 shots she needed, and it required some gutsy play at the end to keep things in line, including a kick to pot the 7 in the top left for the finisher. Going next is Pacific Volcanoes superstar captain Starlight, who will keep the silver cue 7-ball theme going in another extended run for the combination. It is starting to become a troublesome combination, with Starlight needing 13 shots despite making two balls from the break, and she took one error in the process. The night ends with a debut for Puff III of the Everton Eagles, as she starts her season in 7-ball with the blue cue in hand. Puff III didn't quite get anything from her break, but she made up for it with 10 shots and no errors in a pretty strong appearance.

That's all for today's 50 games. We'll see how the pace for games per day settles in as we go along. Tomorrow, we'll do this again.

2017 Qualifiers - Day 1

As my readers know quite well now, data for the UPCL-organized Tournaments was lost earlier in the year. As such, and also due to poor performance in general, the first run of 2017 Qualifiers had to be scrapped so as to prevent potential data issues in the rebuilt documents. After an arduous five months or so, the league is ready to restart its pool Tournament with the first day of Qualifiers. I expect this will take three to four weeks in total, with an average pace of 40 games a day during the week and 50 more over the weekend. We'll try to do 50 today, beginning with...

Gizmo, the Central Warriors veteran, using the blue cue in his 7-ball qualifier. Gizmo started well, but the pressure of going first wore on him. He took no errors among his 12 shots, and he made a ball on the break to set a good tone going forward. B. Chapman of the Victoria Spurs took the next game, playing with the silver cue in 7-ball. Chapman made two balls on the break in this appearance, and played a savvy shot off the 1 to pot the 3, easing her path to 7 shots and no errors in the game. The third player of the day was Fluffina, the Maplewood Lumberjacks captain, set to play 7-ball with the silver cue. Fluffina's turn was a forgettable one, as she needed 17 shots with three errors mixed in and an empty break to top it off. Following that, Potter, the Pronger Tridents rookie, keeps the silver cue at the table for his career debut with the silver cue. Potter had a good break, getting a ball in the top right, but two early errors set him off track, finishing with 13 shots and the pair of errors. The group ends with Misty, the Westside Rockers captain, using the blue cue to play 7-ball. Misty had the first perfect game of the season, taking the 7 on the break to the bottom left on a long-route shot that gave her 0 shots for the session.

The second group begins with Bryant, the Maplewood Lumberjacks veteran, activating the red cue for the day with his 7-ball appearance. Bryant matched Misty's performance, scoring the 7 on the break for 0 shots, no errors, and a successful opener to the season. The pressure is even higher for Hoot, the new Viewpoint Sound Meteor, as he uses the blue cue for 7-ball. Hoot did get a ball on the break, and he kept a clean sheet with no errors, but his shooting was sporadic, and he ended at 10 shots for the appearance. Kirstin will get the next game, keeping the blue cue up for more 7-ball for the Everton Eagles sophomore. Kirstin came up empty on the break, and got a bit lucky to avoid errors, riding a strong start and fading finish to 13 shots for the game. The ninth player drawn to shoot is Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle, another blue cue player for 7-ball. Snuggle was not good, getting a ball on the break but getting no positioning after that, nor any errors to explain why he needed 16 shots to complete the game. Finishing the group, Golden Pilots captain Valencia brings out the silver cue for her game. Valencia got a ball on the break but also had a scratch in the game, with one error over 10 shots being the results for a long-time star of the league.

The third batch is led off by Stripes of the Terrace City Knights, who brings the blue cue back for her 7-ball game. Stripes did not let an empty break hold her back, as she calmly and sharply finished the rack in 10 shots with no errors during the course of play. Continuing along, Midland Predators star Rainmane keeps the blue cue at the table for 7-ball in the twelfth game of the day. Rainmane got a ball on the break and got sloppy during her game, accumulating three errors among her reasonably solid 11 shots, begging the question of what could have been. The red cue returns to action with Paps, the Eastside Sharks' offseason acquisition, playing his season debut in 7-ball. It was a rough start for Paps, as he scratched on his break, but he was solid from there on, needing only 9 shots with the single error to finish the appearance. Up next, Twilight, the Central Warriors captain and superstar, has the blue cue up for 7-ball once again. Twilight got a ball on the break and seemed to have a loose grip on the game the rest of the way, needing only 8 shots with no errors despite some difficult positions to shoot out of. Closing out this group, Max of the Queens Flames keeps the blue cue up for more 7-ball. Max got nothing out of his break, but some reliable shooting brought him to a fairly average 11 with no errors in the game.

Group four opens with the sixteenth player of the day, Citrus of the Diamond Gems, who has the red cue primed for her 7-ball qualifier. Citrus went empty on her break, and then charged her way through 9 shots to end the game, taking no errors along the way in the admirable performance. Next up, Violetta of the Queens Flames gets her turn at 7-ball with the silver cue in her career debut. Violetta couldn't get anything going for herself, going empty on the break and then needing 14 shots through the game with no errors to finish it off. Continuing along, Pronger Tridents sophomore Zach plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Zach also came up empty on his break shot, and while he got lucky with his early shots, later attempts caused him to slip to 12 shots with no errors in the game. Lexi of the Harrison Specters got called for the next game, and she'll play 7-ball with the red cue in this appearance. Lexi couldn't make the most of a firm break that did sink a ball, but she kept the game clean with no errors and finished on 11 shots, a good total for the experienced veteran. Wrapping this batch up, Nikolai of the Freedom Cascades keeps the red cue at the table for his 7-ball appearance. Nikolai was unlucky with his break, as nothing fell, and he took 12 shots, including one error, to finish the rest of the rack.

Starting the fifth batch, Leonette of the Pacific Volcanoes uses the blue cue to start her year in 7-ball. Leonette got a ball late on her break, and then kept a strong performance going with no errors among her crisp 9 shots, starting her year off well. The 22nd player to shoot today is Diamond Gems rookie Rosalina, using the silver cue to make her career debut with 7-ball. Rosalina didn't look out of place, getting an empty break but needing only 10 shots in the end, with no errors, to complete the game. She would have been faster had she not missed on the 5 the first time she tried. Following her is Paps, making his second appearance for the Sharks, with this one being 8-ball with the silver cue. Paps did alright on the turn, making a ball on the break but suffering two errors during the course of play and finishing on 20 shots in total. Moving along, we have Tridents rookie Potter using the blue cue for his 8-ball game. Potter did very poorly in the game, getting a ball on the break and then watching it all go bad from there. Inaccurate shooting and five error shots tacked on for illegally potting the 8 sent the rookie to 26 total shots in a poor outing. Wrapping up this batch, the longtime Swordpoint Blade Dreamy shoots 7-ball with the red cue. Dreamy got nothing on the break and looked fine until taking her only error on a scratch, which slowed her pace to 10 shots in the end, still a good effort from the veteran.

Batch six kicks off with the Everton Eagles' Blizzard shooting 7-ball with the silver cue. Blizzard played well, striking a ball on the break and needing just 9 shots with an error to finish the game in good form, a successful opener for the veteran. The next player drawn is Puff I of the Modernistic Union, who also has the silver cue in use for her 7-ball opener for the year. Puff I dazzled on her turn, needing only 8 shots with no errors and nothing on the break to finish the game, placing herself very near the top of the leaderboard for the event. Following her game, Tysini Hummingbirds newcomer Brownie picked up the silver cue and kept its run in 7-ball going. Brownie bested her predecessor with two balls from the break and just 5 shots overall, taking no errors in a very dominant appearance to raise appeal for herself to her new fanbase. The 29th player to shoot today is Niki of the Eastside Sharks, who has the blue cue in hand for her 7-ball season debut. Niki lacked command of her shot throughout the game, managing to get by on 12 shots with nothing from the break and no errors in a fairly average performance for the veteran. The group finishes with a game of 7-ball for Watermelon, who uses the red cue in this appearance. Watermelon set out on a fast pace in the game, with a three-ball run after an empty break, but slowed down to finish with 11 shots and no errors in the end.

The seventh group sees its first player, Oceanside Waves rookie Celestia, making her debut with the silver cue in a game of 7-ball. Celestia needed only 9 shots, including an error, after a sharp break that resulted in one ball going down early. She was shaky at first, but settled in on a six-ball run after the error to finish well. The next game belongs Cobalt, the Stonebridge Wolves rookie, who debuts with the blue cue for 7-ball with a somewhat tough act to follow. Cobalt needed a couple of bounces to go his way, but he scored 0 for the game, potting the 7 to the bottom side on the break, and he took no errors. Going 33rd today is Snowball, the Swordpoint Blades captain, and she uses the silver cue to get her season going in 7-ball. Snowball came up empty on her break, and she needed 12 shots, with one error for a scratch, to complete the game in a fairly average form. The next player is Roxy of the Freedom Cascades, who will also use the silver cue for 7-ball. Roxy scratched on her break, her only error, and otherwise didn't start with any advantage, so her 10 shots were fairly solid, ending with the 6-7 combination to the top right for an early finish. Gradley made a ball on the break but also suffered an error with an unlucky scratch, but he didn't get discouraged, rallying to finish with 10 shots in the good game.

In group eight, the first player is Rockers captain Misty, who is playing 8-ball with the blue cue in this appearance. Misty was impressive despite a very lousy break until she accidentally potted the 8 on a deflection off the 2, resulting in five error shots as penalty. Misty still closed with 20 shots in the end, showing just how good the game was. Whiskers of the Infinity Torpedoes got the next game, bringing the silver cue back for her season debut in 7-ball. Whiskers got nothing on the break, but played a dominant stretch after that, taking only 8 shots to end her turn without an error, a good performance for the veteran. Up next, Eastside Sharks captain Chelsea plays 7-ball with the blue cue in her season debut. Chelsea did very poorly in her turn, getting nothing on the break and failing to convert on the simple shots, dooming her to a bottom-dwelling 17 for her score with one error. The 39th player drawn to compete is Twilight, the Warriors captain, who has the blue cue set for another 8-ball game. Twilight struggled at the start, scoring a ball on the break but failing to navigate the table well. She eventually rounded into form, but took one error among 24 shots in the game. The afternoon ends with Spirit, the Lighton Prestige star, shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Spirit got nothing on her break, but went 7-for-7 in shots following that, ending the game with no errors in a spectacular display of shooting skill.

In the night session, the games begin with Sparkles of the Todavía Stills shooting 7-ball with the blue cue. Sparkls couldn't connect on her shots throughout the game, wasting a fruitful break to the tune of 14 shots, but she didn't take an error during her turn, the lone positive. Going 42nd today is Ted of the Web City Spiders, as the strong rookie plays 7-ball with the red cue for his career debut. Ted had a very similar result in his appearance, getting nothing on his break and needing 15 shots to sink the rack, a poor effort from the high-expectations rookies. Following that, Mr. Snowman makes his Infinity Torpedoes debut with the red cue in hand for a game of 7-ball. Mr. Snowman had the worst game of them all so far, getting nothing on the break and then collecting five errors among his 21 shots in a horrendously bad appearance to start the next chapter of his career. Wario, the Victoria Spurs rookie, is tasked with getting the league's qualifying back on track nearing the end of day 1, and he'll shoot 7-ball with the blue cue for his debut. Wario didn't totally melt down on his turn, but a score of 14 with nothing from the break and two errors included wasn't exactly what the league was looking for as a beacon of hope. The ninth group ends with Luigi, the North Modernistic Nighthawks rookie, shooting 7-ball with the red cue and hoping to provide some sign of life for the league. Luigi crashed his way through the rack, much like the players before him, needing 15 shots after the empty break, and four errors throughout the game to finish it off, ending one of the sorriest groups of qualifying history.

The last group of the day begins with Lionel, the Commerce Tradewinds veteran, going with the potentially lethal silver cue in his 7-ball game. Lionel settled in with a ball on the break but a quick scratch followed for his lone error among a solid 12 shots in the game, a respectable mark. Next up, Chicky Phil makes his Pacific Volcanoes debut with the red cue in a game of 7-ball. Chicky Phil got a ball on the break, and only had one error in his game, taking a total of 12 shots to keep the league as a whole fairly steady after his decent debut game. Continuing along to Hoppy, the Southern Monarchs rookie who will keep the red cue at the table for 7-ball. Hoppy didn't manage to score anything on the break, but kept pace with those immediately before her, scoring 12 with a single error on a mid-game scratch, a solid effort for the newcomer. The 49th player called to shoot is Terrace City Knights superstar and captain Kiwi, who continues the trend of having the red cue on hand for 7-ball. Despite getting a bad leave on the first two shots after the break, Kiwi, avoided an error, using craft shooting to show why she deserves the superstar title, and she finished on 11 shots total. Finishing off the day's games, Archtown Arrows star Sally shoots 7-ball with the red cue, hoping to get a good result. Sally needed 11 shots, getting nothing on the break and taking no errors in a well-paced game.

Day 2 is tomorrow, with the aim of 40 games set as the target.