We're back for the third day of the round, and we're still battling heat both on and off the table. Today's action begins with...
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Ruby v. Pedey. The blue cue is in for 8-ball in this series to lead things off today. Archtown's Ruby had a decent start in game 1, but she struggled to get anything more than a three-ball run in the middle of the game. Diamond's Pedey was a bit slower at the start, but he solved his shooting problem with a five-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Ruby had a much better game 2 after a joke of a break from the Gems' Pedey. Pedey struggled to make much of anything during the game, but still got the win when Ruby scratched after a risky shot on the 8, gifting the win and the 2-0 series lead to Pedey. Ruby finally put it all together in game 3, still taking a couple of risky shots around the 8. Pedey lacked a pressuring run to force Ruby's hand, allowing her to patiently work her way to a win and make the series 2-1 to Pedey. Game 4 saw a weaker break from Ruby than the first game, and she didn't have much in the way of her attack either. Pedey had a good share of possession and made a late run to challenge Ruby, but she locked it down just in time for the win, tying the series at 2. Game 5 saw Ruby have another weak break, and she fell behind early to Pedey. The players looked exhausted already, with Pedey stumbling late, only to win when Ruby's three-ball run couldn't add the 8. Pedey got the win narrowly to retake the series lead at 3-2. Game 6 had a very slow start after Pedey's poor break, which featured a scratch. Ruby was the first to connect a run, making six in a row before a scratch, and Pedey answered with a five-ball run that also ended in a scratch. At the end, Ruby missed on the 8, and Pedey pulled in a three-ball run-out for the win to clinch the series at 4-2. Ruby couldn't even assemble an intimidating run in game 7, as Pedey had a six-ball run, weathered down by a scratch a turn later. Ruby couldn't catch up from here, and Pedey took the win for a 5-2 series win. Pedey advances to a road series in the bracket finals.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Celestia. The blue cue remains in action for this series of 9-ball. Game 1 featured errors from both players after an empty break from Modernistic's Ms. Puppy. Oceanside's Celestia proved to have the more costly error, as her illegal contact on the 6 led Ms. Puppy to make the 3 and then add the 4-9 combination to the bottom side for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw tensions rise on the 3 and 9, as both saw a lull in play. The Union's Ms. Puppy seemed to have the better of the play throughout the game, although the Waves' Celestia did have a couple of nice shots to stay competitive. In the end, Ms. Puppy made the 9 on her third try to win and take a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 saw a return to strength for Ms. Puppy, who made a three-ball run at one point in the game. Celestia tried to keep up, but her miss on the 9 left it for Ms. Puppy to tap in on her second try for the win and a historically insurmountable 3-0 series lead. Celestia began a long comeback attempt in game 4, making a three-ball run early on, and then adding a six-ball run-out as Ms. Puppy couldn't find her shot. Celestia was lucky the 7 caromed into the bottom left for the fourth shot of that finishing run, as it helped her to the win and cut the series to 3-1. Game 5 saw one of the best 9-ball breaks of all time, as Celestia sent the 2 and 6 to the bottom right, and the 7 and 8 to the top right for a four-ball shot. She missed contact on the 1, and the rest of the game was a sloppy battle that saw Ms. Puppy leave the 9 short at the bottom left, where Celestia tapped it in for the win, making it a 3-2 series now. Game 6 saw an exciting but ultimately empty break by Celestia. Ms. Puppy had the first run of three balls, and she added another one, but her miss on the 6 allowed Celestia to make a three-ball run-out at the end for the win, tying the series at 3 as she gets one more shot to complete the comeback. Celestia didn't get anything on her break in game 7, and Ms. Puppy soon tore things up with a seven-ball run to get onto the 9, but she missed it just short at the bottom right, and Celestia's comeback came true with a tap-in for the win. Celestia came all the way back for a 4-3 series win, advancing to a road series again in the bracket finals. Celestia picked up her second kill of the Tournament, making Ms. Puppy the 79th eliminated player. This was also the second team kill of the year.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Chicky Phil v. Stinky. The red cue is up after lunch for Rotation. Game 1 saw the players go back and forth with the lights out to keep the playing area comfortable. Freedom's Stinky held the lead early on, and pulled ahead again late, but Pacific's Chicky Phil was up to the task, making two comebacks for the 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil work a three-ball run at one point to get a more comfortable lead over the Cascades' Stinky. The play worked, and Chicky Phil added a pair at the end to get the 8-4 win for a 2-0 series lead. Chicky Phil fell behind again in game 3, but he slowly worked his way back. Stinky tried to hold the lead, but he couldn't keep up, and Chicky Phil made a three-ball run-out ending in an 11-15 combination to the bottom right for an 8-4 win to push the series to 3-0. Chicky Phil had a hot start with a three-ball run early in game 4, but it was Stinky who fought back this time, rallying to tie it at one point. Chicky Phil held another lead in the middle of the game, but Stinky managed a comeback to win 8-6, getting on the board in the 3-1 series. Stinky had a decent break in game 5, but it served Chicky Phil much better, as he had a five-ball run on his first turn. Stinky had to ramp up his offense after this, and he couldn't do it, allowing Chicky Phil to outscore him from that point on as well in the host's 8-2 win that secured the series at 4-1. Chicky Phil started with a three-ball run this time, and looked like he would cruise through the game until Stinky pulled off a remarkable double-pot. Stinky made the 6-14 combination to the top side, and added the 13 via the cue to the top right, igniting his five-ball run-out for the 8-4 win. This made it a 4-2 series. Game 7 saw Stinky make a good start, but he couldn't hold up against a four-ball run by Chicky Phil, who added a later three-ball run and weathered Stinky's counterattack for the 8-7 win. Chicky Phil will host the bracket final series after this 5-2 series win. Stinky is the 80th player to be eliminated, and Chicky Phil has his second kill of the year as the Cascades are also done for the regular season.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Wings v. Rainmane. The silver cue steps on for a single series of Rotation today. Midland's Rainmane had an incredible and lucky four-ball run at the start of game 1, staking out a lead with very favorable deflections. Pearl's Wings caught up with his own four-ball run, but it didn't hold up, as Rainmane won with a three-ball run-out for an 8-6 result and a 1-0 lead in the series. The Predators' Rainmane lost just about all of her luck in game 2, but she still shot well enough to gain the lead. The Surfers' Wings again made a push to tie the game up, but the end favored Rainmane just slightly, as Wings couldn't kick the 15 to the top side, even if the shot was accidental. Rainmane tapped it in to win 8-7 and take a 2-0 series lead. Wings pulled back a game successfully in game 3, weathering Rainmane's opening attacks fairly well to keep things even halfway through. Rainmane did take another lead after this, but Wings charged with a four-ball run-out for the 8-5 win to make it a 2-1 series. Wings had the better of the early play in game 4, but Rainmane stormed back, causing the two players to battle more intricately at the end. Wings weaved ahead with a nice run, but Rainmane would make the last two balls for an 8-7 win, moving to a 3-1 series lead. Wings didn't have to be dominant in game 5, as Rainmane couldn't seem to make a shot at all. Wings chipped in where he could offensively, but his defensive positioning really won him the game at 8-0 as Rainmane's only ball potted was called back for a scratch. The series still favors Rainmane 3-2. Rainmane also fell behind in game 6 at the start, but Wings couldn't hold the lead. Both players left a few shots on the table with missed or poor contact, and it was a miss on the 13 by Wings that led Rainmane to make the last two balls, winning 8-7, and clinching the series at 4-2. Rainmane and Wings tangled one more time in game 7, a difficult battle that saw each player hold the lead a bit. Rainmane had it late, only to see Wings rally with a three-ball run to tie the game before missing the 15. Rainmane tapped in the last ball for the 8-7 win and a 5-2 series win. Rainmane will be right here in the bracket final, facing Wings' Surfers' teammate Boots for a trip to the medal round. Wings is the 81st player to be eliminated, and Rainmane again staved off her own exit with her second kill.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Hughbert. A legend meets a rookie in the first of back-to-back 12-ball series for the blue cue. Golden's Dusty had all of the offense early in game 1, and she tried to set herself up well, but Southridge's Hughbert waited patiently until he could do a five-ball run to take the lead. Dusty tried to defend the last pocket, but Hughbert persisted to get the win and a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 saw a fairly even performance, with the Defenders' Hughbert taking the early lead and getting countered by the Pilots' Dusty before a three-ball run to retake the lead. Dusty thought her positioning was good, so she went for her last two shots, but left the second one short, and Hughbert made his well-placed final ball to win for a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 started with a drastic lack of offense, rising tensions just a notch. Then, Dusty burst forward with a four-ball run to start her offense. Hughbert quickly replied with a four-ball run of his own, and they maneuvered onto their final balls around the same time. Dusty and Hughbert danced around some defense, but it would be Dusty under-hitting her last shot on the 12 that allowed Hughbert to tap in the 2 at the bottom side for the win and a 3-0 series lead. Dusty had a slow build at the start of game 4, letting her offense simmer as she tried to get in position. Hughbert forced the issue with a dangerous three-ball run that could have been more, but Dusty fired straight back with a three-ball run-out, keeping herself in the now 3-1 series. Dusty sustained her offense for a bit in game 5, challenging early on and getting very close to the win against Hughbert. Dusty just wasn't able to get position on her last shot, and Hughbert attacked with a bit of pace to come back and win it, breaking Dusty's defense to take the series at 4-1. Dusty held a lead for much of game 6, and she made it count in the end, banking the 15 from the kitchen to the top left to get the win after a scratch by Hughbert. This made it a 4-2 series. Dusty had the bulk of the offense in game 7 as well, with a four-ball run pacing her attack, but Hughbert remained calm and got his last three balls before Dusty could get position for her last shot. Hughbert's win made it a 5-2 series, and he awaits the result of the next series to determine his bracket final opponent and destination.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach v. Leonette. The blue cue wraps up its 12-ball for the round with this series. Pronger's Zach made two of his own from the break, but also gave Pacific's Leonette a wild-card ball early in the game. Leonette couldn't do anything with it, and Zach added a three-ball run before being patient with the 9 at the top side, winning three turns later for a 1-0 series lead. The Tridents' Zach struck again on the break in game 2, and he made good use of his shots, making a pair on each of his three turns. He also gave away a wild-card ball to the Volcanoes' Leonette as collateral damage to set up his final turn. Leonette made one more ball after that before Zach finished with a pair of light cuts shots to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Leonette got a couple of gifts from Zach in game 3, as Zach scratched on the break and made illegal contact with the stick on his second turn. Leonette sparked three-ball runs from each of those for a quick win to cut the series to 2-1. Leonette made one of each on the break in game 4, and she had a good burst of offense with a three-ball run from the break. Zach didn't roll over, attacking well until he got to the last ball, which played defense. He twice tried to rattle it out, but failed when he potted it illegally the second time. Leonette made one of her two remaining shots, but couldn't get the other to drop, and Zach banked his 13 to the bottom right for the win and a 3-1 series lead. Zach had a decent break in game 5, but he had trouble getting himself into position for the rest of his shots. Leonette had a few struggles as well, but she didn't hold back, charging through the rack and allowing Zach's unlucky misses to doom him. Leonette picked up the win to make it a 3-2 series. Leonette struck first in game 6, taking stripes, but Zach had solids on each of the sides and paced his attack well. Zach took pockets Leonette wasn't near first, allowing him to end up just fighting defense at the end. Leonette was slow to get into position, but as she did, Zach got a line on his final shot for the win, securing the series at 4-2. Leonette faltered a bit in game 7, trying to keep pace but digging herself a hole with the wild-card ball she surrendered. Once again, Zach lay in wait as Leonette set up her final shot, only to strike when she final got in position. Zach won the series 5-2, and will host the Southridge Defenders' Hughbert in the bracket finals at this venue.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Diddley v. Sydney Sierota. Wrapped around dinner, the blue cue closes the day with 15-ball. Maplewood's Diddley got the better of play in game 1, although neither player looked confident. Harrison's Sydney had a mistake on the 2, scratching as she potted it to negate Diddley's early mistake and give the host a free chance at the 3-15 combination to the top right, which he made for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Diddley had to play to term in game 2, but this didn't bother him much. The Specters' Sydney had more of the problems in the game, scratching a couple of times and having to deal with impossible shots. Diddley found power in strength, succeeding with a faster shot that helped him make the last four balls over two turns for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Sydney found her shot better in game 3, and while Diddley had some good play, he couldn't match Sydney's runs. Diddley's best and worst moment was a double-pot of the 11 and 12 that ended in a scratch, allowing Sydney to make a three-ball run-out for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Game 4 saw Sydney continue her improves play quite a bit. Diddley had some shots early in the game, but the end was all Sydney, highlighted by her five-ball run. Each player had a chance on the 15 that they missed in embarrassing fashion before Sydney made it on her second try to tie the series at 2 with her win. Game 5 saw Sydney get a bit of a weaker break, and she battled hard with Diddley for much of the rest of the game. Diddley's slightly short temper worked for him, and he made a couple of tricky shots, one with the 12 getting deflected to the bottom right and another with the 7 going to the same pocket. Diddley closed with a hard-hit four-ball run-out for the win and a 3-2 series lead. Diddley didn't get much out of the break, leading to a congested and frustrating start to the game. Diddley put the 15 close to the top right on an illegal hit, and he got lucky it didn't fall. Sydney didn't shoot for it, and this would cost her later, as Diddley won with a double-pot of the 10 to the top side and the 14-15 combination to the top right on the deflection. This clinched the series at 4-2 for Diddley. Game 7 saw Diddley break through early struggles to crank out a six-ball run. Sydney answered with a couple of shorter runs, but once again, both players struggled on the 15 at short range, and Sydney wound up with the win when Diddley scratched. Diddley still took the series 4-3, and he will host the bracket final at this venue.
That's all for today's difficult games. Tomorrow is scheduled to be a shorter day of action, with only six series to accommodate for personal commitments.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
UPCL Cricket - Week 30 Part 2
We're back for the middle segment of cricket this week, beginning in...
Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union try to keep their rise going in their second of a five-game home stand against a Cascades team in a bit of a rut near the end of the year. Jasmine did alright for Freedom on her turn, collecting 472 to give them something to work with later in the game. Ms. Puppy came up short again for Modernistic, hitting only 208 to begin her team's offense. Stinky gave good support for the Cascades with his 434, padding their lead sufficiently for now. Daisy continued her recent surge as a secondary scorer, blasting 920 for the Union to take the lead this time. Roxy fought back with 537 for Freedom on her turn, restoring a smaller lead for them. Puff I wasn't as good for Modernistic on her turn with 339, enough to give them a small lead late in the game. Nikolai didn't give the Cascades much to work with on 311, leaving their final score at 1754. Strawberry stayed steady with 328 for the Union, closing out their win at 1795. Modernistic jumps to 31-26, while Freedom dips to 19-38 with the loss.
GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders hope to play a spoiler role as they begin a four-game home stand, while the Pirates hope three straight away from home can get them back on track. Delila started out with a bit of bite on her turn, getting a good pace to score 627 for Atlantic on the first turn. Bianca had a mediocre turn for Southridge this time, only picking up 247 at the start of the game. Her sister, Isabella, bested that mark in a second attack for the Pirates, tallying 399 to add to their lead. Debby bounced back with 448 for the Defenders, attempting to hold off the visitors a bit at the halfway mark. Americus weakened the Atlantic lead a bit with a mild 238 on her turn, allowing the hosts a chance to attack. Stephanie obliged, smacking 864 for Southridge to pull the hosts ahead with a player each to go. Klaus refused to give in for the Pirates, posting 463 to give them 1727 overall, forcing the hosts to make a response. Hughbert went with 297 for the Defenders, not a big performance, but enough for the win at 1856. Southridge gets a big win to rise to 24-37, while bumping Atlantic down to 33-29 with the loss as their situation gets more dire.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters return from two consecutive bye weeks to continue their home stand, while the Volcanoes wrap up a three-game road trip against a low-ranked foe. Starlight kept in line with recent efforts for herself, swinging 487 to give Pacific a good start. Sydney showed a consistent swing and good placement with her hits, but her 417 puts Harrison slightly behind. Ms. Kitty saw a ball bounce off the knob of her bat, cutting her down at 78 when it sneaked out of play to endanger the Volcanoes lead. Twinkie II had an acceptable 375 for the Specters to give them the lead. Leonette got a bit too aggressive in trying to reclaim the lead, ending with 98 as Pacific is in significant trouble. Lexi knew her turn could get ugly after a number of early deflections, which hampered her pace and eventually sank her at only 45 for Harrison. Chicky Phil went with a strong 552 for the Volcanoes, raising their offense to 1215 total to force a response from the hosts. Sugar failed to answer successfully for the Specters, her 148 sealing their loss at 985. Pacific gets away with an ugly win to go to 38-19, with a share of the league lead, while Harrison is 20-35.
Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades return home for a pair of games, while the Spurs come to town in the third of their four-game road trip. Spice did pretty well in opening the scoring for Victoria, hitting 495 to establish the offense in good form. Jasmine erupted with pace and excellent placement on her turn, hauling in 771 for Freedom to give them the initial lead. Yekaterina fired back with just as much pace, but not as long of a turn, taking 553 to give the Spurs a smaller second lead. Stinky fought it off well enough to retain a lead for the Cascades, adding 456 to their offense on his turn. B. Chapman dealt with the chaos on her turn pretty well, picking up 385 to cover the deficit for Victoria. Roxy didn't counter with enough intent for Freedom, her 177 putting them at their first deficit of the game with the final players stepping up to bat. Wario failed to pad the lead with much for the Spurs, his 159 leaving them vulnerable at 1592 overall. Nikolai stepped up with 361 for the Cascades, lifting them to the win with 1765 total. Freedom is at 20-38 with the win, while knocking Victoria down to 26-31.
Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns return home for a pair of games, hoping to reverse their bad fortune while piling onto those of the visiting Stills. Easter didn't have the most convincing of opening turns for Todavía, with her 336 leaving them a bit exposed. Nightfur answered with a bit more attack for Royal, collecting 567 to put them ahead after the first turns. Sierra covered the deficit by the narrowest of margins for the Stills by adding 232 to their slightly low score. Jake fired back with a confident 512 for the Crowns, erasing the memory of his previous poor home outing. Sparkles couldn't get Todavía back on track either, with only a weak 138 as the deficit grows late in the game. Kayla provided 376 for Royal in a solid outing, keeping them firmly in control of the game with a player each to go. Bells got knocked down by a deflection at 232 for the Stills, leaving them with a final of 938 in another disappointing road game. Hannah tacked on 492 for the Crowns at the end, sealing their winning total at 1947. Royal gets a huge upset to go to 20-38, while Todavía takes a hit down to 33-27.
Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union play in their third of five straight home games, hoping to pile onto the misery of the Pirates in their second of a three-game road trip. Delila kept herself in good form for Atlantic with 578, laying a solid foundation for the visitors again. Ms. Puppy came up weak again for Modernistic, bowing out at 269 to leave the hosts at a deficit. Isabella responded in a big way for the Pirates, crushing 1141 to give them a massive lead. Daisy had a respectable 470 for the Union on her turn, but they remain far behind halfway through the game. Americus faltered a bit for Atlantic, grabbing a decent 310, but their lead is not in danger by any means. Puff I made a valiant attempt to challenge that notion for Modernistic with her 592, but it was only a dent in the deficit. Klaus brought in another 432 for the Pirates in a good turn, giving them 2461 total in what should be a win. Strawberry couldn't save the game for the Union with her 376, leaving them at 1707 in the loss. Atlantic rises to 34-29, while Modernistic dips down to 31-27.
Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes have a chance to take first place as they begin a four-game home stand, while the Spiders hope this one-off road game can boost their playoff hopes. Shadow managed to draw a false start replay on his first try, but a deflection knocked him out at 54 on the replay for Web City. Starlight had a good turn until a ball deflected and she couldn't bring it down on her backhand, closing her turn at 529 for Pacific. Ted tried to mount a comeback for the Spiders, but he couldn't cover the deficit with 407. Ms. Kitty lost a tiny bit of the lead for the Volcanoes as she spiked 380. Shiny dropped off her recent pace for Web City, but 578 was enough to cover the deficit for now. Leonette reclaimed the lead for Pacific, albeit at a smaller margin, as she struck a solid 416. Dani forced the hosts to make a response with her quick backhand keeping her turn alive to score 374 for the Spiders, closing their game at 1413. Chicky Phil didn't beat it by much, desperately flicking 99 to give the Volcanoes a win with 1424. Pacific grinds their way to first place at 39-19, while Web City drops to 27-29.
Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades wrap up a two-game stay at home against the Tridents, who have yet to lose a game in the Eastern Hills Division. Precious slapped a decent 463 for Pronger, slowly seeing her pace fade over time before an errant hit ended her turn. Jasmine had some early struggles with pace for Freedom, which weighed down her progress until she exited with 352 to start. Zach covered that round of damage well for the Tridents, adding 412 to their offense to maintain the lead. Stinky kept the game close for the Cascades, fighting back with 456 to narrow the deficit a bit. Spot stepped up in a big way for Pronger, belting 1007 on his turn to extend their lead by a large margin. Roxy tried to counter for Freedom, but one of her swings went too high, ending her turn at 396 as the deficit remains large. Spot produced a promising 504 for the Tridents at the end, bringing their final score to 2386. Nikolai did alright with 366 for the Cascades, but it wasn't enough to save them from a loss with 1570. Pronger stays perfect in the division, rising to 31-26, while Freedom is down to 20-39 with the loss.
Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors are back home for a single game, taking on a Gems team wrapping up a pair of road games in their still-heavy schedule. Smokey put in a great outing for Diamond this time, giving them 578 right to begin their offense. Mams just covered the deficit for Viewpoint Sound, edging the hosts ahead with her 582 in a close start to the game. Citrus walked a dangerous line for much of her turn until she flicked a ball out of play to end with 200 for the Gems. Hoot answered effectively for the Meteors with 551, providing solid support to give them a noticeable lead. Pedey couldn't cover the deficit for Diamond, his weak backhand cutting his turn short at 316. Nibbles took a slight stumble with only 281 for Viewpoint Sound, but their lead remains intact with a player each to go. Rosalina tried a rally for the Gems with 515, getting them to 1609 overall to force the hosts to respond. Dominic fought it off with 501 to bring the Meteors to 1915 in their win. Viewpoint Sound gets a boost to 25-32, while Diamond drops to 21-44 with their sixth straight road loss.
Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves try to keep a short stretch of home success going when they host a Swifts team trying to retake first place at the end of their five-game road trip. Patches seemed to be fighting with her swing for most of the appearance, eventually closing at 361 for Boston. Juno didn't get too comfortable for Stonebridge either, dropping off her recent pace with just 187 this time out. Puff II suffered an unlucky deflection on her turn, stalling at 304 as the Swifts maintain a slight lead. The Wolves have had trouble batting in this game, with proof coming in the form of 204 from Frosty. Gradley finally broke through the suppressed offenses of both teams, cranking out 639 to extend the Boston lead in earnest. Cobalt couldn't keep his swing down for Stonebridge, leading to a rather quick exit at 248 for the rookie. Sweetheart got beat on an awkward deflection at the end of her turn, but she hit 353 for the Swifts to ice their offense at 1657. Prism put up a nice rally with 685 for the Wolves, but they came up short at 1324 total. Boston regains a share of first place at 39-19, while Stonebridge sinks to 26-35.
Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Torpedoes close up a six-game home stand in this appearance, while the Tridents wrap up their three-game road trip. Precious couldn't keep her swing in line for Pronger, bowing out with a paltry 53 to lead off the scoring weakly in this game. Smudge had more odd deflections than normal offerings before a technical error, and her replay only netted 249 for Infinity in a slow start. Zach provided a more stable offense for the Tridents with his 495, giving them a slight lead. Solaris let a ball get behind his bat, and while he brought it back, the next one downed him at 307 for the Torpedoes, who have a very small lead at the halfway mark. Spot took so long to get comfortable for Pronger that he couldn't adjust well and ended at 281. Whiskers failed to cover the deficit in response for Infinity, taking a poor 187 instead. Potter made a mess of his turn with only 72 for the Tridents, leaving them vulnerable at 901 for their pitiful final score. Mr. Snowman went for 902 alone for the Torpedoes, carrying them to the win with 1645 total. Infinity made it look good as they go to 34-27 while pushing Pronger down to 31-27.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: A small rivalry marks the end of this segment, with the Surfers trying to ascend into a playoff position against a Tradewinds team opening a five-game road trip. Commerce got off to a strong start with 554 from Tigerette, as the captain stakes out a lead. Watermelon didn't get it all back for Pearl, but her 472 keeps the hosts within striking distance early on. Ice Cream wiped out pretty much all of that damage for the Tradewinds with her 475 to keep the lead steady. Neopolitan couldn't keep up with her sister, ending on 136 as the Surfers fall farther behind. Lionel dropped off of his pace from last week, taking only 240 for Commerce this time. Boots led the comeback charge for Pearl with 637, getting them back into range to attack as the final players take their turns. Lorde set the bar with 408 for the Tradewinds, giving them a final score of 1677. Wings couldn't meet it with 312 for the Surfers, their final resting short at 1557. Commerce pulls off a small upset in this win, bringing themselves to 29-34, while Pearl sits at 33-30 after the tough loss.
That's it for this segment. If you're following along on Twitter, keep it up, as we've got the start of the next segment on the way on@UnitedPCL.
Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union try to keep their rise going in their second of a five-game home stand against a Cascades team in a bit of a rut near the end of the year. Jasmine did alright for Freedom on her turn, collecting 472 to give them something to work with later in the game. Ms. Puppy came up short again for Modernistic, hitting only 208 to begin her team's offense. Stinky gave good support for the Cascades with his 434, padding their lead sufficiently for now. Daisy continued her recent surge as a secondary scorer, blasting 920 for the Union to take the lead this time. Roxy fought back with 537 for Freedom on her turn, restoring a smaller lead for them. Puff I wasn't as good for Modernistic on her turn with 339, enough to give them a small lead late in the game. Nikolai didn't give the Cascades much to work with on 311, leaving their final score at 1754. Strawberry stayed steady with 328 for the Union, closing out their win at 1795. Modernistic jumps to 31-26, while Freedom dips to 19-38 with the loss.
GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders hope to play a spoiler role as they begin a four-game home stand, while the Pirates hope three straight away from home can get them back on track. Delila started out with a bit of bite on her turn, getting a good pace to score 627 for Atlantic on the first turn. Bianca had a mediocre turn for Southridge this time, only picking up 247 at the start of the game. Her sister, Isabella, bested that mark in a second attack for the Pirates, tallying 399 to add to their lead. Debby bounced back with 448 for the Defenders, attempting to hold off the visitors a bit at the halfway mark. Americus weakened the Atlantic lead a bit with a mild 238 on her turn, allowing the hosts a chance to attack. Stephanie obliged, smacking 864 for Southridge to pull the hosts ahead with a player each to go. Klaus refused to give in for the Pirates, posting 463 to give them 1727 overall, forcing the hosts to make a response. Hughbert went with 297 for the Defenders, not a big performance, but enough for the win at 1856. Southridge gets a big win to rise to 24-37, while bumping Atlantic down to 33-29 with the loss as their situation gets more dire.
Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters return from two consecutive bye weeks to continue their home stand, while the Volcanoes wrap up a three-game road trip against a low-ranked foe. Starlight kept in line with recent efforts for herself, swinging 487 to give Pacific a good start. Sydney showed a consistent swing and good placement with her hits, but her 417 puts Harrison slightly behind. Ms. Kitty saw a ball bounce off the knob of her bat, cutting her down at 78 when it sneaked out of play to endanger the Volcanoes lead. Twinkie II had an acceptable 375 for the Specters to give them the lead. Leonette got a bit too aggressive in trying to reclaim the lead, ending with 98 as Pacific is in significant trouble. Lexi knew her turn could get ugly after a number of early deflections, which hampered her pace and eventually sank her at only 45 for Harrison. Chicky Phil went with a strong 552 for the Volcanoes, raising their offense to 1215 total to force a response from the hosts. Sugar failed to answer successfully for the Specters, her 148 sealing their loss at 985. Pacific gets away with an ugly win to go to 38-19, with a share of the league lead, while Harrison is 20-35.
Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades return home for a pair of games, while the Spurs come to town in the third of their four-game road trip. Spice did pretty well in opening the scoring for Victoria, hitting 495 to establish the offense in good form. Jasmine erupted with pace and excellent placement on her turn, hauling in 771 for Freedom to give them the initial lead. Yekaterina fired back with just as much pace, but not as long of a turn, taking 553 to give the Spurs a smaller second lead. Stinky fought it off well enough to retain a lead for the Cascades, adding 456 to their offense on his turn. B. Chapman dealt with the chaos on her turn pretty well, picking up 385 to cover the deficit for Victoria. Roxy didn't counter with enough intent for Freedom, her 177 putting them at their first deficit of the game with the final players stepping up to bat. Wario failed to pad the lead with much for the Spurs, his 159 leaving them vulnerable at 1592 overall. Nikolai stepped up with 361 for the Cascades, lifting them to the win with 1765 total. Freedom is at 20-38 with the win, while knocking Victoria down to 26-31.
Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns return home for a pair of games, hoping to reverse their bad fortune while piling onto those of the visiting Stills. Easter didn't have the most convincing of opening turns for Todavía, with her 336 leaving them a bit exposed. Nightfur answered with a bit more attack for Royal, collecting 567 to put them ahead after the first turns. Sierra covered the deficit by the narrowest of margins for the Stills by adding 232 to their slightly low score. Jake fired back with a confident 512 for the Crowns, erasing the memory of his previous poor home outing. Sparkles couldn't get Todavía back on track either, with only a weak 138 as the deficit grows late in the game. Kayla provided 376 for Royal in a solid outing, keeping them firmly in control of the game with a player each to go. Bells got knocked down by a deflection at 232 for the Stills, leaving them with a final of 938 in another disappointing road game. Hannah tacked on 492 for the Crowns at the end, sealing their winning total at 1947. Royal gets a huge upset to go to 20-38, while Todavía takes a hit down to 33-27.
Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union play in their third of five straight home games, hoping to pile onto the misery of the Pirates in their second of a three-game road trip. Delila kept herself in good form for Atlantic with 578, laying a solid foundation for the visitors again. Ms. Puppy came up weak again for Modernistic, bowing out at 269 to leave the hosts at a deficit. Isabella responded in a big way for the Pirates, crushing 1141 to give them a massive lead. Daisy had a respectable 470 for the Union on her turn, but they remain far behind halfway through the game. Americus faltered a bit for Atlantic, grabbing a decent 310, but their lead is not in danger by any means. Puff I made a valiant attempt to challenge that notion for Modernistic with her 592, but it was only a dent in the deficit. Klaus brought in another 432 for the Pirates in a good turn, giving them 2461 total in what should be a win. Strawberry couldn't save the game for the Union with her 376, leaving them at 1707 in the loss. Atlantic rises to 34-29, while Modernistic dips down to 31-27.
Verizon Field, Pacific: The Volcanoes have a chance to take first place as they begin a four-game home stand, while the Spiders hope this one-off road game can boost their playoff hopes. Shadow managed to draw a false start replay on his first try, but a deflection knocked him out at 54 on the replay for Web City. Starlight had a good turn until a ball deflected and she couldn't bring it down on her backhand, closing her turn at 529 for Pacific. Ted tried to mount a comeback for the Spiders, but he couldn't cover the deficit with 407. Ms. Kitty lost a tiny bit of the lead for the Volcanoes as she spiked 380. Shiny dropped off her recent pace for Web City, but 578 was enough to cover the deficit for now. Leonette reclaimed the lead for Pacific, albeit at a smaller margin, as she struck a solid 416. Dani forced the hosts to make a response with her quick backhand keeping her turn alive to score 374 for the Spiders, closing their game at 1413. Chicky Phil didn't beat it by much, desperately flicking 99 to give the Volcanoes a win with 1424. Pacific grinds their way to first place at 39-19, while Web City drops to 27-29.
Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades wrap up a two-game stay at home against the Tridents, who have yet to lose a game in the Eastern Hills Division. Precious slapped a decent 463 for Pronger, slowly seeing her pace fade over time before an errant hit ended her turn. Jasmine had some early struggles with pace for Freedom, which weighed down her progress until she exited with 352 to start. Zach covered that round of damage well for the Tridents, adding 412 to their offense to maintain the lead. Stinky kept the game close for the Cascades, fighting back with 456 to narrow the deficit a bit. Spot stepped up in a big way for Pronger, belting 1007 on his turn to extend their lead by a large margin. Roxy tried to counter for Freedom, but one of her swings went too high, ending her turn at 396 as the deficit remains large. Spot produced a promising 504 for the Tridents at the end, bringing their final score to 2386. Nikolai did alright with 366 for the Cascades, but it wasn't enough to save them from a loss with 1570. Pronger stays perfect in the division, rising to 31-26, while Freedom is down to 20-39 with the loss.
Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors are back home for a single game, taking on a Gems team wrapping up a pair of road games in their still-heavy schedule. Smokey put in a great outing for Diamond this time, giving them 578 right to begin their offense. Mams just covered the deficit for Viewpoint Sound, edging the hosts ahead with her 582 in a close start to the game. Citrus walked a dangerous line for much of her turn until she flicked a ball out of play to end with 200 for the Gems. Hoot answered effectively for the Meteors with 551, providing solid support to give them a noticeable lead. Pedey couldn't cover the deficit for Diamond, his weak backhand cutting his turn short at 316. Nibbles took a slight stumble with only 281 for Viewpoint Sound, but their lead remains intact with a player each to go. Rosalina tried a rally for the Gems with 515, getting them to 1609 overall to force the hosts to respond. Dominic fought it off with 501 to bring the Meteors to 1915 in their win. Viewpoint Sound gets a boost to 25-32, while Diamond drops to 21-44 with their sixth straight road loss.
Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves try to keep a short stretch of home success going when they host a Swifts team trying to retake first place at the end of their five-game road trip. Patches seemed to be fighting with her swing for most of the appearance, eventually closing at 361 for Boston. Juno didn't get too comfortable for Stonebridge either, dropping off her recent pace with just 187 this time out. Puff II suffered an unlucky deflection on her turn, stalling at 304 as the Swifts maintain a slight lead. The Wolves have had trouble batting in this game, with proof coming in the form of 204 from Frosty. Gradley finally broke through the suppressed offenses of both teams, cranking out 639 to extend the Boston lead in earnest. Cobalt couldn't keep his swing down for Stonebridge, leading to a rather quick exit at 248 for the rookie. Sweetheart got beat on an awkward deflection at the end of her turn, but she hit 353 for the Swifts to ice their offense at 1657. Prism put up a nice rally with 685 for the Wolves, but they came up short at 1324 total. Boston regains a share of first place at 39-19, while Stonebridge sinks to 26-35.
Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Torpedoes close up a six-game home stand in this appearance, while the Tridents wrap up their three-game road trip. Precious couldn't keep her swing in line for Pronger, bowing out with a paltry 53 to lead off the scoring weakly in this game. Smudge had more odd deflections than normal offerings before a technical error, and her replay only netted 249 for Infinity in a slow start. Zach provided a more stable offense for the Tridents with his 495, giving them a slight lead. Solaris let a ball get behind his bat, and while he brought it back, the next one downed him at 307 for the Torpedoes, who have a very small lead at the halfway mark. Spot took so long to get comfortable for Pronger that he couldn't adjust well and ended at 281. Whiskers failed to cover the deficit in response for Infinity, taking a poor 187 instead. Potter made a mess of his turn with only 72 for the Tridents, leaving them vulnerable at 901 for their pitiful final score. Mr. Snowman went for 902 alone for the Torpedoes, carrying them to the win with 1645 total. Infinity made it look good as they go to 34-27 while pushing Pronger down to 31-27.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: A small rivalry marks the end of this segment, with the Surfers trying to ascend into a playoff position against a Tradewinds team opening a five-game road trip. Commerce got off to a strong start with 554 from Tigerette, as the captain stakes out a lead. Watermelon didn't get it all back for Pearl, but her 472 keeps the hosts within striking distance early on. Ice Cream wiped out pretty much all of that damage for the Tradewinds with her 475 to keep the lead steady. Neopolitan couldn't keep up with her sister, ending on 136 as the Surfers fall farther behind. Lionel dropped off of his pace from last week, taking only 240 for Commerce this time. Boots led the comeback charge for Pearl with 637, getting them back into range to attack as the final players take their turns. Lorde set the bar with 408 for the Tradewinds, giving them a final score of 1677. Wings couldn't meet it with 312 for the Surfers, their final resting short at 1557. Commerce pulls off a small upset in this win, bringing themselves to 29-34, while Pearl sits at 33-30 after the tough loss.
That's it for this segment. If you're following along on Twitter, keep it up, as we've got the start of the next segment on the way on
Tournament 2017: A-level Bracket Semifinals - Day 2
We're back for another day in the round. We should have no trouble reaching seven series played today. We'll begin with...
Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Hughbert. The red cue gets the first series today, playing 9-ball between these young players. Diamond's Pedey had a strong break in game 1, potting the 4 and 5 to the bottom right and the 8 to the top right to spark a six-ball run. Southridge's Hughbert didn't let Pedey shoot again, countering on a three-ball run-out for the quick win and a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Hughbert had a much less interesting break in game 2. This led to a slower pace on the game, which saw the Gems' Pedey take a fair share of the possession. Hughbert had a chance to get a run late, but he missed on the 9, and Pedey tapped it in for the win to tie the series at 1. Pedey did make a ball on the break in game 3, establishing his offense fairly well. Hughbert had a few shots early in the game, and nearly struck with a bank on the 9 late, but Pedey took the contested finish as Hughbert's attempt came up short. Pedey leads the series 2-1. Pedey dominated possession in game 4 with a pair of balls on the break and a game-ending double-pot that sent the 5-9 combination to the bottom right and the 5 in the top right, but also saw the cue go down to give Hughbert the win, which tied the series again at 2. Hughbert controlled game 5 pretty well, putting in a good break. Pedey got some shots in during the early part of the game, but Hughbert sealed his win with a three-ball run-out, including the 6-8 and 6-9 combinations to the top right. Hughbert reclaimed the series lead at 3-2. Pedey picked a bad time to lose his shooting skills, as he had three notable misses in game 6. Hughbert took advantage of this, cleaning up each shot, the last of which was on the 9 to give Hughbert the series at 4-2 with his win. Hughbert made two balls on the break in a good start to game 7, but that would be all he got. Pedey had a three-ball run later on, and then made the 7-9 combination after glancing the cue off the 6 perfectly. Hughbert takes a 4-3 series win to advance to a road series in the bracket finals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Kiwi. Two strong veterans meet in Rotation with the silver cue this time. Pearl's Boots seemed to have a grip on a slow start to game 1, holding the initial lead. This didn't last for long, as Terrace City's Kiwi charged back to tie on one turn, then used a four-ball run to pull far ahead. Kiwi would win 8-3 on the turn after that to take a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Kiwi nearly made the 15 on the break, which would just have been a cool footnote in the game. Instead, she kept things even for awhile, but the Surfers' Boots refused to back down. Boots took a nice lead on a three-ball run, including a lucky deflection to make the 15 at the top left. Boots did miss the 8 from tap-in range to win, but she would get the 10 on her next turn to win 8-3, tying the series at 1. Kiwi made a luck 3-14-15-6 combination to the bottom right for an opening three-ball run in game 3. She added a 4-15 combination to the bottom right on a later run that nearly made the 12 in a double-pot. Boots had a couple of counterattacks, but couldn't catch up either time, and Kiwi locked in an 8-5 win to retake the series lead at 2-1. Kiwi had a nice start in game 4, but she couldn't make the 1 after depositing the 3 on the break. Boots also missed, giving Kiwi the chance to make the 1 to the top left and the 10 to the bottom left on the carom. This would be it for her offense, as Boots charged back with a five-ball run to take the lead, and then a three-ball run-out later for the 8-3 win to tie the series again at 2. Boots had a stronger appearance in game 5, challenging Kiwi's notable early-game scoring by keeping things level for awhile. Boots then pulled off a deceptively brilliant shot, making the 9 after near-impossible contact was made with the 8. This gave Boots a lead she wouldn't surrender, and she closed the win out at 8-4 to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Kiwi again had a lead in game 6, playing to keep her bid alive, but she couldn't have anticipated a four-ball run from Boots, who used deflections and sharp precision to gain a lead. Kiwi got a ball back, but Boots made the 14 to the bottom left by deflecting the cue off the 10 to grab the 8-4 win. This clinched the series for Boots at 4-2. Boots put Kiwi away for sure with a dominant game 7 effort, making the first ball, then adding a nice run before Kiwi could get on the board. Kiwi did make one shot, but a missed contact on the 6 allowed Boots to make the 6-8 combination to the top side, and then the 6 by itself to win 8-1. Boots took the series 5-2, and will host her bracket final series at this venue. With the loss, Kiwi is the 77th player eliminated this year, and Boots retakes an individual league lead in kills with 4.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Sweetheart. Southeastern rivals clash after lunch with the silver cue in 9-ball. Golden's Valencia did all she could in game 1, working a six-ball run over the middle, but her shot on the 9 let her down. Boston's Sweetheart gladly poached the win with a tap-in to the bottom right to put herself ahead 1-0 in the series. The Swifts' Sweetheart wouldn't get as lucky in game 2, as she didn't make a substantial enough improvement in her shooting. The Pilots' Valencia kept the game fairly even, and when Sweetheart missed on the 9, Valencia made it for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw another late twist of fate, as Sweetheart made a three-ball run late to take a nice possession edge after a kick on the 8 to the top side, but she missed the cut on the 9. Valencia tapped it into the bottom right, another stolen game giving Valencia the 2-1 series lead. Valencia had a decent break in game 4, but Sweetheart was far more dangerous. Sweetheart tried a 2-9 combination after Valencia left it lined up, but it wouldn't fall. Eventually, Valencia missed on the 5, and Sweetheart made it and the 6-9 combination to the bottom right for the win, retying the series at 2. Valencia got stuck in an impossible position in game 5, unable to cut the 3 and ending up missing contact thanks to Sweetheart's defense. Sweetheart made sure to make the play count, making the 3 from ball-in-hand and then adding the 4-9 combination to the top right for the win and a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 saw Valencia break out on another run in an attempt to keep her bid going, making five straight after Sweetheart's empty break. Things looked bleak for Valencia until Sweetheart took herself out of position on the 9 to end up with a three-ball run, and Valencia struck on the 9 for the win to tie the series again at 3. Game 7 kept things extremely close between the two players. Neither had much of a run, the closest being Valencia's poetic justice finish, as she made the 7 that Sweetheart left short and then converted the 8-9 combination to the top right for the win. Valencia took the series 4-3, and will host the bracket finals series at this venue.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Puff III. Two of the year's top players clash in 7-ball in the blue cue's only appearance of the day. Pacific's Leonette didn't make a ball on the break, but a pair of shots on her next turn and a four-ball run-out sandwiched a lone successful shot from Everton's Puff III as Leonette stormed to the win in a heap of possession for the 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Leonette continued to play well into game 2, piecing together a three-ball run, but after that ended, the Eagles' Puff III took over. Each player had a miss, but Leonette left the 7 near the top side, and Puff III banked the 6 off the right rail to tap the 7 in for the win, tying the series at 1 with the trick shot. Puff III seemed to have more confidence in game 3, working a three-ball run as part of her large possession share. The run came to an end with the 7 still standing at the edge of the top right, and Leonette knocked it in for the win, retaking the series lead at 2-1. Leonette retook a dominant possession share in game 4, keeping things simple at first as she battled with Puff III, and then blasting a four-ball run-out full of well-cut shots to get the win. Leonette is on the brink of advancing with a 3-1 series lead. Game 5 only took a shot to be decided, as Leonette hit a strong break and made the 7 to the top left, but also scratched in the top right to gift the win to Puff III, preventing a clinching scenario as the series is now 3-2 to Leonette. Game 6 saw both players leave long runs on the table, as Leonette missed on the 3 and Puff III couldn't quite put away the 5. Leonette recovered after Puff III's miss, tapping in the last couple of shots for the win to seal the series at 4-2. Leonette did just about everything but get the win in game 7, working a six-ball run from the break that ended in a scratch while shooting at the 7. Puff III converted from ball-in-hand for a consolation win. Leonette took the series 4-3, and will head to Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central to meet the Warriors captain Twilight in the bracket final.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Slinks. A solid rookie meets a star veteran in 10-ball with the red cue in its last series today. Web City's Ted had a decent start in game 1, but his attempt at defense when shooting toward the 6 let him down, and Westside's Slinks picked up the slack with a big five-ball run-out for the win. Slinks holds a 1-0 lead in the series after her burst. Game 2 didn't see much of a push from either player, and the finish went back-and-forth as neither could hold possession. The Spiders' Ted started with a miss on the 6, which he made the next time around, and he would pick up the 10 after the Rockers' Slinks couldn't sink it. Ted's close win tied the series at 1. Slinks made an unforgivably bad error in game 3, after Ted scratched while shooting at the 10 after making the 8 and 9 to gather some momentum. Slinks missed from ball-in-hand at tap-in range with a lazy shot, allowing Ted to take the win for a 2-1 series lead, however undeserved. Slinks continued a slide into mediocrity for the series, missing at least three easy shots and causing a rise in tensions with unexpected shooting. Ted did pick up the win after Slinks missed the 9 on a bank to the top right. Ted made the last two balls to move into a 3-1 series lead. Ted made a ball on the break in game 5, helping to pace a slightly stronger attack. Slinks also looked to recover from earlier struggles, but by the end of the game, she slipped into the old habits of missing shots and poor contact plays. Ted tapped in the last two shots for the win, clinching the series at 4-1. Slinks had her best game of the series in game 6, making a five-ball run and adding two more near the end, but she missed on the 10, and Ted made the tap-in to win, pushing his advantage to 5-1. Game 7 saw Ted pull off a three-ball run fairly early on, but it was Slinks pressuring late that made things interesting. Ted made the 10 once, but scratched to negate the shot, and after Slinks and Ted missed once each more, Slinks buried it on her second try to win. Ted took the series 5-2, and will travel to Honda Driftwood Coliseum in Pearl to visit the Surfers' Watermelon in the bracket final.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Jennifer Livilotti. The silver cue returns to action for these two stars meeting in Accuracy. Diamond's Citrus played a nearly perfect game 1, striking early and keeping her pace strong. Terrace City's Jennifer couldn't keep up long term, fading late in the game. Citrus bailed from the perfect pace, but still won 2-4 to grab the win for a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 saw the Gems' Citrus mess up early on, allowing the Knights' Jennifer to take the early lead. Later in the game, both players left shots on the table they should have made, especially as Jennifer crumbled to a tied score. Citrus missed on her last shot though, allowing Jennifer to win 4-5 to tie the series at 1. Jennifer made an impressive double-pot in game 3, despite trailing at the time, as she converted a 13-3-7-14 to the top right, with the latter two balls going in. Citrus missed once very soon after this and once at the end of regulation, allowing Jennifer to kick in the 3 to force overtime. Citrus was very lucky to make the 15 on the overtime break, and Jennifer followed with a combination to the bottom right to start a fiery battle that ended in Jennifer missing on the 4 to take the 3-4 loss. Citrus holds a series lead again at 2-1. Jennifer had a lead for most of game 4, but the strength of it was frequently in question, as both players hit a cold stretch right in the middle of the game. Jennifer maintained the lead through this patch of play, and won 4-6 as Citrus faltered again at the end. The series is again tied at 2. Game 5 saw Citrus and Jennifer stay very close for much of the first half of the game, before Jennifer collapsed at the end, missing two shots in a row late while Citrus held her ground to pick up the 3-5 win and regain the series lead once again at 3-2. Citrus finally broke the pattern of the series in game 6, finding a way to do a copy of game 1 and keep Jennifer down. Jennifer tried to pull back as Citrus faltered late, but the host held her ground to get the 2-4 win and clinch the series at 4-2 after a solid effort. Citrus couldn't keep a lead in game 7, and Jennifer was more than happy to play hard even though the series was out of reach for her. Jennifer pushed Citrus down at the end, grabbing a 3-5 win to make it a 4-3 series. Citrus is set to host the bracket final at this venue after her win.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Blizzard. The last series today has the silver cue in action for some 8-ball between these Northeastern rivals. Everton's Blizzard put a scare in the home fans with a big three-ball run on her first turn, but Central's Mario quickly answered that himself. Blizzard scratched on her next turn, and Mario ignited for a five-ball run-out, bringing the fans to their feet as he took a 1-0 series lead in the contentious regional rivalry. Game 2 went very similarly at the start, with a three-ball run from the Eagles' Blizzard and a four-ball run with some collateral damage by the Warriors' Mario keeping them even. Blizzard pulled ahead from here, but Mario played enough defense to get Blizzard to illegally pot the 8, giving Mario the win and a 2-0 series lead. Blizzard finally cracked through Mario's defensive style in game 3. Blizzard didn't have a huge run at the start, allowing Mario a bit of time before Blizzard charged forward. Mario didn't make it easy for her, as Blizzard needed three tries before potting the 8 at the top right, but the win cut the series to 2-1. Blizzard had a great break in game 4, but she wasn't decisive with her shooting, lacking a deep run to carry her offense. This allowed Mario to stay in the game in a catch-up role, which he almost succeeded at save for a miss on the 2 near the end. Blizzard finally potted the 8 to the top right to hold Mario off and earn the win, tying the series at 2. Blizzard didn't get as much on her break in game 5, allowing Mario to get the first decisive run of the game. Blizzard didn't take long to catch up the first time, but Mario's second run, going four balls, put him at a huge advantage. Blizzard never recovered, and Mario made the 8 at the bottom right to win for a 3-2 series lead. Blizzard went back to the basics in game 6, starting off with a three-ball run to push Mario into an offensive stance. Mario answered with a four-ball run before a standoff occurred, which ended a couple of turns later as Mario's bank on the 9 failed, sinking the 8 in the bottom side instead for the instant loss. Blizzard's gifted win tied the series at 3 to set up a decisive finale. In game 7, Blizzard got a ball on the break, which she didn't want initially, but Mario squandered his first turn, and Blizzard made a three-ball run for a commanding lead. Mario pulled back a bit in the game, but Blizzard sank the 8 in the bottom side for the win and a 4-3 series win. Blizzard will be on the road for the bracket finals after advancing this time. Mario is the 78th player to be eliminated this year, and Blizzard has her second kill with the effort.
That's it for the games today. We'll be starting cricket in a little bit, but we'll take a break for now. Live updates are on Twitter@UnitedPCL.
Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Hughbert. The red cue gets the first series today, playing 9-ball between these young players. Diamond's Pedey had a strong break in game 1, potting the 4 and 5 to the bottom right and the 8 to the top right to spark a six-ball run. Southridge's Hughbert didn't let Pedey shoot again, countering on a three-ball run-out for the quick win and a 1-0 series lead. The Defenders' Hughbert had a much less interesting break in game 2. This led to a slower pace on the game, which saw the Gems' Pedey take a fair share of the possession. Hughbert had a chance to get a run late, but he missed on the 9, and Pedey tapped it in for the win to tie the series at 1. Pedey did make a ball on the break in game 3, establishing his offense fairly well. Hughbert had a few shots early in the game, and nearly struck with a bank on the 9 late, but Pedey took the contested finish as Hughbert's attempt came up short. Pedey leads the series 2-1. Pedey dominated possession in game 4 with a pair of balls on the break and a game-ending double-pot that sent the 5-9 combination to the bottom right and the 5 in the top right, but also saw the cue go down to give Hughbert the win, which tied the series again at 2. Hughbert controlled game 5 pretty well, putting in a good break. Pedey got some shots in during the early part of the game, but Hughbert sealed his win with a three-ball run-out, including the 6-8 and 6-9 combinations to the top right. Hughbert reclaimed the series lead at 3-2. Pedey picked a bad time to lose his shooting skills, as he had three notable misses in game 6. Hughbert took advantage of this, cleaning up each shot, the last of which was on the 9 to give Hughbert the series at 4-2 with his win. Hughbert made two balls on the break in a good start to game 7, but that would be all he got. Pedey had a three-ball run later on, and then made the 7-9 combination after glancing the cue off the 6 perfectly. Hughbert takes a 4-3 series win to advance to a road series in the bracket finals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Boots v. Kiwi. Two strong veterans meet in Rotation with the silver cue this time. Pearl's Boots seemed to have a grip on a slow start to game 1, holding the initial lead. This didn't last for long, as Terrace City's Kiwi charged back to tie on one turn, then used a four-ball run to pull far ahead. Kiwi would win 8-3 on the turn after that to take a 1-0 series lead. The Knights' Kiwi nearly made the 15 on the break, which would just have been a cool footnote in the game. Instead, she kept things even for awhile, but the Surfers' Boots refused to back down. Boots took a nice lead on a three-ball run, including a lucky deflection to make the 15 at the top left. Boots did miss the 8 from tap-in range to win, but she would get the 10 on her next turn to win 8-3, tying the series at 1. Kiwi made a luck 3-14-15-6 combination to the bottom right for an opening three-ball run in game 3. She added a 4-15 combination to the bottom right on a later run that nearly made the 12 in a double-pot. Boots had a couple of counterattacks, but couldn't catch up either time, and Kiwi locked in an 8-5 win to retake the series lead at 2-1. Kiwi had a nice start in game 4, but she couldn't make the 1 after depositing the 3 on the break. Boots also missed, giving Kiwi the chance to make the 1 to the top left and the 10 to the bottom left on the carom. This would be it for her offense, as Boots charged back with a five-ball run to take the lead, and then a three-ball run-out later for the 8-3 win to tie the series again at 2. Boots had a stronger appearance in game 5, challenging Kiwi's notable early-game scoring by keeping things level for awhile. Boots then pulled off a deceptively brilliant shot, making the 9 after near-impossible contact was made with the 8. This gave Boots a lead she wouldn't surrender, and she closed the win out at 8-4 to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Kiwi again had a lead in game 6, playing to keep her bid alive, but she couldn't have anticipated a four-ball run from Boots, who used deflections and sharp precision to gain a lead. Kiwi got a ball back, but Boots made the 14 to the bottom left by deflecting the cue off the 10 to grab the 8-4 win. This clinched the series for Boots at 4-2. Boots put Kiwi away for sure with a dominant game 7 effort, making the first ball, then adding a nice run before Kiwi could get on the board. Kiwi did make one shot, but a missed contact on the 6 allowed Boots to make the 6-8 combination to the top side, and then the 6 by itself to win 8-1. Boots took the series 5-2, and will host her bracket final series at this venue. With the loss, Kiwi is the 77th player eliminated this year, and Boots retakes an individual league lead in kills with 4.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Valencia v. Sweetheart. Southeastern rivals clash after lunch with the silver cue in 9-ball. Golden's Valencia did all she could in game 1, working a six-ball run over the middle, but her shot on the 9 let her down. Boston's Sweetheart gladly poached the win with a tap-in to the bottom right to put herself ahead 1-0 in the series. The Swifts' Sweetheart wouldn't get as lucky in game 2, as she didn't make a substantial enough improvement in her shooting. The Pilots' Valencia kept the game fairly even, and when Sweetheart missed on the 9, Valencia made it for the win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw another late twist of fate, as Sweetheart made a three-ball run late to take a nice possession edge after a kick on the 8 to the top side, but she missed the cut on the 9. Valencia tapped it into the bottom right, another stolen game giving Valencia the 2-1 series lead. Valencia had a decent break in game 4, but Sweetheart was far more dangerous. Sweetheart tried a 2-9 combination after Valencia left it lined up, but it wouldn't fall. Eventually, Valencia missed on the 5, and Sweetheart made it and the 6-9 combination to the bottom right for the win, retying the series at 2. Valencia got stuck in an impossible position in game 5, unable to cut the 3 and ending up missing contact thanks to Sweetheart's defense. Sweetheart made sure to make the play count, making the 3 from ball-in-hand and then adding the 4-9 combination to the top right for the win and a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 saw Valencia break out on another run in an attempt to keep her bid going, making five straight after Sweetheart's empty break. Things looked bleak for Valencia until Sweetheart took herself out of position on the 9 to end up with a three-ball run, and Valencia struck on the 9 for the win to tie the series again at 3. Game 7 kept things extremely close between the two players. Neither had much of a run, the closest being Valencia's poetic justice finish, as she made the 7 that Sweetheart left short and then converted the 8-9 combination to the top right for the win. Valencia took the series 4-3, and will host the bracket finals series at this venue.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Leonette v. Puff III. Two of the year's top players clash in 7-ball in the blue cue's only appearance of the day. Pacific's Leonette didn't make a ball on the break, but a pair of shots on her next turn and a four-ball run-out sandwiched a lone successful shot from Everton's Puff III as Leonette stormed to the win in a heap of possession for the 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Leonette continued to play well into game 2, piecing together a three-ball run, but after that ended, the Eagles' Puff III took over. Each player had a miss, but Leonette left the 7 near the top side, and Puff III banked the 6 off the right rail to tap the 7 in for the win, tying the series at 1 with the trick shot. Puff III seemed to have more confidence in game 3, working a three-ball run as part of her large possession share. The run came to an end with the 7 still standing at the edge of the top right, and Leonette knocked it in for the win, retaking the series lead at 2-1. Leonette retook a dominant possession share in game 4, keeping things simple at first as she battled with Puff III, and then blasting a four-ball run-out full of well-cut shots to get the win. Leonette is on the brink of advancing with a 3-1 series lead. Game 5 only took a shot to be decided, as Leonette hit a strong break and made the 7 to the top left, but also scratched in the top right to gift the win to Puff III, preventing a clinching scenario as the series is now 3-2 to Leonette. Game 6 saw both players leave long runs on the table, as Leonette missed on the 3 and Puff III couldn't quite put away the 5. Leonette recovered after Puff III's miss, tapping in the last couple of shots for the win to seal the series at 4-2. Leonette did just about everything but get the win in game 7, working a six-ball run from the break that ended in a scratch while shooting at the 7. Puff III converted from ball-in-hand for a consolation win. Leonette took the series 4-3, and will head to Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central to meet the Warriors captain Twilight in the bracket final.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Ted v. Slinks. A solid rookie meets a star veteran in 10-ball with the red cue in its last series today. Web City's Ted had a decent start in game 1, but his attempt at defense when shooting toward the 6 let him down, and Westside's Slinks picked up the slack with a big five-ball run-out for the win. Slinks holds a 1-0 lead in the series after her burst. Game 2 didn't see much of a push from either player, and the finish went back-and-forth as neither could hold possession. The Spiders' Ted started with a miss on the 6, which he made the next time around, and he would pick up the 10 after the Rockers' Slinks couldn't sink it. Ted's close win tied the series at 1. Slinks made an unforgivably bad error in game 3, after Ted scratched while shooting at the 10 after making the 8 and 9 to gather some momentum. Slinks missed from ball-in-hand at tap-in range with a lazy shot, allowing Ted to take the win for a 2-1 series lead, however undeserved. Slinks continued a slide into mediocrity for the series, missing at least three easy shots and causing a rise in tensions with unexpected shooting. Ted did pick up the win after Slinks missed the 9 on a bank to the top right. Ted made the last two balls to move into a 3-1 series lead. Ted made a ball on the break in game 5, helping to pace a slightly stronger attack. Slinks also looked to recover from earlier struggles, but by the end of the game, she slipped into the old habits of missing shots and poor contact plays. Ted tapped in the last two shots for the win, clinching the series at 4-1. Slinks had her best game of the series in game 6, making a five-ball run and adding two more near the end, but she missed on the 10, and Ted made the tap-in to win, pushing his advantage to 5-1. Game 7 saw Ted pull off a three-ball run fairly early on, but it was Slinks pressuring late that made things interesting. Ted made the 10 once, but scratched to negate the shot, and after Slinks and Ted missed once each more, Slinks buried it on her second try to win. Ted took the series 5-2, and will travel to Honda Driftwood Coliseum in Pearl to visit the Surfers' Watermelon in the bracket final.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Jennifer Livilotti. The silver cue returns to action for these two stars meeting in Accuracy. Diamond's Citrus played a nearly perfect game 1, striking early and keeping her pace strong. Terrace City's Jennifer couldn't keep up long term, fading late in the game. Citrus bailed from the perfect pace, but still won 2-4 to grab the win for a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 saw the Gems' Citrus mess up early on, allowing the Knights' Jennifer to take the early lead. Later in the game, both players left shots on the table they should have made, especially as Jennifer crumbled to a tied score. Citrus missed on her last shot though, allowing Jennifer to win 4-5 to tie the series at 1. Jennifer made an impressive double-pot in game 3, despite trailing at the time, as she converted a 13-3-7-14 to the top right, with the latter two balls going in. Citrus missed once very soon after this and once at the end of regulation, allowing Jennifer to kick in the 3 to force overtime. Citrus was very lucky to make the 15 on the overtime break, and Jennifer followed with a combination to the bottom right to start a fiery battle that ended in Jennifer missing on the 4 to take the 3-4 loss. Citrus holds a series lead again at 2-1. Jennifer had a lead for most of game 4, but the strength of it was frequently in question, as both players hit a cold stretch right in the middle of the game. Jennifer maintained the lead through this patch of play, and won 4-6 as Citrus faltered again at the end. The series is again tied at 2. Game 5 saw Citrus and Jennifer stay very close for much of the first half of the game, before Jennifer collapsed at the end, missing two shots in a row late while Citrus held her ground to pick up the 3-5 win and regain the series lead once again at 3-2. Citrus finally broke the pattern of the series in game 6, finding a way to do a copy of game 1 and keep Jennifer down. Jennifer tried to pull back as Citrus faltered late, but the host held her ground to get the 2-4 win and clinch the series at 4-2 after a solid effort. Citrus couldn't keep a lead in game 7, and Jennifer was more than happy to play hard even though the series was out of reach for her. Jennifer pushed Citrus down at the end, grabbing a 3-5 win to make it a 4-3 series. Citrus is set to host the bracket final at this venue after her win.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Mario v. Blizzard. The last series today has the silver cue in action for some 8-ball between these Northeastern rivals. Everton's Blizzard put a scare in the home fans with a big three-ball run on her first turn, but Central's Mario quickly answered that himself. Blizzard scratched on her next turn, and Mario ignited for a five-ball run-out, bringing the fans to their feet as he took a 1-0 series lead in the contentious regional rivalry. Game 2 went very similarly at the start, with a three-ball run from the Eagles' Blizzard and a four-ball run with some collateral damage by the Warriors' Mario keeping them even. Blizzard pulled ahead from here, but Mario played enough defense to get Blizzard to illegally pot the 8, giving Mario the win and a 2-0 series lead. Blizzard finally cracked through Mario's defensive style in game 3. Blizzard didn't have a huge run at the start, allowing Mario a bit of time before Blizzard charged forward. Mario didn't make it easy for her, as Blizzard needed three tries before potting the 8 at the top right, but the win cut the series to 2-1. Blizzard had a great break in game 4, but she wasn't decisive with her shooting, lacking a deep run to carry her offense. This allowed Mario to stay in the game in a catch-up role, which he almost succeeded at save for a miss on the 2 near the end. Blizzard finally potted the 8 to the top right to hold Mario off and earn the win, tying the series at 2. Blizzard didn't get as much on her break in game 5, allowing Mario to get the first decisive run of the game. Blizzard didn't take long to catch up the first time, but Mario's second run, going four balls, put him at a huge advantage. Blizzard never recovered, and Mario made the 8 at the bottom right to win for a 3-2 series lead. Blizzard went back to the basics in game 6, starting off with a three-ball run to push Mario into an offensive stance. Mario answered with a four-ball run before a standoff occurred, which ended a couple of turns later as Mario's bank on the 9 failed, sinking the 8 in the bottom side instead for the instant loss. Blizzard's gifted win tied the series at 3 to set up a decisive finale. In game 7, Blizzard got a ball on the break, which she didn't want initially, but Mario squandered his first turn, and Blizzard made a three-ball run for a commanding lead. Mario pulled back a bit in the game, but Blizzard sank the 8 in the bottom side for the win and a 4-3 series win. Blizzard will be on the road for the bracket finals after advancing this time. Mario is the 78th player to be eliminated this year, and Blizzard has her second kill with the effort.
That's it for the games today. We'll be starting cricket in a little bit, but we'll take a break for now. Live updates are on Twitter
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
UPCL Cricket - Week 30 Part 1
We're back for a milestone week in Cricket. Two bits of news: the Swordpoint Blades clinched last week, and the Diamond Gems are officially out of contention. We begin a new week with...
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks are set to host the third of a five-game home stand, while the Defenders make a two-game trip through the Urban Division. Bianca kept her pace in line with recent efforts for Southridge, posting 391 on her turn. Peach connected on a backhand for North Modernistic, but missed on the next swing to end at a paltry 24. Debby gave a more forceful run of support with 592 for the Defenders, extending their lead quite nicely with the effort. Luigi didn't cover much ground for the Nighthawks with his 348, allowing the deficit to grow. Stephanie faltered a bit for Southridge, contributing only 177 to their offense. Cheddar didn't capitalize on the chance to catch up, taking 178 for North Modernistic as the deficit remains large and steady. Hughbert added 283 for the Defenders on his turn, bringing their final to 1443, a modest but effective score. Bright nearly brought the Nighthawks all the way back, cranking out 866 to leave them just short at 1416. Southridge's win wasn't that comfortable, but it got them to 23-36, while North Modernistic is down to 29-31 in the loss.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates face a tough challenge at home, hosting a Pilots team in the second of its three game road trip. Valencia proved the toughness point quite easily for Golden, slugging 1598 to give them a massive lead at the start of the game. Delila countered quite well with 716 for Atlantic, but couldn't even halve the deficit with such a performance. Dusty smashed another 960 for the Pilots to extend their lead in a huge way. Isabella dropped off the pace for the Pirates, poking a ball too high to end on 279 as the hosts fall far behind halfway through. Strut did not let up at all for Golden, churning out 918 more despite his slow start. Americus hit 272 for Atlantic on her turn, but they have no realistic hope of getting back into the game. A. Charlton denied the Pilots any historically great performances, but her 270 sealed their final score at 3746 in an all-but-guaranteed win. Klaus finished the Pirates' offense with his 394, leaving their losing mark at 1661 in a respectable showing. Golden's sudden surge takes them to 38-20, while Atlantic is down to 33-28.
Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: The Flames wrap up a three-game road trip with a doubleheader, the first game being a return from a bye week for the Prestige. Crystal slapped 735 for Queens with a high pace and little mercy on the hosts, who face a tough task early in the game. Acorn fired back with 622 for Lighton, keeping them in striking distance after the first turn. Paige slightly weakened the Flames lead with her 416, giving them a smaller lead after the second attack. Spirit pulled back with 544 for the Prestige, doing just enough to take a tiny lead at the midway mark after her good turn. Violetta didn't much of a rhythm for Queens on her turn, shakily hitting 216 to restore a small lead in their favor. Twinkie I matched Spirit in scoring for Lighton, tacking on another 544 to help their lead grow late in the game. Max couldn't recover for the Flames with 224, their offense cratering as they lose with 1591. Salmo struck with another 471 for the Prestige, icing their winning total at 2181. Lighton rises to 27-35, while Queens takes a tough hit down to 29-25, a loss they can't afford to repeat.
The Intel Pitch, Diamond: The Gems try to pile onto the Flames misfortunes, as the visitors close out a three-game road trip with the back half of a doubleheader. Crystal had a much worse lead-off turn for Queens this time, falling at just 99 points as the visitors are vulnerable early on. Smokey crushed 1234 for Diamond in response, easily putting them far ahead of their opposition. Paige tried to get some of it back for the Flames, but a ball skipped over her bat to down her at 497. Citrus picked up only a meager 75 for the Gems, but their lead remains healthy halfway through the game. Violetta made a deep cut into the deficit for Queens, slashing 699 to get her side very close to catching up. Pedey stayed in recent form with 451 for Diamond, doing enough to restore a decent lead for the hosts. Max picked up 349 for the Flames on his turn, but they ended the game with 1644 to make their road trip winless. Rosalina capped the Gems win with 326 individually, for a total of 2086. Diamond happily play the spoiler role, jumping to 21-42, while Queens is 29-26, out of the playoffs currently.
Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: The Knights need to figure their season out soon, and they will face pressure from the league-leading Swifts in their fourth of five straight road games. Patches took 353 for Boston instead of facing an optional replay for a technical error, a somewhat low turn for the captain. Kiwi had a lucky tip on her turn, a ball bouncing to the back 4s off the handle of her bat to keep her turn going to 481 for Terrace City. Puff II ripped another 688 for the Swifts to give them a noticeable lead. Jennifer didn't get all of it back, taking 448 for the Knights, who are now slightly behind at the midway point. Gradley finally broke form for Boston, crashing down at 160, destabilizing their lead. Oreo maintained team balance for Terrace City while also regaining their lead with her 455. Sweetheart went with 666 for the Swifts, hoping to not leave them bedeviled at 1867 total. Stripes finally found her swing for the Knights, getting a critical win with her 526 to take them to 1910 overall. Terrace City upsets the leaders to go to 35-29, while Boston remains in first at 38-19.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks make a quick stop at home before two rivalry games on the road later in the segment, hosting their Southlands rivals, the Pilots before the return match in five games. Valencia couldn't duplicate her earlier effort, scoring 280 for Golden at the start this time. Chelsea shot back with 562 for Eastside right at the start, establishing them with a decent lead. Dusty got nearly all of it back for the Pilots against her former team, grabbing 552 in a strong appearance. Taylor restored a smaller lead for the Sharks, batting 426 in a solid performance to keep the hosts in charge. Strut went big with 726 for Golden on his turn, putting them in a much more confident leading position. Niki kept Eastside very close with her 550, the deficit so negligible that the game will be decided by the final players. A. Charlton choked the game away with a measly 40 for the Pilots, leaving them at 1598 total. Paps did his job well for the Sharks, closing out their win with 345 to get them to 1883. Eastside gets a boost to 25-35 with the win over their rivals, while Golden falls to 38-21.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers have a chance to take first place in a tie if they can open their four-game home stand well against the Defenders. Bianca didn't want to make it easy for the hosts, clobbering 670 for Southridge to give them a strong opening attack. Misty didn't get as much back as she wanted for Westside, felled at 185 by a shot that clipped the edge of the boundary. Debby tried to extend the Defenders lead, but a ball got behind her and stalled her turn at 371, an acceptable turn by the captain. Goatee spiked 561 for the Rockers on her turn, cutting into the deficit slightly. Stephanie's mini-slump for Southridge persisted, as the rookie picked up a paltry 64 to endanger their lead. Midnight paddled 416 for Westside on her turn, giving them a very slight lead as the final players step up to bat. Hughbert swung for 391 for the Defenders, bringing their offense to 1496 total, forcing the hosts to reply. Slinks did enough to get the Rockers the win, tacking on 480 to give them 1642 total. Westside joins the league lead with a 40-20 record, while Southridge is down to 23-37.
Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades are back at home for this game, facing a Sharks team beginning a pair of road games against rivals. Chelsea's spotty play continued for Eastside, as the captain had a poor 89 to begin this game out of form. Jasmine somehow did worse for Freedom, taking only 87 to keep the game close and in the hands of the rest of each team's players. Taylor put up a far more respectable 536 for the Sharks, giving them a stronger second lead. Stinky couldn't pull the Cascades back into the game, hitting a middling 232 as the hosts trail at the midway mark. Niki added 321 for Eastside in a decent performance to keep them in control of the game. Roxy thought she would get more than 263 for Freedom, but too much follow through ended her turn abruptly without any gains against the deficit. Paps did the best of all for the Sharks, knocking 746 to bring their final score up to 1692. Nikolai tried a counterattack rally for the Cascades, but his 620 came up short as they lost with 1202. Eastside rises to 26-35 overall, and they end their division play at 6-4 against the Eastern Hills, while Freedom is down to 19-37.
Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: The Monarchs and Gems have little left to battle for beyond pride, so they'll try for that in this late meeting. Diamond got a much better effort from Smokey on his optional replay than on the turn wiped out by technical error, as the captain recorded 505 to lead off the game. Panda didn't have the most successful swings for Southern this time, but his 378 keeps them relatively close at the start. Citrus got a bit overzealous for the Gems at one point, sending a ball high to end her turn at 184. Hoppy took full advantage of the misstep, slicing 643 for the Monarchs to give them the mid-game lead. Pedey failed to cover the deficit for Diamond with only 169 on his turn, making their situation a bit more difficult. Pounce didn't pull Southern's lead any farther ahead with just 51 this time, setting up an uncomfortably close finish. Rosalina forced a response from the hosts with her 385 for the Gems, putting their final score at 1243. Shannon didn't make it easy with 316 for the Monarchs, but they won with 1388 after the back-and-forth battle. Southern picks up the win here, rising to 21-31, while Diamond is down to 21-43 with a fifth straight road loss.
Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames have gone four straight without a win at home, but the Stills have had their own troubles on the road recently as both teams jockey for standings position. Easter couldn't get her swing under control in time, falling at a pathetic 42 for Todavía. Crystal drilled 679 in response for Queens, stepping up to establish a large lead right at the start for the hosts. Sierra had to go to her backhand for the Stills, but she couldn't corral the ball, ending her turn at 423 as it crashed into her wicket. Paige made all of that insignificant when she blasted 1709 for the Flames to cement their lead. Sparkles couldn't even begin to form a response to that for Todavía, melting under the pressure at 21. Violetta offered plenty of support to give the Queens lead another boost, tacking on 587 on her turn. Bells had only 162 for the Stills, readily accepting a brutal defeat as the visitors lose with a measly final of 648. Max went with 481 for the Flames at the end, giving them 3456 in a sequentially-appealing finish. Queens wraps up a much-needed win to rise to 30-26, while Todavía slips down to 33-26 with the tough loss.
Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots begin a three-game home stand hungry for revenge against the Southlands Derby rivals, the Sharks, who can get a season sweep with a win here. Chelsea popped a reasonable 487 for Eastside to begin this game in good form. Valencia didn't quite cover the deficit for Golden, but she scattered 441 to keep them within striking distance early in the game. Taylor kept the Sharks on an even keel with 520 on her turn, giving their lead a little more strength. Dusty couldn't quite get it all back for the Pilots, but 514 against her former team keeps the score close for now. Niki kept up the pacey attack theme for Eastside, launching 616 to boost their lead a little more. Strut lost a slight bit of ground for Golden despite his solid 539 to keep the game competitive as the final players come to bat. Paps had a solid 397 for the Sharks, their lowest mark of the game to ice their offense at a not-yet-safe 2020. A. Charlton exacted the Pilots' revenge, stealing the game away with her 551 to give the hosts 2045 in a narrow win. Golden is up to 39-21 with the season split, while Eastside sinks back to 26-36 with the loss.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators beat the Crowns last week on the road, and they hope they can get the season sweep with another win at home to close out this segment of play. Nightfur flicked 368 in a solid start for Royal, giving them something to build upon later in the game. Shawn got too much under his last swing for Midland, ending his turn on a poor 152. Jake racked up a more convincing attack of 608 for the Crowns, padding their lead quite a bit with his performance. Rainmane couldn't settle into a groove for the Predators, crashing out with a weak 102 as the deficit grows. Kayla built up even more pressure for Royal, serving up 681 to pad their lead again. Leonardo got 490 back for Midland, but that didn't do very much to get them closer with a player each to go and a large deficit facing the hosts. Hannah flipped 385 for the Crowns at the end of the game, bringing their overall score to 2042. Fuchsia picked up 445 for the Predators, but they lost anyway with 1189 total. Royal gets a massive upset to secure the season split and rise to 19-38, while Midland falls to 37-24 in the loss.
That's all for this segment of play. We'll have more tomorrow, potentially even more than a full segment, with a special early start time.
IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks are set to host the third of a five-game home stand, while the Defenders make a two-game trip through the Urban Division. Bianca kept her pace in line with recent efforts for Southridge, posting 391 on her turn. Peach connected on a backhand for North Modernistic, but missed on the next swing to end at a paltry 24. Debby gave a more forceful run of support with 592 for the Defenders, extending their lead quite nicely with the effort. Luigi didn't cover much ground for the Nighthawks with his 348, allowing the deficit to grow. Stephanie faltered a bit for Southridge, contributing only 177 to their offense. Cheddar didn't capitalize on the chance to catch up, taking 178 for North Modernistic as the deficit remains large and steady. Hughbert added 283 for the Defenders on his turn, bringing their final to 1443, a modest but effective score. Bright nearly brought the Nighthawks all the way back, cranking out 866 to leave them just short at 1416. Southridge's win wasn't that comfortable, but it got them to 23-36, while North Modernistic is down to 29-31 in the loss.
McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates face a tough challenge at home, hosting a Pilots team in the second of its three game road trip. Valencia proved the toughness point quite easily for Golden, slugging 1598 to give them a massive lead at the start of the game. Delila countered quite well with 716 for Atlantic, but couldn't even halve the deficit with such a performance. Dusty smashed another 960 for the Pilots to extend their lead in a huge way. Isabella dropped off the pace for the Pirates, poking a ball too high to end on 279 as the hosts fall far behind halfway through. Strut did not let up at all for Golden, churning out 918 more despite his slow start. Americus hit 272 for Atlantic on her turn, but they have no realistic hope of getting back into the game. A. Charlton denied the Pilots any historically great performances, but her 270 sealed their final score at 3746 in an all-but-guaranteed win. Klaus finished the Pirates' offense with his 394, leaving their losing mark at 1661 in a respectable showing. Golden's sudden surge takes them to 38-20, while Atlantic is down to 33-28.
Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: The Flames wrap up a three-game road trip with a doubleheader, the first game being a return from a bye week for the Prestige. Crystal slapped 735 for Queens with a high pace and little mercy on the hosts, who face a tough task early in the game. Acorn fired back with 622 for Lighton, keeping them in striking distance after the first turn. Paige slightly weakened the Flames lead with her 416, giving them a smaller lead after the second attack. Spirit pulled back with 544 for the Prestige, doing just enough to take a tiny lead at the midway mark after her good turn. Violetta didn't much of a rhythm for Queens on her turn, shakily hitting 216 to restore a small lead in their favor. Twinkie I matched Spirit in scoring for Lighton, tacking on another 544 to help their lead grow late in the game. Max couldn't recover for the Flames with 224, their offense cratering as they lose with 1591. Salmo struck with another 471 for the Prestige, icing their winning total at 2181. Lighton rises to 27-35, while Queens takes a tough hit down to 29-25, a loss they can't afford to repeat.
The Intel Pitch, Diamond: The Gems try to pile onto the Flames misfortunes, as the visitors close out a three-game road trip with the back half of a doubleheader. Crystal had a much worse lead-off turn for Queens this time, falling at just 99 points as the visitors are vulnerable early on. Smokey crushed 1234 for Diamond in response, easily putting them far ahead of their opposition. Paige tried to get some of it back for the Flames, but a ball skipped over her bat to down her at 497. Citrus picked up only a meager 75 for the Gems, but their lead remains healthy halfway through the game. Violetta made a deep cut into the deficit for Queens, slashing 699 to get her side very close to catching up. Pedey stayed in recent form with 451 for Diamond, doing enough to restore a decent lead for the hosts. Max picked up 349 for the Flames on his turn, but they ended the game with 1644 to make their road trip winless. Rosalina capped the Gems win with 326 individually, for a total of 2086. Diamond happily play the spoiler role, jumping to 21-42, while Queens is 29-26, out of the playoffs currently.
Audi Knights Pitch, Terrace City: The Knights need to figure their season out soon, and they will face pressure from the league-leading Swifts in their fourth of five straight road games. Patches took 353 for Boston instead of facing an optional replay for a technical error, a somewhat low turn for the captain. Kiwi had a lucky tip on her turn, a ball bouncing to the back 4s off the handle of her bat to keep her turn going to 481 for Terrace City. Puff II ripped another 688 for the Swifts to give them a noticeable lead. Jennifer didn't get all of it back, taking 448 for the Knights, who are now slightly behind at the midway point. Gradley finally broke form for Boston, crashing down at 160, destabilizing their lead. Oreo maintained team balance for Terrace City while also regaining their lead with her 455. Sweetheart went with 666 for the Swifts, hoping to not leave them bedeviled at 1867 total. Stripes finally found her swing for the Knights, getting a critical win with her 526 to take them to 1910 overall. Terrace City upsets the leaders to go to 35-29, while Boston remains in first at 38-19.
FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks make a quick stop at home before two rivalry games on the road later in the segment, hosting their Southlands rivals, the Pilots before the return match in five games. Valencia couldn't duplicate her earlier effort, scoring 280 for Golden at the start this time. Chelsea shot back with 562 for Eastside right at the start, establishing them with a decent lead. Dusty got nearly all of it back for the Pilots against her former team, grabbing 552 in a strong appearance. Taylor restored a smaller lead for the Sharks, batting 426 in a solid performance to keep the hosts in charge. Strut went big with 726 for Golden on his turn, putting them in a much more confident leading position. Niki kept Eastside very close with her 550, the deficit so negligible that the game will be decided by the final players. A. Charlton choked the game away with a measly 40 for the Pilots, leaving them at 1598 total. Paps did his job well for the Sharks, closing out their win with 345 to get them to 1883. Eastside gets a boost to 25-35 with the win over their rivals, while Golden falls to 38-21.
BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers have a chance to take first place in a tie if they can open their four-game home stand well against the Defenders. Bianca didn't want to make it easy for the hosts, clobbering 670 for Southridge to give them a strong opening attack. Misty didn't get as much back as she wanted for Westside, felled at 185 by a shot that clipped the edge of the boundary. Debby tried to extend the Defenders lead, but a ball got behind her and stalled her turn at 371, an acceptable turn by the captain. Goatee spiked 561 for the Rockers on her turn, cutting into the deficit slightly. Stephanie's mini-slump for Southridge persisted, as the rookie picked up a paltry 64 to endanger their lead. Midnight paddled 416 for Westside on her turn, giving them a very slight lead as the final players step up to bat. Hughbert swung for 391 for the Defenders, bringing their offense to 1496 total, forcing the hosts to reply. Slinks did enough to get the Rockers the win, tacking on 480 to give them 1642 total. Westside joins the league lead with a 40-20 record, while Southridge is down to 23-37.
Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades are back at home for this game, facing a Sharks team beginning a pair of road games against rivals. Chelsea's spotty play continued for Eastside, as the captain had a poor 89 to begin this game out of form. Jasmine somehow did worse for Freedom, taking only 87 to keep the game close and in the hands of the rest of each team's players. Taylor put up a far more respectable 536 for the Sharks, giving them a stronger second lead. Stinky couldn't pull the Cascades back into the game, hitting a middling 232 as the hosts trail at the midway mark. Niki added 321 for Eastside in a decent performance to keep them in control of the game. Roxy thought she would get more than 263 for Freedom, but too much follow through ended her turn abruptly without any gains against the deficit. Paps did the best of all for the Sharks, knocking 746 to bring their final score up to 1692. Nikolai tried a counterattack rally for the Cascades, but his 620 came up short as they lost with 1202. Eastside rises to 26-35 overall, and they end their division play at 6-4 against the Eastern Hills, while Freedom is down to 19-37.
Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: The Monarchs and Gems have little left to battle for beyond pride, so they'll try for that in this late meeting. Diamond got a much better effort from Smokey on his optional replay than on the turn wiped out by technical error, as the captain recorded 505 to lead off the game. Panda didn't have the most successful swings for Southern this time, but his 378 keeps them relatively close at the start. Citrus got a bit overzealous for the Gems at one point, sending a ball high to end her turn at 184. Hoppy took full advantage of the misstep, slicing 643 for the Monarchs to give them the mid-game lead. Pedey failed to cover the deficit for Diamond with only 169 on his turn, making their situation a bit more difficult. Pounce didn't pull Southern's lead any farther ahead with just 51 this time, setting up an uncomfortably close finish. Rosalina forced a response from the hosts with her 385 for the Gems, putting their final score at 1243. Shannon didn't make it easy with 316 for the Monarchs, but they won with 1388 after the back-and-forth battle. Southern picks up the win here, rising to 21-31, while Diamond is down to 21-43 with a fifth straight road loss.
Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames have gone four straight without a win at home, but the Stills have had their own troubles on the road recently as both teams jockey for standings position. Easter couldn't get her swing under control in time, falling at a pathetic 42 for Todavía. Crystal drilled 679 in response for Queens, stepping up to establish a large lead right at the start for the hosts. Sierra had to go to her backhand for the Stills, but she couldn't corral the ball, ending her turn at 423 as it crashed into her wicket. Paige made all of that insignificant when she blasted 1709 for the Flames to cement their lead. Sparkles couldn't even begin to form a response to that for Todavía, melting under the pressure at 21. Violetta offered plenty of support to give the Queens lead another boost, tacking on 587 on her turn. Bells had only 162 for the Stills, readily accepting a brutal defeat as the visitors lose with a measly final of 648. Max went with 481 for the Flames at the end, giving them 3456 in a sequentially-appealing finish. Queens wraps up a much-needed win to rise to 30-26, while Todavía slips down to 33-26 with the tough loss.
Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots begin a three-game home stand hungry for revenge against the Southlands Derby rivals, the Sharks, who can get a season sweep with a win here. Chelsea popped a reasonable 487 for Eastside to begin this game in good form. Valencia didn't quite cover the deficit for Golden, but she scattered 441 to keep them within striking distance early in the game. Taylor kept the Sharks on an even keel with 520 on her turn, giving their lead a little more strength. Dusty couldn't quite get it all back for the Pilots, but 514 against her former team keeps the score close for now. Niki kept up the pacey attack theme for Eastside, launching 616 to boost their lead a little more. Strut lost a slight bit of ground for Golden despite his solid 539 to keep the game competitive as the final players come to bat. Paps had a solid 397 for the Sharks, their lowest mark of the game to ice their offense at a not-yet-safe 2020. A. Charlton exacted the Pilots' revenge, stealing the game away with her 551 to give the hosts 2045 in a narrow win. Golden is up to 39-21 with the season split, while Eastside sinks back to 26-36 with the loss.
HP Field, Midland: The Predators beat the Crowns last week on the road, and they hope they can get the season sweep with another win at home to close out this segment of play. Nightfur flicked 368 in a solid start for Royal, giving them something to build upon later in the game. Shawn got too much under his last swing for Midland, ending his turn on a poor 152. Jake racked up a more convincing attack of 608 for the Crowns, padding their lead quite a bit with his performance. Rainmane couldn't settle into a groove for the Predators, crashing out with a weak 102 as the deficit grows. Kayla built up even more pressure for Royal, serving up 681 to pad their lead again. Leonardo got 490 back for Midland, but that didn't do very much to get them closer with a player each to go and a large deficit facing the hosts. Hannah flipped 385 for the Crowns at the end of the game, bringing their overall score to 2042. Fuchsia picked up 445 for the Predators, but they lost anyway with 1189 total. Royal gets a massive upset to secure the season split and rise to 19-38, while Midland falls to 37-24 in the loss.
That's all for this segment of play. We'll have more tomorrow, potentially even more than a full segment, with a special early start time.
Tournament 2017: A-level Bracket Semifinals - Day 1
The Fourth Round is ready to go, as the bracket semifinals begin a 7 or 8 day adventure today. We're aiming for 42 to 49 games per day, and these are now 7-game series for the next two rounds. We begin with...
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Nicole v. Dustin. The red cue leads off in 7-ball for the first seven-game set of the Tournament. Capital City's Nicole had a good three-ball run at the start of game 1, but she couldn't follow it up at all later on. Central's Dustin looked shaky at the start of the game, but it would be Nicole missing the 7 at the top side that allowed Dustin to make it in the bottom left for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin showed a bit more improvement in game 2, making a ball on the break, adding a four-ball run over the middle, and then capitalizing on a miss on the 7 by the Sharpshooters' Nicole. Dustin tapped in the last shot for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Nicole didn't let Dustin pull away completely in game 3, as Dustin had a three-ball run that ended with a narrow miss on the 4. Nicole shot right back with a four-ball run-out, including a 5-6 combination, to get the win and make it a 2-1 series. Game 4 saw Dustin return to a position of strength throughout most of the game, holding a large share of possession, but it didn't correct his miss on the 7 at the bottom right, which Nicole tapped in to tie the series at 2. Game 5 saw Nicole nearly make the 7 on the break, as it just rattled out of the top left. Dustin charged back a couple of times, but a scratch on his kick attempt at the 6 stalled him. Nicole missed on the 7 once, but she wouldn't miss twice, burying Dustin's errant bank on the 7 to the bottom left for the win. Nicole leads the series 3-2 now. Nicole didn't have a great break in game 6, making it a very favorable outing for Dustin. He blasted the 1 to the top side on a kick, and then made a five-ball run-out a couple of turns later to retie the series at 3 games apiece. Dustin again had a nice share of possession with a four-ball run in game 7, but he couldn't make it stand with his miss on the 6. Nicole struck for the last two shots to take the game and a 4-3 series win. Nicole punched her ticket to the bracket finals with the win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Pedey. The red cue stays in action for a series wrapped around the lunch break in 10-ball. Diamond's Pedey had a slight edge in play in game 1, stringing his shots together better and avoiding a late error, unlike Pearl's Watermelon, who missed contact with the 9. This set Pedey up for the last two shots from ball-in-hand, and he won for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Gems' Pedey didn't have as nice of a game 2, while the Surfers' Watermelon had a pair of three-ball runs. Watermelon just couldn't get a clean shot on the 10, and Pedey made it after Watermelon's desperate bank attempt, giving him a 2-0 series lead. Pedey made the 2 on the break of game 3, but that would be his only success. Watermelon struck in the 1, and then managed to make Pedey miss contact after Watermelon missed the 3-10 combination to the top right. Pedey's error allowed Watermelon to take the obvious 3-10 combination for the win on her second try, and she cut the series to 2-1. Watermelon struck quickly again in game 4, making the 2-10 combination to the top right on her second turn after making the 1. Pedey didn't have time to react or play defense, allowing Watermelon to tie the series at 2. Watermelon and Pedey battled evenly in game 5, each making a three-ball run as part of their attacks. Pedey had a chance on the 10 that he couldn't quite convert, leaving it to Watermelon, who made it to take a 3-2 series lead. Watermelon had a bit of a slow performance in game 6, not getting anything on the break and finding runs difficult. Pedey illegally potted the 5, and Watermelon elected to take possession, but her shot on the 6 left her snookered. She missed contact on the 7, and Pedey jumped up for a three-ball run-out, retying the series at 3. Pedey put up quite the challenge in game 7, but it wouldn't work for him in the end, as his missed contact on the 6 paved the way for Watermelon to execute a four-ball run-out for the win. Watermelon claimed the series 4-3, and will host her series in the bracket finals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Misty. Two competitive veterans keep the 10-ball coming with the silver cue in its only series today. Infinity's Mr. Snowman had a good break to start the series in game 1, but he lacked offense after that point. Westside's Misty also started a bit slow, but she picked up the pace at the end, making a well-played five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman picked up some of the slack in game 2 as the Rockers' Misty had scratches and misses all around. Mr. Snowman's first turn was a three-ball run, and he made the last two shots as well to get the win and tie the series at 1. Misty had the first shot potted in game 3 after a weaker break from Mr. Snowman, but he quickly busted a cluster. This would be critical late, as Mr. Snowman had a three-ball run before missing the 9. Misty had a chance on it, but it wouldn't fall for her, and Mr. Snowman took the win with the last two shots for a 2-1 series lead. Mr. Snowman improved his breaking posture, leading to a much more open game 4, which saw Misty control most of the middle of the game, but Mr. Snowman popped up on a three-ball run-out in the end. He had to bank the 9 after leaving himself in bad position, but he then struck the 10 to the top left for the win and a 3-1 advantage in the series. Mr. Snowman had a very good chance to get the win in game 5, after Misty saw a three-ball run come up short, but Mr. Snowman missed on the 10 at the bottom right. Misty made the tap-in to steal the win, pulling back to a 3-2 series deficit. Mr. Snowman made amends for his mistake in a similar game 6 effort. Misty had a couple of nice runs, with a three-ball run near the end as her highlight, but Mr. Snowman capitalized when she missed the 8, taking it and the 10 for himself in the win that clinched the series for him at 4-2. Mr. Snowman had game 7 in his hands after an early four-ball run, and Misty had little ability to catch up, but Mr. Snowman's later attempts at a run crumbled, and Misty finished the game for the win. Mr. Snowman took the series 4-3, advancing to the bracket finals. Misty is the 74th player eliminated, and the first in this round, while Mr. Snowman takes his first kill of the season.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Neopolitan. The blue cue comes on for some 7-ball in this series. Central's Twilight kept her efforts in game 1 brutally efficient, taking the win on the break with the 5 in the top left and the 7 in the top side. Pearl's Neopolitan is down 1-0 in the series without taking a single shot yet. The Warriors' Twilight showed off her long-term skills as well in game 2, starting slowly at first but eventually finding a groove after the Surfers' Neopolitan missed on the 2. Twilight submitted a six-ball run-out to the pleasure of her home crowd to gain a 2-0 series lead. Twilight again shut out Neopolitan in game 3, making the 1 just barely on the break, then cutting the 2 to the bottom right, and pulling off a double-pot of world-class quality. Twilight poked the 3 to the top right, drilling the 4 off the left rail, and then with a glance off the cue again, the 4 put the 7 into the top right as well to make it a 3-0 series lead. Neopolitan actually had a majority share of the possession in game 4, but she made a mistake in leaving the 7 up after missing it on a long cut shot. Twilight recovered from the rough game to tap the 7 in, securing the series at 4-0 for herself. Neopolitan had about one second of joy in game 5, as she made a tough cut on the 2-7 combination to the bottom right, but the cue caromed into the top side for a scratch, giving the win to Twilight, who received the gift as a 5-0 series lead. Neopolitan again held a possession edge in game 6, but much like game 4, Neopolitan couldn't corral the 7 at the top left near the end of the game. The cut she missed was longer this time, but Twilight came in and tapped the 7 in anyway to get the win and a huge 6-0 lead in the series. Neopolitan pulled off an epic run in game 7, going start to finish in one turn after Twilight had nothing on her break. Neopolitan's seven-ball run-out prevented a sweep, but Twilight still advances to host the bracket final series with a 6-1 win here. Neopolitan's brutal defeat makes her the 75th player eliminated, and Twilight is now responsible for two such exits.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Shaggy. Staying in the Northeast, the red cue comes back in action for Accuracy. Whitewater's Shaggy showed a great poise on her turns, keeping Everton's Puff III at bay for almost the whole game. Shaggy only missed once, which Puff III quickly matched, and Shaggy was able to coast to a 1-5 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy tried to keep her pace in game 2, but she twice negated her own lead immediately after misses from the Eagles' Puff III. The second of these instances came on a scratch, and Puff III made her next two shots, while Shaggy missed on the last balls. Puff III buried it for the 3-4 win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw a bit of everything, with Shaggy taking a strong early lead over Puff III, who then held her ground for a bit. Shaggy missed four shots in a row near the end, allowing Puff III a brief lead, but she would give it up with misses on her last two shots in regulation. Shaggy forced overtime, where Puff III made a ball on the break, and Shaggy missed a cut on the 7 toward the top right to give Puff III the 4-5 win and 2-1 series lead. Game 4 saw Puff III blow three separate one-shot leads to Shaggy, who was never too far behind. Shaggy pressured right up to the end, where she fell behind a fourth time. Puff III finally held the lead, making the 12 to the top left for the 3-4 win and 3-1 series lead. Game 5 saw Puff III finally tighten up her offense to become a more lethal attacking player. She would have had a great game were it not for a late miss, but she had already beaten Shaggy at that point, and Puff III was happy to clinch the series at 4-1 with a 2-3 win. Shaggy finally got a win back in game 6, watching as Puff III cratered dramatically throughout the latter half of the game after such a close start. Puff III did get closer near the end as Shaggy began to slip, but Shaggy held on for a 4-5 win, getting a game back in the 4-2 series. Puff III couldn't hang on as long in game 7 as Shaggy did, leaving Puff III at a tough deficit late in the game. She couldn't quite challenge Shaggy on the last ball, and it didn't matter, as Shaggy made it to win 1-3 to cut the series again at 4-3. Puff III advances to host the bracket final series at this venue.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Americus. The blue cue gets a turn in Accuracy in the next series. Boston's Gradley had to be happy to hold an early lead in game 1, as he missed a couple of shots late in the game, but Atlantic's Americus was too far behind to benefit. Gradley held on for the 3-4 win to take a 1-0 series lead over the persistent visitor. The Pirates' Americus again faced a large deficit late in game 2, but she managed to fight back this time, getting the Swifts' Gradley to miss twice and scratch once as she made the last three balls to force overtime. Here, Gradley made the 12 on the break, and Americus clipped the edge of the bottom side on her only shot, giving Gradley the 4-5 win and a 2-0 lead in the series. Gradley again made a ball on the break in game 3, his second time doing so, and the players engaged in a close battle. Both Gradley and Americus missed around the middle of the game, but Gradley took another setback on the last ball, which Americus cut in to win 1-2 and get on the board in the now 2-1 series for Gradley. Americus continued her stronger play in game 4, holding a lead from the point of Gradley's first miss until the end. Gradley had fallen behind with a second miss, but induced one late miss on Americus and nearly had two. Americus banked the 2 toward the bottom side, where it bounced off the corner of the pocket and into the bottom right to secure her 1-2 win, tying the series at 2. Gradley fell behind again in game 5, struggling to keep pace, but Americus had a couple of key misses late in the game, allowing Gradley to hold the tie and force overtime at the end of regulation. Americus opted for a soft break in overtime, but Gradley drilled the 1 to the bottom side and the 7 to the top side off a cluster buster for the 3-4 win. Gradley also regained the series lead at 3-2. Gradley knew what he had to do to secure the series in game 6, and a good break enabled him to do so. Americus only missed once, but that was all Gradley needed as he played a perfect game to win 0-1 and clinch the series at 4-2. Americus refused to go quietly, burying Gradley early in game 7 as she built up a lead. Americus couldn't make this first lead stand, but Gradley missed on his only shot at the last ball, and Americus buried it on her second try for the 3-4 win to give Gradley a 4-3 series win. Gradley will host a bracket finals series at this venue. Americus fell as the 76th player eliminated from the Tournament, while Gradley records his second kill of the year to keep going.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Boots. The final series today is 12-ball with the red cue between starring veterans. Lighton's Spirit struck quickly in game 1, making a pair on the break. Pearl's Boots canceled that out, but Spirit would make two more pairs, and Boots could only counter one of them. Spirit got a little help late with positioning for the final pair after Boots had a wild miss, and Spirits' precise shooting gave her the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit couldn't get as much out of her break in game 2, and her early shooting left plenty to be desired. The Surfers' Boots didn't have much better luck, but her positioning was stronger, and when Spirit clipped one of Boots' balls for illegal contact, Boots assembled a quick three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Boots put in a strong effort in game 3, making three balls early to make Spirit scramble early on. Spirit did pull even, but she had no answer for Boots' next attack, which made two more balls and got the last one in position. Spirit made one of her remaining shots, but the others weren't in position when Boots struck the 3 to the bottom left for the win and a 2-1 lead in the series. Game 4 saw Spirit go on a big run early on, making a four-ball run that ended with the 2 kicked into the top side from a tough angle. Spirit had good positions left on her last two shots, but Boots did everything she could, mixing offense on the right side and defense on the left side to slow Spirit down. Boots would get ball-in-hand from Spirit's illegal contact on the 13, but Boots couldn't complete the run, and Spirit kicked the 4 behind the 13 and into the bottom left to win, retying the series at 2. Spirit had a ball on the break in game 5, but this didn't make the game any easier for her, as Boots had a better spread from the rack. Boots enjoyed some early success, but positioning was tough to come by at the end, and Spirit charged with a three-ball run and some defense to hold Boots off. In the end, Boots missed on her last ball, and Spirit made hers on a tough cut to the top side to win for a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 featured a five-ball run from Spirit countered by a four-ball run from Boots, but none of that mattered much once Boots made her fifth ball. Spirit knew she had the weaker shooting position, so she repeatedly bumped Boots out of position on purpose four times. Boots began to get frustrated, and knocked the 2 past the targeted top side, allowing Spirit to edge closer to the top left. Boots then returned the favor, but Spirit got back in position, and Boots' attempt to set herself up again failed. Spirit converted after the long duel, winning to seal the series at 4-2. Spirit stepped up again in game 7, making a three-ball run from the break and giving up the only wild-card ball of this clean series. Boots did well at first, but amid the chaos of Spirit's shooting, she slipped behind, and Spirit got her last ball into the bottom right for the win. Spirit's 5-2 series win takes her to a hosting position in the bracket final.
That's all for the first exciting day of the round. We've got more Bracket Semifinals action to come this week and next, and Cricket Week 30 begins tonight as well.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Nicole v. Dustin. The red cue leads off in 7-ball for the first seven-game set of the Tournament. Capital City's Nicole had a good three-ball run at the start of game 1, but she couldn't follow it up at all later on. Central's Dustin looked shaky at the start of the game, but it would be Nicole missing the 7 at the top side that allowed Dustin to make it in the bottom left for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin showed a bit more improvement in game 2, making a ball on the break, adding a four-ball run over the middle, and then capitalizing on a miss on the 7 by the Sharpshooters' Nicole. Dustin tapped in the last shot for the win and a 2-0 series lead. Nicole didn't let Dustin pull away completely in game 3, as Dustin had a three-ball run that ended with a narrow miss on the 4. Nicole shot right back with a four-ball run-out, including a 5-6 combination, to get the win and make it a 2-1 series. Game 4 saw Dustin return to a position of strength throughout most of the game, holding a large share of possession, but it didn't correct his miss on the 7 at the bottom right, which Nicole tapped in to tie the series at 2. Game 5 saw Nicole nearly make the 7 on the break, as it just rattled out of the top left. Dustin charged back a couple of times, but a scratch on his kick attempt at the 6 stalled him. Nicole missed on the 7 once, but she wouldn't miss twice, burying Dustin's errant bank on the 7 to the bottom left for the win. Nicole leads the series 3-2 now. Nicole didn't have a great break in game 6, making it a very favorable outing for Dustin. He blasted the 1 to the top side on a kick, and then made a five-ball run-out a couple of turns later to retie the series at 3 games apiece. Dustin again had a nice share of possession with a four-ball run in game 7, but he couldn't make it stand with his miss on the 6. Nicole struck for the last two shots to take the game and a 4-3 series win. Nicole punched her ticket to the bracket finals with the win.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Pedey. The red cue stays in action for a series wrapped around the lunch break in 10-ball. Diamond's Pedey had a slight edge in play in game 1, stringing his shots together better and avoiding a late error, unlike Pearl's Watermelon, who missed contact with the 9. This set Pedey up for the last two shots from ball-in-hand, and he won for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Gems' Pedey didn't have as nice of a game 2, while the Surfers' Watermelon had a pair of three-ball runs. Watermelon just couldn't get a clean shot on the 10, and Pedey made it after Watermelon's desperate bank attempt, giving him a 2-0 series lead. Pedey made the 2 on the break of game 3, but that would be his only success. Watermelon struck in the 1, and then managed to make Pedey miss contact after Watermelon missed the 3-10 combination to the top right. Pedey's error allowed Watermelon to take the obvious 3-10 combination for the win on her second try, and she cut the series to 2-1. Watermelon struck quickly again in game 4, making the 2-10 combination to the top right on her second turn after making the 1. Pedey didn't have time to react or play defense, allowing Watermelon to tie the series at 2. Watermelon and Pedey battled evenly in game 5, each making a three-ball run as part of their attacks. Pedey had a chance on the 10 that he couldn't quite convert, leaving it to Watermelon, who made it to take a 3-2 series lead. Watermelon had a bit of a slow performance in game 6, not getting anything on the break and finding runs difficult. Pedey illegally potted the 5, and Watermelon elected to take possession, but her shot on the 6 left her snookered. She missed contact on the 7, and Pedey jumped up for a three-ball run-out, retying the series at 3. Pedey put up quite the challenge in game 7, but it wouldn't work for him in the end, as his missed contact on the 6 paved the way for Watermelon to execute a four-ball run-out for the win. Watermelon claimed the series 4-3, and will host her series in the bracket finals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Misty. Two competitive veterans keep the 10-ball coming with the silver cue in its only series today. Infinity's Mr. Snowman had a good break to start the series in game 1, but he lacked offense after that point. Westside's Misty also started a bit slow, but she picked up the pace at the end, making a well-played five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman picked up some of the slack in game 2 as the Rockers' Misty had scratches and misses all around. Mr. Snowman's first turn was a three-ball run, and he made the last two shots as well to get the win and tie the series at 1. Misty had the first shot potted in game 3 after a weaker break from Mr. Snowman, but he quickly busted a cluster. This would be critical late, as Mr. Snowman had a three-ball run before missing the 9. Misty had a chance on it, but it wouldn't fall for her, and Mr. Snowman took the win with the last two shots for a 2-1 series lead. Mr. Snowman improved his breaking posture, leading to a much more open game 4, which saw Misty control most of the middle of the game, but Mr. Snowman popped up on a three-ball run-out in the end. He had to bank the 9 after leaving himself in bad position, but he then struck the 10 to the top left for the win and a 3-1 advantage in the series. Mr. Snowman had a very good chance to get the win in game 5, after Misty saw a three-ball run come up short, but Mr. Snowman missed on the 10 at the bottom right. Misty made the tap-in to steal the win, pulling back to a 3-2 series deficit. Mr. Snowman made amends for his mistake in a similar game 6 effort. Misty had a couple of nice runs, with a three-ball run near the end as her highlight, but Mr. Snowman capitalized when she missed the 8, taking it and the 10 for himself in the win that clinched the series for him at 4-2. Mr. Snowman had game 7 in his hands after an early four-ball run, and Misty had little ability to catch up, but Mr. Snowman's later attempts at a run crumbled, and Misty finished the game for the win. Mr. Snowman took the series 4-3, advancing to the bracket finals. Misty is the 74th player eliminated, and the first in this round, while Mr. Snowman takes his first kill of the season.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Twilight v. Neopolitan. The blue cue comes on for some 7-ball in this series. Central's Twilight kept her efforts in game 1 brutally efficient, taking the win on the break with the 5 in the top left and the 7 in the top side. Pearl's Neopolitan is down 1-0 in the series without taking a single shot yet. The Warriors' Twilight showed off her long-term skills as well in game 2, starting slowly at first but eventually finding a groove after the Surfers' Neopolitan missed on the 2. Twilight submitted a six-ball run-out to the pleasure of her home crowd to gain a 2-0 series lead. Twilight again shut out Neopolitan in game 3, making the 1 just barely on the break, then cutting the 2 to the bottom right, and pulling off a double-pot of world-class quality. Twilight poked the 3 to the top right, drilling the 4 off the left rail, and then with a glance off the cue again, the 4 put the 7 into the top right as well to make it a 3-0 series lead. Neopolitan actually had a majority share of the possession in game 4, but she made a mistake in leaving the 7 up after missing it on a long cut shot. Twilight recovered from the rough game to tap the 7 in, securing the series at 4-0 for herself. Neopolitan had about one second of joy in game 5, as she made a tough cut on the 2-7 combination to the bottom right, but the cue caromed into the top side for a scratch, giving the win to Twilight, who received the gift as a 5-0 series lead. Neopolitan again held a possession edge in game 6, but much like game 4, Neopolitan couldn't corral the 7 at the top left near the end of the game. The cut she missed was longer this time, but Twilight came in and tapped the 7 in anyway to get the win and a huge 6-0 lead in the series. Neopolitan pulled off an epic run in game 7, going start to finish in one turn after Twilight had nothing on her break. Neopolitan's seven-ball run-out prevented a sweep, but Twilight still advances to host the bracket final series with a 6-1 win here. Neopolitan's brutal defeat makes her the 75th player eliminated, and Twilight is now responsible for two such exits.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Shaggy. Staying in the Northeast, the red cue comes back in action for Accuracy. Whitewater's Shaggy showed a great poise on her turns, keeping Everton's Puff III at bay for almost the whole game. Shaggy only missed once, which Puff III quickly matched, and Shaggy was able to coast to a 1-5 win for the 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy tried to keep her pace in game 2, but she twice negated her own lead immediately after misses from the Eagles' Puff III. The second of these instances came on a scratch, and Puff III made her next two shots, while Shaggy missed on the last balls. Puff III buried it for the 3-4 win, tying the series at 1. Game 3 saw a bit of everything, with Shaggy taking a strong early lead over Puff III, who then held her ground for a bit. Shaggy missed four shots in a row near the end, allowing Puff III a brief lead, but she would give it up with misses on her last two shots in regulation. Shaggy forced overtime, where Puff III made a ball on the break, and Shaggy missed a cut on the 7 toward the top right to give Puff III the 4-5 win and 2-1 series lead. Game 4 saw Puff III blow three separate one-shot leads to Shaggy, who was never too far behind. Shaggy pressured right up to the end, where she fell behind a fourth time. Puff III finally held the lead, making the 12 to the top left for the 3-4 win and 3-1 series lead. Game 5 saw Puff III finally tighten up her offense to become a more lethal attacking player. She would have had a great game were it not for a late miss, but she had already beaten Shaggy at that point, and Puff III was happy to clinch the series at 4-1 with a 2-3 win. Shaggy finally got a win back in game 6, watching as Puff III cratered dramatically throughout the latter half of the game after such a close start. Puff III did get closer near the end as Shaggy began to slip, but Shaggy held on for a 4-5 win, getting a game back in the 4-2 series. Puff III couldn't hang on as long in game 7 as Shaggy did, leaving Puff III at a tough deficit late in the game. She couldn't quite challenge Shaggy on the last ball, and it didn't matter, as Shaggy made it to win 1-3 to cut the series again at 4-3. Puff III advances to host the bracket final series at this venue.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Gradley v. Americus. The blue cue gets a turn in Accuracy in the next series. Boston's Gradley had to be happy to hold an early lead in game 1, as he missed a couple of shots late in the game, but Atlantic's Americus was too far behind to benefit. Gradley held on for the 3-4 win to take a 1-0 series lead over the persistent visitor. The Pirates' Americus again faced a large deficit late in game 2, but she managed to fight back this time, getting the Swifts' Gradley to miss twice and scratch once as she made the last three balls to force overtime. Here, Gradley made the 12 on the break, and Americus clipped the edge of the bottom side on her only shot, giving Gradley the 4-5 win and a 2-0 lead in the series. Gradley again made a ball on the break in game 3, his second time doing so, and the players engaged in a close battle. Both Gradley and Americus missed around the middle of the game, but Gradley took another setback on the last ball, which Americus cut in to win 1-2 and get on the board in the now 2-1 series for Gradley. Americus continued her stronger play in game 4, holding a lead from the point of Gradley's first miss until the end. Gradley had fallen behind with a second miss, but induced one late miss on Americus and nearly had two. Americus banked the 2 toward the bottom side, where it bounced off the corner of the pocket and into the bottom right to secure her 1-2 win, tying the series at 2. Gradley fell behind again in game 5, struggling to keep pace, but Americus had a couple of key misses late in the game, allowing Gradley to hold the tie and force overtime at the end of regulation. Americus opted for a soft break in overtime, but Gradley drilled the 1 to the bottom side and the 7 to the top side off a cluster buster for the 3-4 win. Gradley also regained the series lead at 3-2. Gradley knew what he had to do to secure the series in game 6, and a good break enabled him to do so. Americus only missed once, but that was all Gradley needed as he played a perfect game to win 0-1 and clinch the series at 4-2. Americus refused to go quietly, burying Gradley early in game 7 as she built up a lead. Americus couldn't make this first lead stand, but Gradley missed on his only shot at the last ball, and Americus buried it on her second try for the 3-4 win to give Gradley a 4-3 series win. Gradley will host a bracket finals series at this venue. Americus fell as the 76th player eliminated from the Tournament, while Gradley records his second kill of the year to keep going.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Spirit v. Boots. The final series today is 12-ball with the red cue between starring veterans. Lighton's Spirit struck quickly in game 1, making a pair on the break. Pearl's Boots canceled that out, but Spirit would make two more pairs, and Boots could only counter one of them. Spirit got a little help late with positioning for the final pair after Boots had a wild miss, and Spirits' precise shooting gave her the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit couldn't get as much out of her break in game 2, and her early shooting left plenty to be desired. The Surfers' Boots didn't have much better luck, but her positioning was stronger, and when Spirit clipped one of Boots' balls for illegal contact, Boots assembled a quick three-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 1. Boots put in a strong effort in game 3, making three balls early to make Spirit scramble early on. Spirit did pull even, but she had no answer for Boots' next attack, which made two more balls and got the last one in position. Spirit made one of her remaining shots, but the others weren't in position when Boots struck the 3 to the bottom left for the win and a 2-1 lead in the series. Game 4 saw Spirit go on a big run early on, making a four-ball run that ended with the 2 kicked into the top side from a tough angle. Spirit had good positions left on her last two shots, but Boots did everything she could, mixing offense on the right side and defense on the left side to slow Spirit down. Boots would get ball-in-hand from Spirit's illegal contact on the 13, but Boots couldn't complete the run, and Spirit kicked the 4 behind the 13 and into the bottom left to win, retying the series at 2. Spirit had a ball on the break in game 5, but this didn't make the game any easier for her, as Boots had a better spread from the rack. Boots enjoyed some early success, but positioning was tough to come by at the end, and Spirit charged with a three-ball run and some defense to hold Boots off. In the end, Boots missed on her last ball, and Spirit made hers on a tough cut to the top side to win for a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 featured a five-ball run from Spirit countered by a four-ball run from Boots, but none of that mattered much once Boots made her fifth ball. Spirit knew she had the weaker shooting position, so she repeatedly bumped Boots out of position on purpose four times. Boots began to get frustrated, and knocked the 2 past the targeted top side, allowing Spirit to edge closer to the top left. Boots then returned the favor, but Spirit got back in position, and Boots' attempt to set herself up again failed. Spirit converted after the long duel, winning to seal the series at 4-2. Spirit stepped up again in game 7, making a three-ball run from the break and giving up the only wild-card ball of this clean series. Boots did well at first, but amid the chaos of Spirit's shooting, she slipped behind, and Spirit got her last ball into the bottom right for the win. Spirit's 5-2 series win takes her to a hosting position in the bracket final.
That's all for the first exciting day of the round. We've got more Bracket Semifinals action to come this week and next, and Cricket Week 30 begins tonight as well.
One Year Later - UPCL Update
One year ago, the UPCL suffered a massive data loss due to hard drive failure. It was a devastating blow for the league, but not a knockout punch by any means. At first, the pure size of the task at hand, which I called Reconstruction, was almost unbearable. I took it in pieces, grabbing what I could out of personal correspondence, archived data on this site, and memory. Two of the documents I lost were the Career Matchups and the Record Book. I decided to tackle the Record Book first. Using the original 2010 Tournament document, and digital copies from 2011 and 2012, I was able to lay the groundwork for a new document, the Guidebook, which streamlines many of the functions found in the old record book. This took about two weeks to work on, but it paled in comparison to the next stage: full document reconstruction.
It became clear to me quickly that some things were just gone for good from the 2014-2016 documents. Qualifying data was completely lost, as was most of the preseason work. This didn't bother me much, as it isn't essential to the league. I still had some raw numbers from 2016 to work with going forward, which would be built upon later. Instead, after rebuilding the 2017 document, I decided to lay the framework in reverse. I connected the dots from 2012's UPCL teams origin to where the players are now, in 2017, and filled in the rest for the other years. With that done, I worked on a much larger task. Three years' worth of brackets to reconstruct, and then the corresponding records to balance on the standings pages. Not helping matters was a busy schedule from August to December, which kept me away from both Reconstruction and the progression of the much easier-to-recover fourth Cricket document. In fact, throughout the Reconstruction period, only two weeks of the cricket season were played.
I got done with the last single-year document reconstruction in October, and then took on the Herculean task of rebuilding the Career Matchups document. This took about another 6 weeks, and while I tried to be as good as possible with it, the document itself is technically not accurate. I want to take another look at it in the near future, but I'm not totally sure it can be fixed to correspond accurately with the other materials. It is more meant to be a fun document that shows which players have met before. The Guidebook is the official source for all other player data, which is what matters the most.
With the Reconstruction complete in December, it was time to rectify two things: the slow pace of the cricket season, and the significantly delayed start to the Tournament qualifying session. The Heart of the Game 8-ball Doubles Tournament covered part of November and December, and by the end of it, qualifiers were set to begin. However, loss would strike again, as my grandmother passed away after a weeks-long fight in February. This disheartened me quite a bit, putting another six-week delay in the Tournament process, for most of the start of the year. The first round featured long breaks between game days, and Cricket saw another reduction in the pace of the season. However, since the end of March, things have run smoothly throughout, bringing us to today. The league documents for next year are just about ready to go, and with the return of old players and another large rookie class entering, it should be an exciting time. I'll have another announcement in a few weeks regarding some big changes to the league structure, but until then, it's the last three rounds of the Tournaments and six more league-weeks of Cricket play before the Hutton Cup Playoffs. I didn't know if this year's events would even get done, but it's clearer than ever that they will, and the league is set to continue for as long as I want it.
It became clear to me quickly that some things were just gone for good from the 2014-2016 documents. Qualifying data was completely lost, as was most of the preseason work. This didn't bother me much, as it isn't essential to the league. I still had some raw numbers from 2016 to work with going forward, which would be built upon later. Instead, after rebuilding the 2017 document, I decided to lay the framework in reverse. I connected the dots from 2012's UPCL teams origin to where the players are now, in 2017, and filled in the rest for the other years. With that done, I worked on a much larger task. Three years' worth of brackets to reconstruct, and then the corresponding records to balance on the standings pages. Not helping matters was a busy schedule from August to December, which kept me away from both Reconstruction and the progression of the much easier-to-recover fourth Cricket document. In fact, throughout the Reconstruction period, only two weeks of the cricket season were played.
I got done with the last single-year document reconstruction in October, and then took on the Herculean task of rebuilding the Career Matchups document. This took about another 6 weeks, and while I tried to be as good as possible with it, the document itself is technically not accurate. I want to take another look at it in the near future, but I'm not totally sure it can be fixed to correspond accurately with the other materials. It is more meant to be a fun document that shows which players have met before. The Guidebook is the official source for all other player data, which is what matters the most.
With the Reconstruction complete in December, it was time to rectify two things: the slow pace of the cricket season, and the significantly delayed start to the Tournament qualifying session. The Heart of the Game 8-ball Doubles Tournament covered part of November and December, and by the end of it, qualifiers were set to begin. However, loss would strike again, as my grandmother passed away after a weeks-long fight in February. This disheartened me quite a bit, putting another six-week delay in the Tournament process, for most of the start of the year. The first round featured long breaks between game days, and Cricket saw another reduction in the pace of the season. However, since the end of March, things have run smoothly throughout, bringing us to today. The league documents for next year are just about ready to go, and with the return of old players and another large rookie class entering, it should be an exciting time. I'll have another announcement in a few weeks regarding some big changes to the league structure, but until then, it's the last three rounds of the Tournaments and six more league-weeks of Cricket play before the Hutton Cup Playoffs. I didn't know if this year's events would even get done, but it's clearer than ever that they will, and the league is set to continue for as long as I want it.
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