Select Cricket 2018 - Week 1

We're ready to begin the fifth cricket season, and the first to be organized by tiers of play. The lowest tier, Select, goes first to lead off week 1, beginning with...

Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: Dominic gets the first game off for the Monarchs in their home opener, while Waluigi rides the pine for the Prestige today. Acorn didn't get a lot for pace, but he picked up 432 for Lighton to lead things off strongly on the road. Avril stepped up with 543 in response for Southern, giving them a bit of an edge early in the game. Spirit put a cold preseason behind her, crushing 1017 for the Prestige to give them a much larger lead with the second attack. Hoppy melted under pressure for the Monarchs, as the sophomore's backhand failed her at 90 points. Katelynn swept away 192 for Lighton, maintaining their lead for now. Panda chose to accept 376 for Southern rather than risk a poorer result on replay after a technical error from a deflection. Nicole contributed nicely with 577 for the Prestige at the end, capping their final at 2218. Pounce had a false start and a technical error before falling at 456 on his third try for the Monarchs, leaving their losing total at 1465. Lighton starts off 1-0, while Southern is 0-1 early on.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks let the rookie Summer rest for game 1, while the Cascades have Nikolai on the bench for their first road game. Jasmine remained firm as always, as the Freedom captain slapped an easy 780 to give them a large lead early on. Whiskers shot right back with 770 for Maplewood, bringing her new team's fans to their feet. Stinky chipped another 407 for the Cascades, retaining a smaller lead for the visitors. Diddley had a mediocre 124, unable to get his pace up before batting a ball out of play for the Lumberjacks. Roxy needed a bit more distance on her last swing for Freedom, instead bowing out at 102 points to weaken their lead. Bryant countered with 399 for Maplewood this time, making it a very close game with a player each to go. Stripes didn't get a lot with 234 for the Cascades at the end, putting their final score at 1523 in a game too close to call. Gabe stepped in with 392 for the Lumberjacks, a solid performance and enough for the hosts to take the win with 1685. Maplewood takes their home opener to go to 1-0, while Freedom will have a quick turnaround on their 0-1 record.

Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: The Monarchs get their second game of the year, resting Hoppy, while Stinky will rest for the Cascades to continue their short road trip early in the year. Jasmine had some early struggles due to the short turnaround, and she ended at 346 for Freedom this time. Avril stayed strong in her work for Southern, ripping 576 this time to give them the early lead. Roxy didn't do much for the Cascades either, ending on 194 as she failed to cover the deficit facing her team. Panda didn't get all of a ball that rolled up and over his bat, landing on his wicket to cut him down at a decent 328 for the Monarchs. Nikolai countered with 576 for Freedom in his first game of the year, a successful outing to shrink the deficit. Pounce picked 202 for Southern on his turn, unable to reclaim the lead in a tight game between the two teams. Stripes showed flashes of her potential with 576 for the Cascades, icing their offense at 1692. Dominic did alright with 384 for the Monarchs at the end, but they suffered another loss with 1490 overall. Freedom is even at 1-1 in their busy opening week, while Southern drops to 0-2 after another gritty battle.

Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: The Specters' home opener finds Lexi on the bench for two reasons, while Pedey's poor preseason gives him a break for the Gems in their first game. Rosalina's first real test in her new lead-off role saw mixed results as she scored 272 for Diamond to begin the game. Sydney countered with a modest 304 for Harrison, giving the hosts a narrow lead after the first turn. Citrus did better for the Gems with 408, strengthening their second attempt at a lead as the only player on the team in a familiar role. Twinkie II needed four tries to get a legal turn, and then cratered her pace late in the game to end on 327 for the Specters, who now trail. Smokey had a good pace going but let his last swing get away from him, ending at 256 in this struggle of a game for Diamond. Rudolph took over with a steady pace and excellent placement to earn 527 for Harrison, giving them a late lead. Cassandra, in her return to the league, hit 450 for the Gems, forcing the hosts to reply as the visitors end with 1386. Mitchell grabbed 392 at the end, showing a calm demeanor as the Specters pick up the win with 1550 total. Harrison is at 1-0, while Diamond starts the year 0-1 despite a solid effort.

Sprint Pitch, Victoria: The Spurs get their home opener and leave Strawberry on the bench after her pool debut yesterday, while Gabe rests for the same reason for the Lumberjacks. Whiskers managed to sit a ball just in front of her wicket, but it cramped her swing and cut her down at 255 for Maplewood. Spice looked as in form as ever for Victoria, slashing her way to 752 to give the hosts a significant lead. Diddley did better in his second appearance, but his 302 still left the Lumberjacks at a deficit. Yekaterina had a ball deflected off of her bat by the next offering, cutting her down at 239 as the Spurs' lead takes a small dent. Bryant managed a weak 122 for Maplewood, unable to get anything going during his turn. Sage sprayed 516 for Victoria to extend their lead late in the game, showing why the aged rookie has so much hype around her performances. Summer didn't get much with 223 for the Lumberjacks, leaving them with some decisions to make after a loss with 902 total points. Wario added another 520 at the end to ice the Spurs win, which ended up at a final score of 2027. Victoria is 1-0 on the year, while Maplewood dips to 1-1.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades make a quick stop at home to begin their back-to-back against the Wolves. Roxy rests for the Cascades, while Vladimir's debut for the Wolves will have to wait. Juno couldn't do anything about a tough deflection, which cut her down at 147 for Stonebridge. Jasmine did quite favorably for Freedom with 515 in response, giving the hosts a lead. Frosty had issues with her pace for the Wolves, ending at 297 despite taking a lot of swings that should have led to better offense. Stinky knocked 519 for the Cascades on the counterattack, boosting their lead halfway through the game. Hershey showed a lot of promise in corralling 431 for Stonebridge on his turn. Nikolai wiped that out on his own, swatting a big 487 to keep the Freedom offense balanced and strong. Cobalt displayed some crafty handling of the bat to gather 591 for the wolves, even though it won't prevent their loss at a final of 1466. Stripes showed a bit of fatigue in only adding 159 for the Cascades to seal their win at 1680. Freedom rises to 2-1, while Stonebridge starts at 0-1, and both teams will meet tomorrow night in the first game of the session.

Subway Field, Stonebridge: The other half of the home-and-home sees Juno rest for the Wolves while Stripes is on the bench for the Cascades. Frosty struggled to get much lift on her swings, ending at a weak 105 in a rare lead-off appearance for Stonebridge. Jasmine got beat on a deflection to take a measly 71 for Freedom in a slow start to the game. Hershey had a much more respectable 432 for the Wolves on his turn, strengthening their lead with the second attack. Stinky couldn't dig out of trouble after a couple of weak swings, ending at 288 as the Cascades fall farther behind at the halfway mark. Vladimir looked alright as he picked up 343 for Stonebridge, adding a little more to their lead. Roxy's sluggish start to the year continued as she hit a pathetic 51 for Freedom, allowing the deficit to grow late in the game. Cobalt had almost no pace and not nearly enough longevity to cover it as he added a meager 91 to the Wolves' score, which rests at 971. Nikolai carried the Cascades to the win with 655, putting their final score at 1065. Freedom is up to 3-1 on the year, while Stonebridge drops to 0-2 after suffering a sweep in the home-and-home series.

Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: The captain Acorn rests for the Prestige after a busy pool day, while Salmo takes the first game off for the Sharks against his former team. Graham had a solid return to the league, scooping up 392 for Eastside on the opening turn of the game to begin their five-game road trip. Spirit chopped back with 551 for Lighton on her turn, giving the hosts a marginal lead. Chelsea gained some energy from a massive backhand save, but she couldn't channel it, bowing out at 256 for the Sharks. Katelynn did a bit better with 359 for the Prestige, starting hot before cooling toward the end of her turn as she gives the lead a small boost. Gizmo made his Eastside debut a memorable one, covering the deficit easily as he unleashed 626 in a punishing turn. Nicole couldn't recover the lead for Lighton, taking a low pace to 222 points on her turn. Cubby placed his swings well, collecting 391 for the Sharks to finish their scoring at 1665. Waluigi couldn't bring the Prestige back into the game, finishing at 295 for a total of 1427, but he didn't crater under pressure either. Eastside is 1-0 to start the year after their win, while Lighton drops to 1-1.

Sprint Pitch, Victoria: Sage takes a seat for the Spurs after some qualifying action, while Pounce sits for the Monarchs due to performance. Avril continued to justify Southern taking her first in the draft, carving out 582 for the lead early in this game. Spice got beat by a deflection after a late swing, sitting her down at 240 for Victoria in their second straight home game to start the year. Hoppy responded well to her first game off, coming back to hammer 641 in a successful extension of the Monarchs lead. Yekaterina improved in this game with 375 for the Spurs, but they remain far behind halfway through. Panda stayed steady with early performances, gathering 368 for Southern this time out. Wario cut into the deficit slightly as he muscled up for 475 for Victoria in a positive outing. Dominic did alright with 297 at the end for the Monarchs, bringing their final to 1888 in a strong team effort. Strawberry hit 420 for the Spurs in a solid outing, but it wasn't enough to avoid the loss with 1510, souring her decent personal debut. Southern is up to 1-2 with a well-played win, while Victoria sinks to 1-1.

Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves look to bounce back, returning Vladimir to the bench after his pool today, while the captain Diddley is benched for performance for the Lumberjacks. Whiskers struggled in the lead-off role for Maplewood again, taking only 101 this time. Juno looked hungry for offense for Stonebridge, pummeling 648 to put them noticeably ahead after the first turn. Bryant did his part with 571 for the Lumberjacks, covering the deficit nicely with the rally. Frosty hasn't looked right in attack for the Wolves, regaining a small lead with her 171 here to further concerns about her form. Gabe picked up a mediocre 269 for Maplewood in attack, still enough to challenge the hosts. Hershey knocked a big 609 for Stonebridge here, regaining a strong lead for the hosts with a player each to go. Summer couldn't pressure the hosts, poking 329 as the Lumberjacks quietly lose with a total of 1270, their second road loss in a row. Cobalt looked good with 442 for the Wolves in a practice turn, icing their win at 1870 and buying himself a bit more playing time. Both teams move to 1-2 with the result.

The Intel Pitch, Diamond: Rosalina and Twinkie II will rest in this rematch game, both due to earlier pool activity. Sydney looked a little better than in the first game, taking 346 for Harrison this time in an acceptable start. Citrus showed a strong pace for Diamond in an unfamiliar lead-off role, doing enough to grab the lead with 424. Lexi wasted her first appearance of the year for the Specters, only scoring 147 to lightly cover the deficit. Pedey had a strong pace going but let a ball roll up his bat, which he flicked out of play to end at 272 for the Gems, mitigating the boost given to their lead. Rudolph couldn't lower his swing in time to save his turn, crashing out at 80 for Harrison as the deficit grows again. Smokey provided a decent 372 for Diamond on his turn, extending their lead a little bit more with the final players coming to bat. Mitchell tried to rally for the Specters with 433, but they will take the loss at 1006 despite his best efforts. Cassandra, tired from a qualifier earlier in the day, chipped another 313 to cap the Gems' win at 1381. The home-and-home split sees both teams return to level records at 1-1.

Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: Cassie sits in the home opener for the Crowns, while Roxy rides the bench for a second time after a sluggish start to the season. Jasmine looked lively on the opening turn for Freedom, slicing 571 to give them a stable lead at the start of the game. Kayla fired back with a huge 739 for Royal, giving them the lead in a successful debut in the lead-off role for the hosts. Stinky bounced back with 417 for the Cascades, covering the deficit for a smaller second try at the lead. Jake launched another 632 in response for the Crowns, growing their lead at the halfway mark. Nikolai wouldn't let the game get away from Freedom easily, belting 608 to keep them in the fight. Jeremias returned to the league after a couple of years away, taking only 266 for Royal as the game tightens with a player each to go. Stripes continued the charge for the Cascades with 665 on her turn, lifting their final score to 2261, a challenging mark for the hosts to hit. Nightfur tried to pull the Crowns back into the game, but her 432 left them with a loss at 2069 in a thrilling finale for the week. Freedom is up to 4-1, while Royal sinks to 0-1 to start the year.

That's all for Select this week. Next Monday, Week 2 begins.

2018 Qualifiers - Day 3

We're back with likely a minimum of 40 games on the third qualifying day. First up is...

Wings, making his Central Warriors debut with the silver cue in hand for 7-ball. Wings didn't make a ball on the break, and while he did scratch for his only error, he generally shot well, heating up near the end to finish with 11 shots. Americus gets the next game, making her debut with the Midland Predators as she shoots 7-ball with the blue cue. Americus likewise had an empty break, although her one error was for illegal contact. She stayed clean after that to close with 11 shots in a solid performance. A soft-shooting Pronger Tridents rookie is next, as Lize debuts in 7-ball with the silver cue as she continues injury recovery. Lize didn't do much after making a ball on the break, her soft shots causing her trouble near the end of the game. She had one error for a scratch and ended with a score of 13 shots. Going fourth is the Midland Predators captain Shawn, who plays his 9-ball game with the blue cue. Shawn made two balls on a successful break, and then kept things mostly clean save for one late error for illegal contact. Shawn finished with 10 shots to his name in a strong performance. The Swordpoint Blades' Dreamy wraps up the group with her 8-ball game with the silver cue. Dreamy had an excellent performance going despite an empty break this time, but she scratched while making the 8, taking a five-error penalty and ending with 24 shots once she cleared the rack.

The second group starts with the Golden Pilots' Sparkles playing 9-ball with the blue cue. Sparkles had an awful game after missing the 2-9 combination lined up nicely toward the top right. She would take four errors over 27 shots after an empty break for a forgettable third appearance with her new team. The returning Wild Thing will debut for the Archtown Arrows next, trying to do better in 7-ball with the silver cue. Wild Thing did alright for the Arrows, taking one error early on but settling in to close the game on 14 shots. Shaggy keeps the silver cue in action, as the Whitewater Shores veteran sets up to play her 9-ball qualifier. Shaggy couldn't avoid errors well enough after getting nothing on the break. She would take three errors, inflating her score to 18 shots before she could finish the game. The Boston Swifts veteran Gradley goes ninth today, debuting for the season in 7-ball with the blue cue. Gradley produced some happiness that's been lacking in this group so far, making the 7 to the top left on the break for a 0-shot and zero errors performance. The quiet Eastside Sharks veteran Chelsea ends the group with her 7-ball game with the red cue. Chelsea stayed level-headed despite difficult shots early in the turn. She took no errors and finished the appearance in 10 shots, a solid output for the veteran.

Batch three leads off with the third-year Stonebridge Wolves captain Juno, who debuts with the blue cue in 7-ball. Juno dazzled in a quick appearance, making the 3 on the break, and then double-potting the 1 to the top left and the 7 on a deflected bank to the top side for a score of 1 shot and no errors. North Modernistic Nighthawks rookie Gal Gadot jumps in for the 12th game, playing 7-ball with the blue cue for her career debut. Gal did well with getting legal contact early on, but her luck for making shots dried up, and she needed 14 shots to finish the game without an error. Commerce Tradewinds rookie Rosemary is back for her second appearance, using the red cue to shoot 8-ball. Rosemary knocked a solid 21 shots for her game, going empty on the break and taking an error due to a lack of focus in the middle of the game. Rosemary's strong finish was a hopeful sign for the young rookie. Strawberry gets her second appearance for the Victoria Spurs, shooting 8-ball with the blue cue. Strawberry also went without a ball on the break, but it didn't slow her down, nor did her single scratch for her only error. She ended with a good 20 shots for the game. Finishing this group, the Infinity Torpedoes captain Smudge shoots 8-ball with the blue cue. Smudge didn't have her shots lined up well in the appearance, taking two errors and 32 total shots to complete a rough appearance.

The fourth group opens as Lighton Prestige captain Acorn debuts for the year with the silver cue in 7-ball. Acorn couldn't quite anything on the break, and then fell into a couple of errors in the middle of the game before closing it down at 13 shots. The Everton Eagles' Kirstin is back for 8-ball, using the silver cue in her second game of the qualifying season. Kirstin picked up a ball on the break, and she didn't take any errors during her run of play, allowing her to finish with 21 shots for a good performance. More 8-ball is on the way for Diamond Gems sophomore Rosalina's second game, with the blue cue as her weapon of choice. Rosalina didn't make any errors, but she could have played a more aggressive style in the middle of the game, as she needed 23 shots to finish the appearance. Following that, Acorn returns for his 8-ball game, and the Prestige captain will use the silver cue again. Acorn did what he could after scratching on the break. He would take his second and final error later in the game before finishing with 24 shots in a decent performance. Rounding out the bunch, Todavía Stills star Sierra debuts for the year in 7-ball with the blue cue. Sierra took the game in 8 shots, an impressive mark given her two failed attempts at combinations with the 7. Her otherwise clean shooting glossed over the empty break, as she took no errors in the quick finish.

Group five gets going with Southridge Defenders sophomore Stephanie Livilotti making her debut with the silver cue in 7-ball. Stephanie couldn't make a ball on the break, and she took her only error on illegal contact early on. She finished with 13 shots in the difficult first appearance of the year. Another Defender, the captain Debby Ryan, is up next, shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Debby put together a great outing this time, taking no errors and using choppy runs to keep her shots clear. She would end the game on 19 shots despite taking nothing from the break, an excellent showing. Niki makes her Commerce Tradewinds debut next, shooting her 7-ball with the blue cue. Niki made a good first impression on the home fans, taking just 3 shots after making a ball on the break to complete the game, with the finale a 2-7 combination to the bottom side. She had no errors for the game. The Shores' Shaggy is back in action for the 24th game today, shooting 10-ball with the blue cue as the first player to reach this event. Shaggy had a ball no the break, but she got snookered on many of her early shots, and despite taking just one error, she needed 20 shots to get through the game. At the back of the group, the Terrace City Knights' Oreo uses the silver cue in 8-ball. Oreo made a pair of balls on the break, and didn't slow down at all after that, crushing through the rack in 17 shots without an error to become the new pacesetter for the event.

The Torpedoes' captain Smudge returns for her 9-ball game with the silver cue at the start of the sixth group. Smudge struggled again, clearly unable to get a grip on her play today. She took one late error and 19 shots in the poor game. The Central Warriors captain Twilight joins the 10-ball ranks this time, shooting that event with the struggling silver cue. Twilight didn't get anything on the break for this game, but she showed some early skill with her shots, and this allowed her to overcome a slow finish. She had one error for an illegally potted ball, but only 14 total shots in a great game. The 28th player drawn today is the Pearl Surfers' co-captain Watermelon, making her season debut in 7-ball with the red cue. Watermelon left the game frustrated, as her good break netter nothing, and her shooting thereafter required 14 error-free shots to complete the game. Next up, the Warriors' Wings is back in action shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Wings picked up nothing from the break in his game, and while he didn't take any errors, his was a slow game requiring 25 shots to complete. Closing out the group, the North Modernistic Nighthawks' Cheddar makes her season debut in 7-ball with the blue cue. Cheddar had a ball on the break and played well early in the game, but she faded to a total of 11 shots late, although she didn't take an error at any point in the game.

Bunch seven begins as the Tysini Hummingbirds captain Princess shoots 7-ball with the blue cue for her season debut. Princess didn't get the best angles to shoot from early on, compounding with an empty break to push her score to 12 shots, but she had no errors in the game. The 32nd player called to shoot is the Southridge Defenders sophomore Bianca, who opens the season with the blue cue and 7-ball. Bianca had a very similar appearance, going empty on the break and taking one error for a scratch before completing her turn in 12 shots as well. Vladimir Vasilyev of the Stonebridge Wolves mixes it up, playing 8-ball with the blue cue in his second career appearance. Vladimir had a great game going early on, taking one error for illegal contact but otherwise dominating. Near the end, he added two more errors, totaling three, and closed with a non-representative 25 shots for the appearance. Precious, the Pronger Tridents captain, debuts next with the red cue in hand for 7-ball. Precious didn't quite get anything on the break, and she caused her own error later in the game, but she completed the effort in a crisp 10 shots for a good start to her qualifying season. Wrapping up the group, the Harrison Specters captain Twinkie II debuts in 7-ball with the blue cue. Twinkie II didn't make a ball on the break and took no errors during her performance of 12 shots, a fairly middling effort so far.

The last group leads off with Chicky Phil of the Pacific Volcanoes shooting 9-ball with the blue cue. Chicky Phil played a beautiful game, making a ball on the break and striking the 7-9 kick combination to the top right to end with 10 shots and no errors for the appearance. The 37th player called today is Cassandra, as the Diamond Gems star returns to league play with her 7-ball game with the red cue. Cassandra did get a ball on the break, but she also had an error in the middle of her game. In all, she ended at 12 shots with the one error in an acceptable outing. The Whitewater Shores' Twinkie III goes next, playing her 8-ball with the blue cue in her second appearance of the year. It didn't go that well for Twinkie III, who had only one error and a bunch of poorly positioned shots to work with. She would need 27 shots to finish the outing, a rough effort from the reliable veteran. Dreamy gets a chance for redemption from earlier, as the Blades star plays 9-ball with the blue cue. Dreamy got exactly what she wanted, potting two balls on the break and then attacking smoothly throughout the game. She finished with 7 shots, ending on a deflected 7-9 combination off the 6 to complete the error-free game. Leonardo of the Midland Predators gets the final game today, shooting 8-ball with the red cue. Leonardo had everything going his way in the game until he illegally potted the 8. He ended up with six errors in 24 shots despite making a ball on the break, a frustrating and costly mistake ruining his effort.

That's all for today. Tomorrow's got more of the same. Tonight, Select plays the second half of its first week, and tomorrow morning, Elite gets a first look.

2018 Qualifiers - Day 2

We're back for a new day of Qualifiers after yesterday's 50-game binge to start the pool season. We may not play as many games today, but we'll start with...

The Whitewater Shores rookie Katharine McPhee making her debut in 7-ball with the silver cue. Katharine made a couple of balls on the break, making the rest of the game all the more disappointing, as she needed 14 shots with one error to complete the appearance. Briana Livilotti, the Queens Flames rookie, gets the next game, shooting 8-ball with the silver cue. Briana did alright, failing to get anything off the break but holding her own with her early shots. She did scratch for her only error, and she was slowed by bad positioning in the end, finishing with 22 shots. Ms. Puppy, the Modernistic Union captain, gets the next game, keeping the silver cue in play for 7-ball. Ms. Puppy had an empty break, but she shut things down after that, missing only her first shot before closing at 8 shots and no errors in a well-played game. Ms. Puppy's Union teammate Puff I gets the fourth game today, shooting her 7-ball with the red cue. Puff I had a rough break in this game, and she took a scratch when her kick on the 2 failed, but it led her to a 3-7 combination a shot later, closing the game at 7 shots with one error. Rounding out the group is the Southern Monarchs sophomore Hoppy, who gets her second year going with the silver cue in 7-ball. Hoppy had a terrible game, unable to get a clear shot most of the time. One such instance led her to illegally pot the 7 on illegal contact, accounting for her two errors in 17 shots for the game.

The second group gets underway with the Diamond Gems sophomore Rosalina shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Rosalina had the best performance of the day so far, going empty on the break but making the 1 to the top left and the 2-7 combination to the top right for a 2-shot and no errors outing. Midnight kept the red cue in action, as the Westside Rockers veteran is next to debut in 7-ball this year. Midnight barely went empty on the break, but it didn't slow her down much. She made the first two shots easily, and paced her way to 10 shots with no errors in the game overall. Going eighth today is the Whitewater Shores veteran Twinkie III, with the silver cue in hand for her 7-ball. Twinkie III had no issues in her game, making the 6 on the break and clearing the rack in 7 shots without an error for a strong performance to start her season. The Pacific Volcanoes' Chicky Phil plays for the second straight day, using the red cue in 8-ball. Chicky Phil had nothing on his break, and he had two errors, one for illegal contact and one for a scratch, before finishing the game with 24 shots, an acceptable mark. Delila, the Atlantic Pirates captain, closes out the group with the silver cue in hand for 7-ball. Delila didn't get a ball on the break, and her only blemish after that was a scratch that forced her to take 8 shots with just one error to complete the effort.

Leading off group three, Cubby makes his return to the league as an Eastside Shark, playing 7-ball with the red cue. Cubby scratched on the break of his game, his only error among 11 shots in a decent but difficult performance for the big veteran. Going 12th is Slinks, the Westside Rockers veteran, who has the red cue ready to go for 8-ball. Slinks pulled off a good performance without really assembling a big run. She didn't make a ball on the break and played at a consistent pace, ending with 21 shots and no errors for the effort. Vladimir Vasilyev makes his debut with the Stonebridge Wolves in pool, using the red cue for 7-ball. Vladimir made the 3 on the break, and then struggled with the 1 before banking it to the bottom side. He followed up by putting the 2, 4, and 7 all in motion, and got lucky to see the 7 drop in the top right to give him a score of 4 shots and no errors. The Central Warriors superstar Dustin returns to action in 8-ball next, with the red cue in hand. Dustin did get a ball on the break, and he played well despite some tough angles, but a slow finish left him with 21 shots and no errors for the appearance. Wrapping up this batch, Max of the Atlantic Pirates plays his 8-ball game with the blue cue. Max didn't have it this time, struggling to make anything early on and needing 31 shots with one error to finish the game.

The fourth bunch gets going with Cowzart, the new Westside Rocker, who returns to the league playing 7-ball with the red cue. Cowzart made a ball on the break and had all the makings of a good game until difficulties with the 7 gave him his one error and pushed his total up to 10 shots. Up next, the Southern Monarchs captain Panda makes his season debut with the silver cue in 7-ball. Panda got the 7 very close to the bottom right on the break, and he finished the game in 3 shots with a 1-7 combination, taking no errors along the way. Chimpy is the next returning player to debut this season, as the crafty Modernistic Union veteran plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Chimpy made a ball on the break, but had to deal with frustration as the 1 proved difficult to pot. He also sent the cue off the table for his only error, and he would finish the game with 12 shots. Katelynn is drawn for the 19th game today, as the Lighton Prestige veteran returns to league play with the red cue in 7-ball. Katelynn couldn't get anything on the break, but she navigated around the 6 well early on and finished with 10 shots and no errors in a strong performance. The group closes with Maplewood Lumberjacks veteran Bryant shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Bryant had a great start, making the 6 on the break and getting the first few shots down, but with illegal contact and illegally potting the 7, he had his two errors, and he closed with 13 shots.

Group five begins as the Central Warriors captain Twilight dips into 9-ball, the first player to do so, using the red cue. Twilight made a ball on the break and hardly even slowed down, taking one error on a scratch but needing only 11 shots to finish the effort. The Swordpoint Blades star Dreamy follows that up with her season debut in 7-ball, using the silver cue. Dreamy had promise at the start of her appearance, but she took two errors among a pitiful 18 shots, as the promise didn't pan out as planned. Quincy, the Terrace City Knights rookie, gets the 23rd game to make his debut with the silver cue in 7-ball. Quincy did well in his first appearance, getting the 3 to fall on the break, and then needing only 8 shots with no errors to finish the game as he found his shooting quite accurate. The Oceanside Waves sophomore Dewey gets the next game, shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Dewey couldn't quite make anything on the break, but he kept one eye on the 7 and tried to set himself up well for an early finish. Those attempts failed, but he still needed only 9 shots to complete the appearance, and he took no errors. To finish this group, the Shores rookie Katharine McPhee returns to play for 8-ball with the silver cue. Katharine played a cautious style this time, and it worked out. She had an empty break, but she also took no errors among her 24 shots, a clean and simple performance.

Batch six leads off with Beth, the now-Pearl Surfer making her return to the league after four years away. She will use the silver cue in 7-ball. Beth had a poor game, showing the rust from her time off. She needed 18 shots, with one error for missed contact, to complete the effort. Leandra gets the 27th game of the day, using the red cue in her 7-ball season debut. Leandra nearly made a ball on the break, instead settling for her only error with a scratch. She played well after that, completing the game with 10 shots in a respectable first appearance of the year. Next up is the Diamond Gems sophomore Pedey, debuting in 7-ball this year with the silver cue. Pedey had nothing on the break and took no errors during his run of play, ending with a so-so 13 shots for his troubles. Continuing along, the Midland Predators captain Shawn plays 8-ball with the red cue. Shawn carved out a spectacular game, getting nothing on the break and still managing to clear the table in 18 shots without an error. The group ends as the Stonebridge Wolves star Frosty makes her season debut with the red cue. Frosty had a chance to end it on the first shot after an empty break, but her 1-7 combination didn't connect, and she chased the game for 14 shots with one error before bringing it to a close.

The seventh group starts with the Midland Predators' Leonardo playing 7-ball with the red cue. Leonardo scratched on the break for his only error in the game, finishing the appearance with 9 shots in a quick outing for the big veteran. The North Modernistic Nighthawks captain Peach plays next, debuting in 7-ball with the blue cue. Peach started slow, but stayed away from any errors in her game. Once she got going, Peach closed thing up in a crisp 11 shots, looking very comfortable despite some difficult plays to make. The returning Atlantic Pirate debuts for his first action in two years, as Steven plays 7-ball with the blue cue as well. Steven knocked a stunning 3 shots for his game, making two balls on the break and then using the 3-7 combination at the top left on his second try at it to finish the game with no errors. The 34th player drawn today is the Victoria Spurs rookie Sage, who will shoot 8-ball this time with the red cue. Sage definitely inserted herself in the conversation for this event, making a ball on the break and needing 21 shots to complete the game. The worst part was her two errors, for a scratch and illegal contact, which weighed down a strong performance. At the back of the group, the Web City Spiders sophomore Ted plays 7-ball in his season debut with the red cue. Ted had to play smart after not getting the shots he wanted after an empty break. Ted eventually did deflect the cue off of the 2 to end at 5 shots with no errors, but it was a nervy play in a game with many of them.

The final group today opens with the Infinity Torpedoes captain Smudge shooting 7-ball with the silver cue. Smudge had a gutsy shot on the 1-7 combination after an empty break, but the shot failed, and she would illegally pot the 7 with illegal contact on the next shot. Her two errors aside, she finished with 13 shots in a middling performance. Up next, the Archtown Arrows captain and legend Ruby debuts in 7-ball for the year with the red cue. Ruby kept a steady hand throughout her game despite not making anything on the break. Ruby took no errors and had the table clear in a solid 10 shots. The Victoria Spurs sophomore Wario gets the 38th game today, shooting 7-ball with the blue cue in his second seasonal debut. Wario struggled badly in his game, taking two errors on his first two shots from play, and then scrabbling to make the rest of the balls for a score of 17 shots in a poor start to his sophomore campaign. Following that, the Commerce Tradewinds veteran Lionel shoots his 7-ball game with the blue cue as well. Lionel dropped the 4 on the break in a well-played shot, and then cleared the rest of the table off in 10 shots without an error to keep a strong profile at the start of the year. Dominic will bring the day to an end, as he starts his second stint with the Southern Monarchs by playing 7-ball with the silver cue. Dominic ended the day well, making a ball on the break and needing only 8 error-free shots to complete his game.

That's all for today. There may be as many or possibly more games tomorrow if time permits.

2018 Qualifiers - Day 1

We're back to start the regular Tournament season, and what better way to do that than with the individual trials known as Qualifiers. All players will participate in eight events, battling for seeding, and this year, there's a benefit. The top 4 players on each cue receive a bye in the first round of the once again one-tiered Tournament. We'll do each set of players in groups of five for easier reading. We begin today with...

Fluffina, the centerpiece of a big trade, as she debuts in 7-ball for the Infinity Torpedoes. Fluffina started with a pair of balls on the break with the silver cue, and then she made another four before needing three shots to pot the 7. She ended with a score of 7 and no errors. Next, the sophomore from the Atlantic Pirates, Isabella, shoots with the red cue. Isabella did not do as well, getting one ball on the break but struggling to find her shot for the game. She had one error for missed contact and closed the game out in 14 shots. Going third, the Terrace City Knights veteran Oreo will also use the red cue. Oreo didn't pot a ball on her break, and she had an early error for missed contact, but she left the 7 in an easy position and closed the game in 12 shots on a 6-7 combination to the top right. The first rookie to debut goes fourth, as Briana Livilotti of the Queens Flames takes on 7-ball with the red cue as well. Briana had an excellent debut, failing to make anything on the break but picking the rack clean in 9 shots with no errors to make the right first impression. Rounding out the group, the Todavía Stills' Bells starts her campaign with the silver cue. Bells settled in nicely despite the empty break in her game. Bells made her shots well late in the game with nice cuts, and finished on 12 shots with no errors.

Group two sees the red cue come back into action as the Everton Eagles' Kirstin begins a new year. Kirstin made quick work of her appearance, getting nothing on the break but making the 7 on a deflection off the 1 just 2 shots in. Kirstin took no errors in the quick game. Dani, now with the Viewpoint Sound Meteors, is the next player drawn, and she plays her 7-ball with the silver cue this year. Dani pulled off the first break shot finish in Qualifiers this year, hammering the 7 into the bottom side to score 0 shots officially with no errors. The reigning MVP, the Everton Eagles' Blizzard, steps up next to shoot 7-ball with the silver cue. The games continue to be fast and furious, as Blizzard went empty on the break but managed to double-kiss the 1-7 combination into the bottom left to finish in 2 shots with no errors. Going ninth on opening day is Sugar, who opens her second stint with the Web City Spiders in 7-ball with the silver cue. The good fortune the league enjoyed ran out with Sugar, who stayed calm amid an awful performance of 19 shots, one error, and an empty break from the start. The batch ends with a rookie, the Commerce Tradewinds' Rosemary, who will give the blue cue its first action in 7-ball. Rosemary was slow to start, but opened up later, and despite her one error on a scratch, she ended with a solid 12 shots for her debut.

Leading off group three, the Oceanside Waves rookie Josie keeps the blue cue at the table for 7-ball in her career debut. Josie made a ball on the break, but she didn't get great shots for the rest of the game, with one error and 11 shots to her credit this time. The Victoria Spurs captain Spice gets the next game, also using the blue cue in 7-ball. Spice played well given the brutal distribution from her break. She took no errors on the turn, remarkable amid the 14 shots she needed to clear the table in a difficult turn. The legendary Everton Eagles captain Goldy plays the 13th game today, shooting her 7-ball with the blue cue as well. Goldy had some dynamic shots, but also suffered some bad leaves after an empty break. Goldy would take three errors, including two on an illegal contact and scratch on the same shot, and she ended at 14 shots for the game. Sparkles follows her mother, making her Golden Pilots debut in 7-ball with the blue cue. Sparkles had a highly favorable distribution after making the 4 on the break, and she needed just 7 more shots to clear the table in an error-free performance. The Archtown Arrows veteran Dusky wraps up this group, debuting for the year with the silver cue. Dusky made a ball on the break, getting the 4 in the top right, and while she had an early error on a scratch, she settled in to finish with 9 shots in a positive outing.

The fourth batch starts with Jack, the first returning player to debut, as he represents the Web City Spiders while shooting 7-ball with the red cue. Jack made two balls from the break, and started off pretty well. He slowed down late in the game but still finished with 8 shots and no errors. A highly anticipated debut is next, as the Victoria Spurs rookie Sage uses the silver cue for 7-ball. Sage did excellently, making a pair of balls on the break and never missing a shot in the game. Sage took no errors and finished with 5 shots to her name. The Harrison Specters veteran Lexi Woode steps in to shoot 7-ball with the red cue next. Lexi made a ball on the break but also scratched for her only error of the game. She would work quickly after this, making all of her shots to end at a score of 7 for her seasonal debut. Sparkles returns for the first game of 8-ball, under revised rules that require runs to be shot in-suit. The Pilots newcomer uses the silver cue in this event. Sparkles did wonderfully, making a ball on the break and closing out the appearance in 18 shots without an error. The group ends with the Capital City Sharpshooters rookie Pauline, of the Mario Universe, debuting in 7-ball with the silver cue. Pauline's debut was quite forgettable, as she made nothing on the break and struggled on the 2 until her first error. She would follow up quickly with a double-error, and she ended at 19 shots and three errors.

Opening for batch five is the Midland Predators captain Shawn, who plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Shawn managed to control his temper as he struggled through an empty break and an error-free 18 shots in his first game of the year. Stinky of the Freedom Cascades was drawn 22nd for today, using the silver cue in 7-ball. Stinky had no trouble in his appearance, making two balls on the break and finishing the rest of the rack in 7 shots with no errors in a strong performance. Strawberry is next to play, also using the silver cue for 7-ball. Strawberry had a hot start with a ball on the break, and she got lucky early on, but the luck ran out when she had missed contact for her only error. Strawberry soon closed the game at 13 shots, a decent mark for the Spurs newcomer. Cobalt leads off his sophomore season with the Stonebridge Wolves using the silver cue in 7-ball. Cobalt didn't get anything on the break, and his first shot was a scratch, but he recovered as the game went on, ending with just one error among his 9 shots. Rounding out the group is the Web City Spiders veteran Shiny, who plays 7-ball with the blue cue. Shiny made a ball on the break, but the difficulty of making the 2 induced a scratch before she could get to a strong finish. She ended with 12 shots and just one error.

Shaggy gets group six going as she starts her second year with the Whitewater Shores by playing 7-ball with the silver cue. Shaggy had nothing on her break, and she took a scratch in the middle of the game, but she held on to score 11 shots with just one error. Gabe is called 27th to shoot today, and makes his return to the league and the Maplewood Lumberjacks by playing 7-ball with the red cue. Gabe did manage to make a ball on the break, although a tough distribution didn't make it any easier in the long run. He finished on 11 shots, but gets credit for staying error-free. Following that, the Commerce Tradewinds captain Tigerette debuts in 7-ball with the blue cue. Tigerette looked fearsome as always, cracking a ball in on the break and missing just once in her 7-shot game, while also taking no errors in the clean effort. Dustin, the Central Warriors superstar, gets the next game, playing 7-ball with the blue cue as well. Dustin had an impressive effort, making a ball on the break and shooting out of troublesome positions on half of his 8 shots. Even better, he avoided an error to show his true dominance in a spectacular first game for the veteran. This group closes with the Todavía Stills rookie Anton shooting 7-ball with the blue cue. Anton made two balls from the break, but slow play at the start and end of his turn led him to take 9 shots with no errors to complete the performance in strong form.

Leading off for group seven is the Central Warriors captain Twilight, who has the red cue in hand for 7-ball. Twilight had nothing on her break, and she struggled to get clear shots, taking two errors amid her 15 shots in poor debut for the year. Going next, the Pacific Volcanoes' Leonette brings the blue cue back for her 7-ball game. Leonette had a disastrous effort to start, taking four errors before potting the 1. Leonette would end with 21 shots in a hot finish, but the arctic start puts her deep in last place. Bandit will try to break the funk in his sophomore year debut for the Swordpoint Blades using the blue cue for 7-ball. Bandit shared in some of the frustrations, as he took two errors, but his shooting was much crisper, and he finished the game with 11 shots in a decent outing. Bandit's Blades teammate and captain Snowball is next up, using the silver cue for her season debut. Snowball couldn't break the break shot funk of this group, but she did show some skill in making early shots before a late fade to 11 shots total, with no errors. The Archtown Arrows veteran Sally closes this group with her 7-ball game, using the blue cue. Sally wasted a good start despite an empty break, taking a penalty for an error after putting herself in an impossible shooting position behind the 5. Sally closed the game out on 12 shots, a good mark given the early trouble.

The eighth group starts with the reigning Rookie of the Year, the Queens Flames' Violetta, shooting 7-ball with the blue cue to open her sophomore campaign. Violetta was going to complain about a bad break, but it led her to make the 1-6-7 combination to the top right, ending her game in 1 shot with no errors. Shelley returns to action for the Infinity Torpedoes as the 37th shooter today, using the red cue for 7-ball. Shelley nearly made a ball on the break, but she was smart with her shots throughout the game, finishing with 12 of them and no errors to add up. Missy gets the next game of 7-ball, as the Capital City Sharpshooters veteran brings the blue cue back to action. Missy also went empty on the break, but had two strong bursts of play to sandwich a scratch for her lone error in the 12-shot effort she put forward. Following that, Max makes his Atlantic Pirates debut with the red cue in 7-ball. Max brought some excitement to the game, making two balls on the break and ending early with a 5-7 combination to the top right to seal his performance at 4 shots and no errors, a great debut with the new team. Blizzard will end the group with her 8-ball game, using the silver cue. Blizzard couldn't make a ball on the break, but a couple of big runs in the middle helped her keep the score reasonable. She took no errors among her 21 shots, a solid performance from the Eagles' reigning MVP.

The ninth batch begins as Brownie starts her second year with the Tysini Hummingbirds using the silver cue for 7-ball. Brownie was cautiously excited when the 1 fell in the bottom side off the break, then unabashedly jubilant as the 7 also dropped in the top left for a score of 0 shots and no errors. Noelle will have quite the challenge living up to the previous game in her return to the league for the Central Warriors, using the red cue for 7-ball. She didn't match it, but Noelle made a ball on the break and stayed error-free in 8 shots for a strong performance in her own right. Going 43rd in the order today is the Southridge Defenders captain Debby Ryan, who will keep the red cue at the table for her 7-ball game. Debby didn't make a ball on the break, but she excelled in getting good positioning for herself, taking a game that could have gotten ugly and ending it in 9 shots with no errors. Dusky returns to action for the Arrows with her 8-ball game, using the silver cue. Dusky started off alright, but accrued three errors before illegally sinking the 8 to take another five penalty strokes on her score. She ended on 30 shots with eight errors in the poor outing for the veteran. Wrapping up the group, Twilight takes her crack at 8-ball, using the blue cue. Twilight looked incredibly comfortable, from potting two balls on the break to a long early run and an error-free finish in 17 shots at the end for a much better second game.

The final group gets going as the Pacific Volcanoes' Chicky Phil steps in for 7-ball with the blue cue. Chicky Phil couldn't get anything on the break and also took an early error for missed contact on a masse attempt, but he finished at 10 shots and just the one error in a good outing. A strong rookie last year, Spot hopes to grow even more for the Pronger Tridents as he leads off his sophomore campaign with the blue cue in 7-ball. All in attendance agreed that mission was accomplished as he simultaneously potted the 2 in the bottom side, the 5 in the bottom right, and the 7 in the top left on the break for a score of 0 shots and no errors. Terrace City Knights rookie Melissa Benoist debuts next, keeping the blue cue in action for 7-ball. Melissa couldn't squeeze anything out of the break, and despite a strong first two shots, she would err twice in the game, ending on 12 shots in total. The 49th player drawn today is Shaggy, as the Shores veteran returns for 8-ball with the red cue. Shaggy didn't get anything on the break, but her early runs were good and she was able to avoid any errors in 21 shots as she wrapped up a solid performance. Slinks, the Westside Rockers veteran, closes out the day with 7-ball and the silver cue. Slinks made a ball on the break and missed just once after that, ending with 7 shots and no errors in a well-played finale to the season's opening day.

As for pacing, we should play 40-50 games a day 5-6 days a week. I anticipate that this will take 29-36 game days to complete the 1440 games, and with rest factored in, I expect completion around the new year.

UPCL Cricket Preseason 2017 - Part 3

The final portion of this year's cricket preseason features eight games, beginning with...

Microsoft Pitch, Del Sur: Panda will get the rest for the Monarchs here, while the Waves let Snuggle get the game off. Celestia had a good pace in the lead-off role for a young Oceanside team, but her pace buckled in the middle, and she closed with 526. Avril, making her first appearance for Southern, answered with a solid 475, as the #1 overall pick shows good promise here. Josie showed well for the Waves, countering the attack nicely with 501 to keep the visitors in control for now. Hoppy picked up 311 for the Monarchs on her turn, a decent effort but not one that will be helpful right now. Dewey had some issues with pace initially for Oceanside, but he recovered to take 441 to pad their lead in a positive outing. Pounce tried to battle back for Southern, his veteran calm helping him get to 377 in a challenging turn against his most recent former team. Jason V. won't make the lineup decisions easy for the Waves, cranking 490 here to solidify their lead a little more. Dominic did alright with 336, but not enough to earn himself a starting role next week, as the Monarchs suffered a sturdy loss.

Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: The Prestige will bench Waluigi to test out their opening night lineup, while Princess rests in the Hummingbirds' only preseason game. Leandra overextended one of her swings, allowing a ball to sneak by her and end her turn at 368 for Tysini. Acorn answered with a big 659 for Lighton, giving them a nice lead early in the game. Charli didn't look particularly comfortable on her turn for the Hummingbirds, and she bowed out at 24 points. Spirit was shaky with 144 for the Prestige, but they still lead fairly comfortably. Brownie put in a strong performance with 510 for Tysini, covering the deficit for now. Katelynn retained most of the damage for Lighton with 480 on her turn, just letting it slip slightly. Paps went with 248 for the Hummingbirds, not enough to force the hosts to respond as the Elite side suffers an upset loss. Nicole did alright with 343, adding a bit more margin to the Prestige's definitive win.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union will see Puff I take this one off, while Taylor's strong first two outings earn her rest in the Tradewinds' preseason finale. Tigerette showed her aggressive side in blasting 788 for Commerce on the first turn against their Elite level rivals. Ms. Puppy answered with 571 for Modernistic, showing strength and resolve on the counterattack to keep things competitive. Lionel replied with 384 for the Tradewinds in a decent performance that keeps their lead steady. Daisy closed the gap a bit more with 543 for the Union, making it a close game at the halfway mark. Rosemary snagged 252 for Commerce on her turn, leaving them a bit vulnerable. Kodiak smacked 619 for Modernistic in response, lifting the hosts to a lead with a player each to go. Niki did alright with 291 for the Tradewinds, forcing a minor response from their hosts. Chimpy did his part with 543 for the Union, sealing their win with a confident showing.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks rest Bryant here, while the Specters sit Sydney in their last preseason game. Twinkie II had a very sloppy start for Harrison, getting shut down at just 9 points. Whiskers tried to make a backhand-forehand adjustment but failed, grabbing 67 for Maplewood this time out. Lexi chipped 135 for the Specters in a rough appearance for the temperamental veteran. Diddley answered with 320 for the Lumberjacks, setting them ahead more confidently in a low-scoring battle. Rudolph found a nice groove and rode it to 484 for Harrison, pulling them ahead again. Gabe couldn't provide a strong response with 192 for Maplewood, as a deflection caught him off guard. Mitchell pummeled another 517 for the Specters at the end, giving them a confident finish despite the rocky start. Summer did better with 328 for the Lumberjacks this time, but she couldn't spare them from taking the loss.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders get their only preseason game against the reigning Hutton Cup champion Eagles, who debut their new third jerseys. Goldy dropped 780 on the first turn for Everton, showing why her side is the defending champion from last season. Bianca answered with 737 for Southridge, the sophomore showing no signs of fear against her talented opponent. Cleo didn't get going with much this time, ending at 64 for the Eagles. Stephanie hammered 559 for the Defenders on her turn, giving them a clear lead halfway through the game. Kirstin also faltered with 69 for Everton, allowing the deficit to grow more. Caitlin struggled with 222 for Southridge in her first game after being traded from Oceanside. Blizzard secured her starting lineup spot with 583 for the Eagles despite their tough loss in their tune-up game. Hughbert took 243 for the Defenders on his turn, icing their win with a modest output.

FedEx Ground, Eastside: The Sharks will rest Cubby, while the Wolves leave Frosty in reserve for the second game of their preseason home-and-home. Juno led things off with 375 for Stonebridge in a solid performance. Graham belted 803 for Eastside on his turn, giving the hosts a sturdy initial lead in this game. Hershey likely earned himself a start on opening night with 535 for the Wolves here, covering the deficit successfully. Chelsea answered with 458 for the Sharks on her turn, looking in good form to regain the lead. Vladimir again showed weakness with 194 for Stonebridge, unable to pull them ahead again. Gizmo posted 439 for Eastside in response, giving their lead a nice boost as the final players step up to bat. Cobalt had 394 for the Wolves, but that wasn't enough to prevent them from taking the loss. Salmo had a paltry 12 points for the Sharks, which will leave him on the bench in the season opener despite them picking up the win.

AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: The inter-regional games begin, with siblings Celestia and Solaris riding the bench for this match. Smudge showed no signs of rust for Infinity, ripping 517 with good pace to open the scoring. Snuggle answered with 359 for Oceanside, a good performance from the experienced captain. Fluffina was a bit overzealous on her swings, ending with a poor 98 from the second slot for the Torpedoes. Josie lifted the Waves ahead with 407 on her turn, likely securing a starting spot in the lineup. Shelley shouldered 87 for Infinity after failing to get much contact on a high-arcing ball. Dewey added another 407 for Oceanside, extending their lead with a solid appearance. Mr. Snowman will start the year on the bench after getting blitzed for 4 points for the Torpedoes in a brutal loss against Elite rivals. Jason V. showed good composure for the Waves at the end, icing their win with 397 and some smart decision-making.

Samsung Whitewater Stadium, Whitewater: The preseason ends here, with normal lead-off hitters Bear and Whiskers taking the rest. Diddley didn't overwhelm anyone in this appearance either, as Maplewood got 308 from their captain to lead things off. Twinkie III looked comfortable batting first for Whitewater, scoring 535 and putting to ease the concerns of their fans. Bryant fired back with 697 for the Lumberjacks, a massive performance compared to his first preseason game. Marsell had confidence despite a weaker result than he expected, taking 376 to keep things close. Gabe botched his turn for Maplewood, ending on 102 as their lead is endangered again. Katharine showed well with 478 for Whitewater, regaining the lead by a noticeable margin late in the game. Summer made it close but couldn't steal the lead back after accidentally dragging a ball into her wicket to end at 208. Shaggy showed fantastic form with 656 for the Shores at the end, capping a big win over an admittedly lesser foe from the Select.

The regular season begins on Monday with Week 1 of UPCL Select cricket.

UPCL Cricket Preseason 2017 - Part 2

The middle portion of the preseason is ready to go, beginning with...

Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon and Sierra will ride the bench for this meeting between strong Coastal teams. Easter crushed 975 for Todavía in her only preseason appearance, a bold play from the longtime captain. Boots answered with 891 in her first game from the lead-off role for Pearl, showing no trouble adjusting to that position. Bells didn't support the Stills all that well, collapsing with 25 to weaken their lead. Neopolitan tried to backhand a ball and then save a rolling offering, but she came up just short and ended at 407 to give the Surfers a slight advantage. Prism covered the deficit just fine with 423 for Todavía. Bright regained the lead for Pearl, but by a slighter margin with 288 in his first appearance for the team. Anton couldn't cover the deficit with 99 points, and he likely played his way onto the Stills bench for the first game. Beth stepped up with 523 for the Surfers, a good first impression and a great mark after being out of the league for four years.

Blades Fusion ProGlide Park, Swordpoint: These two arch-rivals clash in each team's final preseason appearance. Chris got off to a modest start with 225 for Capital City from the lead-off role. Snowball answered with 416 for Swordpoint, giving the hosts a slight advantage after the first turns. Missy claimed 289 for the Sharpshooters in response, covering the deficit with her firm outing. Bandit couldn't regain the lead for the Blades with a meager 41, batting in place of a resting Dreamy. Lorde clubbed a strong 603 for Capital City, furthering her campaign for a starting position on opening day. Stealth put in an even better performance for Swordpoint with 759, covering the deficit just barely in the close game. Pauline forced the hosts to respond, as her 439 gives the Sharpshooters at least a temporary lead. Jason N. took 237 for the Blades, failing to take the lead back as they'll suffer a loss in their only preseason game. Bandit and Pauline are expected to take the bench for their first games this year.

Nike Field, Commerce: The Tradewinds get a second look at their remodeled lineup, while the Nighthawks take a first glance themselves. Peach had a decent look at the start, but a missed swing and backhand flail ended her turn at 337 for North Modernistic. Tigerette answered with a stronger 473 for Commerce, putting them ahead early against their Elite rivals. Cheddar did fairly well with 409 for the Nighthawks in her new role of hitting second in the lineup. Taylor maintained a great pace, slugging 1055 for the Tradewinds to give their lead a massive boost at the midway mark. The rookie Gal struggled with 112 for North Modernistic in her first appearance with the team. Lionel also had struggles with just 57 for Commerce on his turn, but their lead is not in any danger. Luigi had a middling performance in his new role at the back of the Nighthawks lineup, taking 276 as they suffered a loss. Niki struggled with 201 in her first appearance with the Tradewinds, but they still won with ease.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: The Spiders get one more tune-up, while the Lumberjacks look at a very fresh lineup. Whiskers showed her chops as a lead-off hitter for Maplewood in her first appearance, smashing 808 to give them a decent initial lead. Shadow had an unusually weak effort with only 80 points for Web City in his only preseason appearance. Bryant got rejected on a deflection at 25 points for the Lumberjacks, taking some of the strength of their lead away. Ted couldn't bounce back from a poor first game, hitting only 164 for the Spiders this time to put his starting role in doubt. Gabe extended the lead Maplewood lead greatly with 846 upon his return from a year off from the league and multiple years with the Torpedoes before that. Sugar did alright with 311 for Web City, certainly better than some of her teammates so far. Summer had a rough outing with 158 for the Lumberjacks in first appearance of her rookie season, but the team is in great position to take the win. Jack did well with 458 for the Spiders, enough to earn a starting role on opening day despite the loss here.

HP Field, Midland: The Predators play their only preseason game, while the Flames wrap up their slate with their third game. Crystal carved out 359 for Queens, a solid performance for the captain in her third preseason appearance. Rainmane struggled with 54 for Midland in an unusual lead-off role for her, getting some time in place of the captain Shawn. Violetta didn't produce much with pace, but her ability to fight off the offerings worked to gather 509 for the Flames to extend their lead. Leonardo stepped up with 585 for the Predators, making a bit of a dent in the deficit in his strong performance. Kyle did better in his second preseason appearance, grabbing 456 for Queens to keep their lead strong. Americus had a decent 304 for Midland, but they lost a bit of ground ahead of the final players' turns. Hannah chipped only 48 for the Flames, weakening their lead late in the game. Fuchsia had a chance to carry the Predators forward, but she bailed at 90 points to serve them a loss. Hannah and Fuchsia are expected to start on the bench for their teams' season openers.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Cascades have their only preseason game, resting Stinky, while the Sharks try to pick up the pieces of a revamped lineup. Graham made a clearly triumphant return to action in the UPCL with 584 for Eastside, who are happy to have their captain back in his familiar role. Jasmine mishit a ball early in her turn, bringing her abruptly to an end at 87 points. Gizmo had a decent start for the Sharks, but he faltered late and ended on a mediocre 227. Roxy looked good in the #2 role for the Cascades, shrinking the deficit with her 688. Cubby missed the mark with 96 points for Eastside, furthering a trend that they may struggle with depth scoring. Nikolai wasted the opportunity to help Freedom catch up, taking a measly 17 points. Salmo tacked on 424 for the Sharks, clearly hoping his sophomore season will be better than his rookie year with the Prestige. Stripes had 319 for the Cascades, a decent effort but not enough to spare them from the loss.

Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors and Surfers will get their second and final preseason games to evaluate their rosters. Mams and Neopolitan will get the game off. Boots had a rough start for Pearl, taking a meager 67 points to open the scoring. Hoot got beat on a late deflection, ending with a strong 532 to give Viewpoint Sound the early lead. Watermelon replied with 140 for the Surfers, unable to make much of an impact for her team against the deficit. Nibbles did alright with 308 for the Meteors, extending their lead slightly at the halfway mark. Bright pulled back with 527 for Pearl, making a large impact despite not quite covering the deficit. Vincent looked much more comfortable in his second appearance, cranking out 626 for Viewpoint Sound to reaffirm their lead. Beth sprayed 640 for the Surfers at the end of the game, another strong performance that sees her take the opening night starting spot at the back of the lineup. Dani picked up 319 for the Meteors at the end, enough for them to win, but the team is left with a decision to make for opening night later.

Nissan Infinity Stadium, Infinity: The Torpedoes play their first preseason game, resting their captain Smudge, while the Prestige return with Spirit on the bench. Acorn provided a steady stream of offense with 497 for Lighton in this appearance, his first in the preseason. Fluffina got most of it back with 482 for Infinity in her first game with her new team after the blockbuster offseason trade. Katelynn had a great pace going for the Prestige, but she lifted one ball too high and bailed at 295. Solaris hit 152 for the Torpedoes, a weak effort from his familiar second spot before he adjusts to a deeper role this season. Nicole had a mild 246, adding a little more to the Lighton lead with her effort. Shelley shrugged off the pressure well in her first game back after a year off, smacking 521 for Infinity to give them a small lead. Waluigi had a decent attack going but faltered at 225, covering the deficit by a slight margin. Mr. Snowman answered with 130 for the Torpedoes, making the game too close to call by estimation between these two teams.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks bench their rookie Gal, while Ms. Puppy rests for the Union's first preseason game. Daisy tried a backhand flick to save her turn after a deflection, but it didn't come off, and she crashed out at 322 for Modernistic. Peach couldn't cover the deficit this time, as a ball got behind her and took her out at 200 for North Modernistic. Puff I chipped 274 for the Union in an acceptable effort to add to their lead. Cheddar got beat on a deflection, leaving the Nighthawks in worse shape with her 92 points this time. Kodiak doubled the Modernistic offense in an electric first performance from the rookie, scooping up a swift 600 in the outing. B. Chapman led North Modernistic with 373 on her turn, keeping the deficit significant late in the game. Chimpy looked refreshed with 439 for the Union late in the game, solidifying their lead one more time. Luigi couldn't make a move with 176 for the Nighthawks at the end, dooming them to a loss.

Nestle's Warriors Park, Central: Dustin and Twinkie II rest here as the Warriors end their preseason just as the Specters start theirs. Sydney did wonderfully for Harrison in her familiar lead-off role, crushing 910 to put them at a significant advantage. Twilight was tested early in her turn and never really recovered, falling at 269 for Central. Lexi provided a little more cushion for the Specters in hitting 353 to add to their lead. Mario countered effectively for the Warriors, grabbing 402 to keep the deficit mostly steady at the midway point. Rudolph hit 324 for Harrison in a decent debut for one of the two rookies on the squad battling for playing time. Wings kept his composure amid tough deflections and ended with 510 for Central, making a compelling case to get a starting role. Mitchell, the other Specters rookie, gave himself the inside edge for opening night with a boost of 463 points to their lead. Noelle didn't get much with 313 for the Warriors, playing herself off the starting lineup in the first game as they take the loss here.

Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots play their only preseason game, letting Dusty rest, while the Crowns sit Jake as their second and final preseason game is ready to go. Kayla was quickly overwhelmed at 7 points after a failed backhand play doomed the Royal star. Valencia showed up ready to play with 630 for Golden at the start, an excellent opener from the hosting captain. Jeremias did better with 450 for the Crowns, but they remain behind despite his strong outing. Strut pummeled another 600 for the Pilots, as the Premier level team shows off some serious strength. Nightfur wasted a good opening pace with an awkward hit to end on 98 for Royal this time out. Sparkles made a good impression on Golden with 471 on her turn, padding their lead a little more with a player each to go. Cassie crumbled at 48 for the Crowns on her turn, securing their losing position and earning herself a trip to the bench at the start of the season. A. Charlton smashed 629 for the Pilots to cap a big win, and she'll stay in the starting lineup for what appears to be quite a deep team.

Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves and Sharks begin a preseason home-and-home, with Graham and Juno taking this game off. Chelsea did alright with 365 for Eastside to lead off the scoring in this Select battle. Frosty put a little too much on her last swing, lifting it out of play to end at 234 for Stonebridge. Gizmo took only 32 points in a pitiful appearance for the veteran, endangering the Sharks' lead. Hershey countered successfully with 439 for the Wolves, pulling them ahead at the halfway mark with his big first outing. Cubby attacked back with 624 for Eastside on this turn, pulling his team ahead as he continues to campaign for a starting role. Vladimir couldn't match the intensity, picking up 177 for Stonebridge as they now trail late in the game. Salmo had a weak 60 for the Sharks this time, leaving them vulnerable once again. Cobalt brought energy to his fight for a starting role, grabbing 536 and the win for the Wolves in a great appearance.

That's all for this segment of preseason cricket. Tomorrow, the final 8 preseason games will be played.