After taking the weekend off, we're back with a heavy slate of Memorial Day games. I hope you didn't miss it too much, as I was working on setting up for the next tournament so I will be able to make a fairly seamless transition after this season's postseason tournaments. Now, for the first day of games.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Missy. The leadoff series is in 8-ball between highly ranked players. In game 1, the players had to fight off a bit of rust early, but Max of Queens had no trouble once he got going, finishing with a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead over Capital City's Missy. The Sharpshooters' Missy tied it in game 2, a cautious effort by both players. Missy started off lucky as the Flames' Max scratched twice early, but the game ended tight, and Missy took the game after a series of misses by both players on the 8. Missy had to make a rally in game 3, as Max had an early five-ball run. Max got stymied with the 6 as his last ball standing, failing to get a clean shot on it until Missy had pulled level, and his one attempt on the 8 was left short. Missy tapped in the 8 for the win, going up 2-1 in the series. Max stepped up in game 4, tying the series with a four-ball run-out after a strong first turn at the table, allowing Missy few shots as the series went to 2-2. Max had a four-ball run late in game 5, but left the 8 short at the bottom right with the cue along the right rail. Missy used a deft touch to get the 13 from distance, and the cue came to rest less than an inch from the 8, earning her a tap-in victory and 3-2 series win. Missy, ranked #18, is the first player through to the fourth round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Tori. Continuing the first day, we're onto 7-ball in the neighboring territory. Royal's Jake took a somewhat messy game 1 with strong late positioning after Victoria's Tori missed on the 6 narrowly. The Crowns' Jake roared to a 2-0 lead, dominating possession in game 2. Jake began with three balls on the break and added a fourth on his next shot. The Spurs' Tori struggled but made one ball on her first turn, only to watch Jake hide the cue in the bottom left pocket's jaws to induce a ball-in-hand for his two-ball run-out. Jake clinched the series in game 3, but it wasn't because of anything he did. Jake did score a double-pot by shooting the 4 to the bottom left, with a hard carom to pick up a 5-6 combination in the top left, but a shot on the 7 was errant. Tori potted the 7 on a tough cut to the top right, but the cue found the bottom side, allowing Jake a 3-0 lead with the awarded win. Jake again took a gift when Tori left the 7 short at the bottom right in game 4, which did not go well in the shooting accuracy department for either player. Jake returned to dominance in game 5, restoring his accuracy as he cruised to a victory to complete his 5-0 sweep. Jake, ranked #9 in 7-ball, will participate in the fourth round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Leonette. A former Hummingbird returns to play one of the home team's newest players in Survival. In the first rack of game 1, Pacific's Leonette made a highlight with her shot, a carom off the 7 and the right and bottom rails that grazed the 8 into the bottom left for the extra life. The extra life proved handy, as it helped the Volcanoes' Leonette hold on as she pushed Tysini's Bright to the edge and to a loss in the second rack. The Hummingbirds' Bright bounced back with a well-shot game 2, toppling Leonette in one rack to make it a 1-1 series. Bright took a 2-1 series lead after game 3, where making the 8 for the extra life flipped the course of the game around, causing Leonette to fade late in the first rack. Bright's usage of a left-handed break came back to bite him in game 4, as the scratch on the break put Leonette firmly in control for the quick, series-tying victory. Game 5 was a thriller for the home crowd, as Bright twice ended a rack with one life, only to shatter the next rack and earn two back, the second time finally working to wear Leonette out, until she finally chipped a carom to the top left and lost, giving Bright the 3-2 win in the series. Bright will play host again in the fourth round, advancing with the #10 ranked Survival bid.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chicky Phil v. Bryant. The next series is up north a bit, with 15-ball set to be played. In game 1, Westside's Chicky Phil lived and died by the fluke, running four balls with three of those being completed on fluky shots, only to see the attempt to contact the 8 result in an unintentional 13-15 combination to the bottom side on illegal contact, giving Maplewood's Bryant the 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Bryant went ahead 2-0 in the series with a three-ball run-out to close out game 2, which went in old-school style: contact over accuracy, patience, and defensive shooting resulting in waiting for an opportunity and taking it when it comes. Game 3 was more of the old-school 15-ball style, but in fast forward. The Rockers' Chicky Phil didn't do himself any favors late, missing the 15 short, allowing Bryant to clinch the series with a tap-in for a 3-0 lead. Chicky Phil took the win in game 4, capitalizing on a handful of scratches by Bryant and eventually working a three-ball run-out to turn it into a 3-1 series. Bryant finished off game 5 with a three-ball run-out, with a 9-15 combination to take the series 4-1 in the end. Bryant is ranked #108 in 15-ball, and will continue his traveling campaign in the fourth round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Slinks v. Shaggy. To the east, there's a series of 9-ball. Harrison's Slinks took game 1 in the series after Southridge's Shaggy left the 9 short, although both players were guilty of poor, non-authoritative shooting habits in the game. The Defenders' Shaggy tied the series with a game 2 win after the Specters' Slinks couldn't get contact on a thin cut attempt for the 9 in another frustratingly erratic game. Slinks had the edge in game 3, getting set for an 8-9 combination that she converted, but she put a little too much into the shot, resulting in a scratch that gave Shaggy the 2-1 lead instead. Shaggy wrapped up the series for herself in game 4, as Slinks' missed 6-9 combination allowed Shaggy to make a follow-up shot as a carom off the 6 to drive the 9 to the top left. Shaggy ended the series after Slinks lazily attempted to contact the 4 and missed. Shaggy set up for an easy 4-9 combination to win the series 4-1. Shaggy is ranked #118 in 9-ball, and will continue a remarkable run on the road in the fourth round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Cubby v. Graham. Two of the tough guys go at it in 10-ball in the northeast. Eastside's Graham brought the shock value in game 1, taking possession after a three-ball run by Maplewood's Cubby only to sink three in two shots, with the double-pot being a 4-6 combination to the top left with a carom that drove the 10 to the bottom side for a 1-0 lead for the Sharks' Graham. Game 2 went the distance, and it was fairly even for each player, with the Lumberjacks' Cubby making a three-ball run. In the end though, Graham made the final two shots with strong positioning to take a 2-0 series lead. Graham drove possession a little more in game 3, but it didn't do him any good, as the players chased the 10 around until Graham tried to get too fancy, allowing Cubby to take it from ball-in-hand to make the series 2-1. Graham redeemed himself with, ironically, a fancy shot in game 4, using a 4-6 combination to the bottom left as the insurance call with the cue caroming off the 10, which went to the top left successfully for another valid win with those three balls in motion. Graham clinched the series at 3-1 in the process. Cubby avoided total collapse, making a three-ball run-out in game 5 to put the series at 3-2 in Graham's favor for the final. Ranked #91, Graham takes his 10-ball campaign into the fourth round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Kayla v. Sweetheart. Round 1's top players meet up after taking a bit of damage in the second round, for a series of 9-ball. Boston's Sweetheart popped up with a surprise in game 1 on her second shot, kicking the cue off the left rail to graze the 2, with the cue picking up run off the ball and the bottom rail, just enough to tap the 9 as the cue went by to pot the 9 in the bottom side for a quick 1-0 lead. Queens' Kayla cooled the Swifts' Sweetheart in game 2, despite a five-ball run from Sweetheart. Kayla of the Flames finished with a strong three-ball run-out, including a wicked cut with spin on the 8 to the bottom left to set up the 9 to the top left on a more regular cut, tying the series at 1. Sweetheart retook the series lead at 2-1 with a game 3 win, overcoming a strong three-ball run late in the game by Kayla to mop up the 9 after Kayla left it short at the bottom right. Sweetheart clinched the series at 3-1 in the highly-defensive game 4, working around Kayla's crafty play to get to the shots she wanted so she could win. Sweetheart iced the series at 4-1 with a game 5 winning coming on a tap-in after Kayla's miss on the 9 left it perfectly aligned from a short to medium distance from the bottom right. Sweetheart, ranked #30 for 9-ball, will be hosting her fourth round series on this bracket.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. A. Charlton. Up north a little, there's the first series of 12-ball in the round. Everton's Cleo took a wild game 1, giving up a wild card ball on the break only to see Golden's Charlton give one to her later on, allowing her to pick a spot for her final ball after the Pilots' Charlton surrendered ball-in-hand. The Eagles' Cleo tried the unconventional kick-break in game 2, and while it didn't ultimately help her, both players agreed it helped the pace of play and improved strategy. Charlton ended up winning as the players were moving in opposite directions for the direction of their shots, and Charlton got lucky to have the balls land just right for her to tie the series. Cleo needed only one turn to retake a 2-1 series lead, making all six of her shots in a single run-out after Charlton's first and only miss of game 3. Cleo dominated in game 4, even with a wild card ball given away early on. Cleo ended with a four-ball run-out, with the finishing move being a kick-carom on the 2, bouncing the cue off the right rail and driving the 2 left, where it glanced the 10 before finding the bottom left for the win in a run of good shot selection. Cleo could have buried the 3 in the bottom left earlier from the spot, but chose to go bottom side instead, setting up the run that clinched the series at 3-1. Charlton shot back with a little rule-bending in game 5, intentionally and illegally potting her second to last ball with the last one set up in the jaws of the last needed pocket. This forced Cleo into desperate shooting, which failed, resulting the series being only 3-2 in favor of Cleo. Ranked #84, Cleo is set to advance into the fourth round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Goldy. We return again to the southeast for 7-ball. Everton's Goldy took a 1-0 series lead with a game 1 win, working her way around the table to get position for a long cut shot on the 7, which went down as planned in the bottom left after the deft touch. Queens' Crystal bounced back with a three-ball run-out in game 2, tying the series at 1 with the confident rebound performance. The Eagles' Goldy couldn't keep the ball in play on her first attempt at the 7 in game 3, but it didn't burn her because the Flames' Crystal whiffed the shot from ball-in-hand, allowing Goldy a chance to redeem herself, which she gladly took since she controlled the pace of play to go up 2-1. Goldy clinched the series in game 4, mopping up the miss from Crystal on the 7 to go up 3-1 in the series. Goldy iced the series at 4-1 with a three-ball run-out to finish off game 5. Goldy takes her #55 ranked 7-ball campaign into the fourth round after the convincing victory.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Rainmane v. Sprinkles. Back north, we have 9-ball, with the silver cue drawing in for the red cue this time around. Web City's Rainmane had a four-ball run near the middle of the game, but it didn't hold up later on, as Sprinkles of Capital City took a 1-0 lead with the final two shots. The Sharpshooters' Sprinkles doubled the lead after game 2, going up 2-0 with a four-ball run-out highlighted by good positioning and shot execution. Sprinkles capitalized on the Spiders' Rainmane failing to pot the 9 in game 3, not giving the host another chance to as Sprinkles secured the series at 3-0. Rainmane avoided the sweep in game 4 by controlling the run of play late with a five-ball run and a poor enough leave after a miss on the 9 that Sprinkles couldn't convert, allowing Rainmane to mop up for the win. Rainmane also took game 5, a very quick-paced game that saw Sprinkles run five balls only for Rainmane to answer with a four-ball run-out for the win. Sprinkles took the series 3-2, with her #65 ranked 9-ball bid entering the fourth round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Valencia. Nearby, the silver cue will draw in for the blue cue for Rotation. Harrison's Twinkie II got off to a strong start from the break, but took a huge swoon in the middle of the game. Golden's Valencia was on the cusp of winning, but then the Specters' Twinkie II roared back to tie it with a four ball run. Twinkie II ended up topping the Pilots' Valencia after the latter left the 15 short at the bottom right from a tough angle cut shot, and Twinkie II went to 1-0 in the series on an 8-7 win. Valencia shot back in a much more tightly-conducted game 2, winning 8-5 with a three-ball run-out after both players chased the 11 for awhile. Twinkie II took the lead back in game 3, showing off her command and accuracy late to pull ahead with a double-pot of the 9-13 combination to the bottom side, with the 9 caroming to bump the 15 into the bottom right. With the win, Twinkie II got to 2-1 in the series. Valencia came out firing in game 4, cruising to an 8-1 victory to retie the series at 2. Valencia's accuracy and luck were both high, which is a dangerous combination for opponents, as most of the shots she took found pockets and her defense managed the rest. Twinkie II remained resilient, answering with a dominating early effort and smothering finale, winning game 5 8-6 for a 3-2 series win. The #44 ranked Twinkie II will be on the road in the fourth round for Rotation.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Amber v. Rainmane. The busy Web City star Rainmane hit the road to the east for a 15-ball series as the blue cue makes its return to action. Web City's Rainmane struck first, taking advantage of a scratch late in the game by Atlantic's Amber to pot the 15 on a free shot for a 1-0 lead in the otherwise crafty game 1. The Pirates' Amber tied the series in game 2, using a three-ball run-out after a scratch by the Spiders' Rainmane as the keystone for her victory. Rainmane retook the series lead in game 3, which went slowly at first but was frenetic at the end, with Amber running three balls before Rainmane took the final two for a 2-1 series lead. Amber again had a reply, tying the series at 2 after a fast-paced game 4 saw her finish up with a three-ball run-out as her equalizer. Rainmane held strong, and Amber couldn't replicate game 4 given a similar situation in game 5, allowing Rainmane to mop up the missed 15 for a win and 3-2 series win. Rainmane, ranked #24 in 15-ball, will host the Maplewood Lumberjacks' Bryant in the fourth round at Hope Depot Forum in Web City.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: Tori v. A. Charlton. The night session begins with 10-ball tonight. Golden's Charlton struck first with a game 1 win to go to 1-0 in the series, cleaning up a missed shot on the 9 by Victoria's Tori before getting a clean shot on the 10. The Pilots' Charlton went to 2-0 in the series after a three-ball run by the Spurs' Tori ended with a scratch, leaving the shot on the 10 as a freebie. Tori got on the board in game 3, running out the final three balls to begin her comeback attempt, while also showing more accuracy and fewer errors than in the early games. Tori tied the series in game 4, a bit of a messy game, with the end wrought with strategy. After Tori illegally potted a ball, Charlton attempted a shot on the 6 which failed. Tori got the 6 and the 9, but missed the 10, as did Charlton, who left it short for Tori to finish it off. In game 5, Tori completed the comeback, winning the game and series 3-2 with a five-ball run-out, capped by three straight distance shots (a 7-9 combination, 7 cut, and 10 bank off the left rail to the top right) to win in spectacular fashion. Tori, ranked #72 in 10-ball, is through to the fourth round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Whiskers. Up north, there's a series of Rotation. Infinity City's Whiskers started the series with pinpoint accuracy in game 1, using a five-ball run to establish a lead and not letting Commerce's Lionel linger long as the score ended 8-2 in the game for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Lionel took an early lead in game 2, watched it evaporate, gained it back with a three-ball run to answer the Torpedoes' Whiskers scoring a four-ball run, and then Lionel twice failed to close the game out. The first time was a miss, and the second time was a successful shot on the 14, but with a scratch that gave Whiskers free will for the winning shot in the 8-7 thriller that put her up 2-0. Whiskers proved resilient in a challenging game 3, as Lionel got out to a big lead, but Whiskers rallied ahead. Lionel tied it again at 6, but Whiskers made the next two balls to win 8-6 and clinch the series at 3-0. Game 4 went much the same, with Whiskers falling behind early, catching up, and then staving off Lionel late for another 8-6 win to move to 4-0 in the series. Lionel did dominate in a meaningless game 5, controlling the pace of play with some lucky shots to win the finale 8-2. Whiskers won the series 4-1, and takes her #15 ranked rotation bid back home to Nissan Hall in Infinity City to host Twinkie II of the Harrison Specters in the fourth round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Brownie. As the red cue returns to action, the top player left opposes a player whose team is dangerously close to the end of their run, with 9-ball as the style. Game 1 for Atlantic's Brownie consisted of just one shot that went from good to great to bad in about five seconds. The good was the cut on the 1 to the top right, the great was the two rail carom that had enough steam to sink the 9 in the top left, and the bad was the still-too-much steam the cue used to head directly for the top side, scratching, and awarding the win to Tysini's Princess. The Hummingbirds' Princess went up 2-0 in game 2, using a three-ball run and a scratch from the Pirates' Brownie to get set on the 9 with a tap-in to win. Princess did more in this game, driving play with confidence and accuracy. Princess dominated in game 3, using a four-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-0, while Brownie had a number of fouls and misses that derailed any momentum she could have tried to build. Brownie got on the board after two bad scratches from Princess allowed Brownie to make a four-ball run and another two-ball run-out for the win. Brownie stole game 5 away from Princess, caroming the cue off the 7 to take the 9 and make the series just 3-2 for Princess. The #59 ranked 9-ball player, Princess will host the Capital City Sharpshooters' Sprinkles at this venue in the fourth round. With the loss, the Pirates' Brownie was eliminated, leaving her future with the floundering former expansion team in doubt after an also-lackluster cricket season. Princess scored her second kill of the season, and now leads the league in that category with plenty of more bids left to wreak further havoc.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Slinks v. Dani. A former Specter returns as a Sharpshooter to play 7-ball. Harrison's Slinks had pieced together a late four-ball run, but the cue ball decided to join the others in the pockets after the 7 went down, giving Capital City's Dani a free win to go to 1-0. In game 2, the Specters' Slinks used a scratch by the Sharpshooters' Dani to go on a four-ball run-out, and Slinks kept the cue on the table this time, tying the series at 1 with the strong rebound game. Slinks came out blazing in game 3, running six balls from the break, but she failed to get the one that counts, and Dani made sure Slinks only had one chance at it, scoring the 7 to the bottom right on her only shot to put herself back in the lead at 2-1. Dani clinched the series in game 4 as Slinks' shot on the 7 ended up sitting right in front of the top side, allowing Dani an easy tap-in to move to 3-1. Slinks got one back in game 5, a fairly standard game without a remarkable aspect to it. What is remarkable is the 3-2 series win for the #122 ranked Dani, whose 7-ball bid will continue its territorial tour in the fourth round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Twilight. Stars from various times align for a Survival series. Boston's Puff II got the better of Central's Twilight in game 1, with the hosting Puff II of the Swifts displaying significantly more accuracy and command in her shots compared to the Warriors' Twilight, who couldn't get set comfortably on the many medium-range cuts she attempted. Twilight finally found traction in the middle of the first rack of game 2, and once she did, Puff II couldn't hold on much long, eventually falling in the second rack as the series tied up at 1. Twilight maintained her momentum in game 3, slipping up only slightly. Twilight really excelled in defensive positioning, leaving the ball in unfavorable spots for Puff II to aid her decline. Twilight clinched the series with more of the same in game 4, although her emphasis in going up 3-1 was more with accurate shooting more than crafty obstruction like earlier. Puff II thought she had game 5 in the bag as Twilight went ultra-casual, but Twilight bounced back to make it interesting late in the game, only to give it away in the end anyway. Twilight won the series 3-2, and her #124 ranked Survival bid continues its improbable run into the fourth round for another road set.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Stealth. The blue cue has the rest of the sets today, beginning with this 8-ball batch. Commerce's Lionel dominated throughout game 1 of the series, winning after a late run by Harrison's Stealth that ultimately was too little, too late in the well-played game. The Tradewinds' Lionel didn't start as well in game 2, but a six-ball run in the middle erased all early struggles, and the Specters' Stealth couldn't keep up, dropping another game as Lionel went to 2-0 in the series. Stealth got on the board in impressive fashion, winning game 3 with a quick start, efficient shooting, and a bank off the top rail to the bottom side on the 8 to finish the game and make it 2-1 in the series. Stealth cruised to the 8 in game 4, working very effectively, including a bank off the right rail to pot the 13 in the bottom side, but Lionel did not stay down at all. Lionel pieced together a brilliantly positioned seven-ball run-out to take the game and series at 3-1. Lionel iced it at 4-1, despite Stealth's best effort to vulture the game away late on a three-ball run that just left the 8 short for Lionel to tap-in for the win. Ranked #57 for 8-ball, Lionel will participate in the fourth round.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Cheddar. To the south, there's a bit of 15-ball. Game 1 was a tale of two halves: the first, a more balanced battle between players, and the second, where Victoria's Chapman dominated possession and gained separation, making six of the last seven balls to go ahead 1-0 on Whitewater's Cheddar. The Spurs' Chapman got all the bounces in game 2, using the 4 as a catalyst that eventually saw it hit the 15, which then caromed off the 6 and the 9, as well as the top rail to find the bottom side and put Chapman up 2-0 in the series. Game 3 saw each player have their own problem, as Chapman scratched a bit more than any player should while the Shores' Cheddar squandered a lot of her free shots with poor accuracy. In the end, Cheddar's problem was less significant, as Chapman's scratch led Cheddar to a victory, making it 2-1 in the series. Cheddar thought she had a fighting chance after Chapman scratched while also potting the 10 and 14, but Cheddar couldn't convert the 15, resulting in a chase that ended with Cheddar five shots later, scratching as she finally buried the 15, giving Chapman a series win at 3-1. Cheddar won a very casual game 5, as neither player went at full speed with nothing but pride on the line. Chapman, ranked #10 for 15-ball, advances to the fourth round where she'll be hosting her next opponent.
That's all for a big, 95-game first day of the round. Programming notes: Wednesday will be a short day, but I do not foresee any other day during the course of this round being truncated unless personal emergency strikes. Please enjoy the remaining 109 series in the third round, and leave a comment if you want to talk about the league.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Summer Cricket League: Week 3 Part 1
I hope I can wrangle up five matches here today, and I also will aim to implement a Tuesday/Thursday schedule for Cricket. First up...
The American Rebels host the Amsterdam Hotstove. Amsterdam's Jerry Burke did not have a happy homecoming, scoring only 57 points against his home country's team. American's Axel Cools answered with 357 to put the home team ahead. Yaozu Miao's feast or famine routine continued for the Hotstove, producing just 72 points this time around to dig their hole deeper. Louvel Lefevre tallied 168 for the Rebels, adding modestly to the lead. Carlos Barajas ripped 584 for Amsterdam, putting them in the lead. Sander Lambert shot right back with 595, using impressive bat work to give American the lead again. Veto Casas doubled down for the Hotstove, pounding 854 to give them the lead again. Irsyad Sudjana pulled the Rebels back, scoring 360 to make it a relatively close game. Andrew Reynolds had just 45 for Amsterdam, leaving them vulnerable. Sabino Chacon made him pay for it, blasting 504 to put American ahead again. Manolito Avalos had 90 points for the Hotstove, leaving them at a loss with 1702 total. Cisco Solorio continued his habit of end-of-game humiliation of the opponent, crushing 1164 for the Rebels to give them a win with 3148. American moves up to 4-0 while the hot-starting Hotstove of Amsterdam fall to 2-3 now.
Next up, the Amsterdam Hotstove return home to welcome the Johannesburg Lions. Johannesburg's Wiebe Becker had a strong homecoming, draining 458 on his hometown team. Jerry Burke struggled again, hitting a measly 14 for Amsterdam. Normando Alonso chipped 215 for the Lions to add onto the lead. Yaozu Miao shot back with 643 for the Hotstove, warning the visitors to not get comfortable. Ken Howard had a modest 174 for Johannesburg. Carlos Barajas managed 117 for Amsterdam, keeping within range. Lucio Adame stumbled to 36 points for the Lions, leaving them vulnerable. Veto Casas knocked 465 for the Hotstove, putting them in the lead. Oshri Aharonov blasted 969 for Johannesburg, retaking the lead. Andrew Reynolds chipped just 99 for Amsterdam, continuing to frustrate his team. Pieter Hendrickx supplied 616 to give the Lions a strong final of 2468. Manolito Avalos continued to take after his successor Reynolds, scoring 80 to leave the Hotstove at 1418 in the loss. Johannesburg moves to 3-3 while Amsterdam drops to 2-4.
Around to Bangkok, as the Sixes host the Melbourne Renegades as top teams do battle. Charlie Thompson hit a weak 128 for Melbourne. Firdoze Uns answered with 197 for Bangkok, keeping the scoring low early on. Theodore White failed to get a ball in the air until he hit one too high, scoring a pathetic 2 points for the Renegades, who will face a steep hill now. Gilbert Berry did not do much better for the Sixes, hitting 16 points, making this an extremely tight and low-scoring game. Sancho Ramos busted things open for Melbourne with 562. Aleix Nieto produced 355 for Bangkok. Rana Naqvi continued his consistently poor efforts with 186 for the Renegades. Zuri Okafor tapped 104 for the Sixes. Sikke Eichel turned up with 369 for Melbourne. Rodas Nunez slapped 309 for Bangkok, keeping them in range. Stanley Watts added 233 to give the Renegades a bit of a low final at 1480, certainly within reach. Reach was just what Luis Godinez had in mind, knocking 487 to park the bus for the Sixes at 1488 and a narrow victory. Bangkok remains undefeated at 4-0 thanks to the heroic effort by Godinez, while the unlucky Melbourne Renegades are 4-2.
Returning to Europe, the Brussels Chocolatiers bring in the Madrid Toros, whom they visited last week. Spencer Howard batted a simple 176 for Madrid. Patrido Salazar responded with 369 for Brussels, edging them ahead. Pepillo Gamboa had only 81 for the Toros. Florent Claes only had 92 for the Chocolatiers, leaving the game a bit close. Lennert Verheyen had a sour homecoming, hitting 21 measly points for Madrid against his home country's team. The offenses officially reached stagnation when Dobromil Zeman put up a meager 44 for Brussels. The Toros refired their offense with 786 from Thabo Chahine. Rodas Cazares failed to answer well for the Chocolatiers, hitting a weak 64. Guillem Gamboa scored 248 for Madrid. Eric Zaragoza had 371 for Brussels, getting them slightly closer. Martin Badillo smacked 431 for the Toros, giving them a final of 1743. Jaturun Choen hit a respectable 310 for the Chocolatiers, but they took the loss with 1250. Madrid moves up to 4-3 while Brussels slides to 1-4.
Finally, the Caracas Hitmen host the Manila Pacmen. Haejun Ki sliced 164 for Manila. Vitaya Grichson answered with 129 for Caracas. Porfirio Cazares wrangled 138 for the Pacmen in another offense-void game. Barasa Contee popped 240 for the Hitmen, edging them into a still-narrow lead. Sander Verheyen corralled 179 for Manila, keeping things interesting. Noppadon Gruemor finally broke free of his slumber, crushing 568 for Caracas. Gerben Bovelt shot back with 778 for the Pacmen, pulling them ahead. Trevor Watson couldn't get it all back, taking 182 for the Hitmen as they fell into a familiar pattern. Dries Renard took 96 points for Manila, leaving them very vulnerable. Maynard Cabagnot drilled 304 for Caracas against his native country's team, giving the home team a lead. Richard Miller slapped 339 for the Pacmen, giving them 1694 and forcing a move out of the opposition. Bojing Luo couldn't answer, hitting a meager 69 to leave the Hitmen at another loss with 1492. Manila is 3-1 while Caracas lost again and falls to 0-6 at the quarter mark of their season.
That's all for now. I'll either have another chunk tonight and games later in the week, or a Tuesday and Thursday five-game package each this coming week.
The American Rebels host the Amsterdam Hotstove. Amsterdam's Jerry Burke did not have a happy homecoming, scoring only 57 points against his home country's team. American's Axel Cools answered with 357 to put the home team ahead. Yaozu Miao's feast or famine routine continued for the Hotstove, producing just 72 points this time around to dig their hole deeper. Louvel Lefevre tallied 168 for the Rebels, adding modestly to the lead. Carlos Barajas ripped 584 for Amsterdam, putting them in the lead. Sander Lambert shot right back with 595, using impressive bat work to give American the lead again. Veto Casas doubled down for the Hotstove, pounding 854 to give them the lead again. Irsyad Sudjana pulled the Rebels back, scoring 360 to make it a relatively close game. Andrew Reynolds had just 45 for Amsterdam, leaving them vulnerable. Sabino Chacon made him pay for it, blasting 504 to put American ahead again. Manolito Avalos had 90 points for the Hotstove, leaving them at a loss with 1702 total. Cisco Solorio continued his habit of end-of-game humiliation of the opponent, crushing 1164 for the Rebels to give them a win with 3148. American moves up to 4-0 while the hot-starting Hotstove of Amsterdam fall to 2-3 now.
Next up, the Amsterdam Hotstove return home to welcome the Johannesburg Lions. Johannesburg's Wiebe Becker had a strong homecoming, draining 458 on his hometown team. Jerry Burke struggled again, hitting a measly 14 for Amsterdam. Normando Alonso chipped 215 for the Lions to add onto the lead. Yaozu Miao shot back with 643 for the Hotstove, warning the visitors to not get comfortable. Ken Howard had a modest 174 for Johannesburg. Carlos Barajas managed 117 for Amsterdam, keeping within range. Lucio Adame stumbled to 36 points for the Lions, leaving them vulnerable. Veto Casas knocked 465 for the Hotstove, putting them in the lead. Oshri Aharonov blasted 969 for Johannesburg, retaking the lead. Andrew Reynolds chipped just 99 for Amsterdam, continuing to frustrate his team. Pieter Hendrickx supplied 616 to give the Lions a strong final of 2468. Manolito Avalos continued to take after his successor Reynolds, scoring 80 to leave the Hotstove at 1418 in the loss. Johannesburg moves to 3-3 while Amsterdam drops to 2-4.
Around to Bangkok, as the Sixes host the Melbourne Renegades as top teams do battle. Charlie Thompson hit a weak 128 for Melbourne. Firdoze Uns answered with 197 for Bangkok, keeping the scoring low early on. Theodore White failed to get a ball in the air until he hit one too high, scoring a pathetic 2 points for the Renegades, who will face a steep hill now. Gilbert Berry did not do much better for the Sixes, hitting 16 points, making this an extremely tight and low-scoring game. Sancho Ramos busted things open for Melbourne with 562. Aleix Nieto produced 355 for Bangkok. Rana Naqvi continued his consistently poor efforts with 186 for the Renegades. Zuri Okafor tapped 104 for the Sixes. Sikke Eichel turned up with 369 for Melbourne. Rodas Nunez slapped 309 for Bangkok, keeping them in range. Stanley Watts added 233 to give the Renegades a bit of a low final at 1480, certainly within reach. Reach was just what Luis Godinez had in mind, knocking 487 to park the bus for the Sixes at 1488 and a narrow victory. Bangkok remains undefeated at 4-0 thanks to the heroic effort by Godinez, while the unlucky Melbourne Renegades are 4-2.
Returning to Europe, the Brussels Chocolatiers bring in the Madrid Toros, whom they visited last week. Spencer Howard batted a simple 176 for Madrid. Patrido Salazar responded with 369 for Brussels, edging them ahead. Pepillo Gamboa had only 81 for the Toros. Florent Claes only had 92 for the Chocolatiers, leaving the game a bit close. Lennert Verheyen had a sour homecoming, hitting 21 measly points for Madrid against his home country's team. The offenses officially reached stagnation when Dobromil Zeman put up a meager 44 for Brussels. The Toros refired their offense with 786 from Thabo Chahine. Rodas Cazares failed to answer well for the Chocolatiers, hitting a weak 64. Guillem Gamboa scored 248 for Madrid. Eric Zaragoza had 371 for Brussels, getting them slightly closer. Martin Badillo smacked 431 for the Toros, giving them a final of 1743. Jaturun Choen hit a respectable 310 for the Chocolatiers, but they took the loss with 1250. Madrid moves up to 4-3 while Brussels slides to 1-4.
Finally, the Caracas Hitmen host the Manila Pacmen. Haejun Ki sliced 164 for Manila. Vitaya Grichson answered with 129 for Caracas. Porfirio Cazares wrangled 138 for the Pacmen in another offense-void game. Barasa Contee popped 240 for the Hitmen, edging them into a still-narrow lead. Sander Verheyen corralled 179 for Manila, keeping things interesting. Noppadon Gruemor finally broke free of his slumber, crushing 568 for Caracas. Gerben Bovelt shot back with 778 for the Pacmen, pulling them ahead. Trevor Watson couldn't get it all back, taking 182 for the Hitmen as they fell into a familiar pattern. Dries Renard took 96 points for Manila, leaving them very vulnerable. Maynard Cabagnot drilled 304 for Caracas against his native country's team, giving the home team a lead. Richard Miller slapped 339 for the Pacmen, giving them 1694 and forcing a move out of the opposition. Bojing Luo couldn't answer, hitting a meager 69 to leave the Hitmen at another loss with 1492. Manila is 3-1 while Caracas lost again and falls to 0-6 at the quarter mark of their season.
That's all for now. I'll either have another chunk tonight and games later in the week, or a Tuesday and Thursday five-game package each this coming week.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Pool: Round Two, Day 20
This is the short, final day of round two, with just the final two matchups left. At the end of this post, I will direct you to links for the schedule and standings so you can stay up to date on the league happenings over the course of the time between rounds two and three. The first series is...
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Noelle. We begin with 10-ball from the northeast. Central's Noelle stole game 1 away after Archtown's Sally failed to continue a three-ball run by leaving the 10 short at the top right, which was easy pickings for the Warriors' Noelle over her rival's team. The Arrows' Sally replied with a win in game 2 after Noelle chipped her shot on the 10, allowing Sally to redeem herself after giving Noelle ball-in-hand off a stick violation late in the game. Noelle retook a 2-1 series lead in game 3, using a three-ball run-out from Sally's scratch to get ahead again in the series. Game 4 took little time to conclude with the 10 parked by the top left after the break. After a scratch by Noelle, Sally sank the 1 and set up for a 2-9-10 combination, but ended up jamming the 9 and 10 at the jaws of the pocket. Noelle, with a deft touch, caromed the cue off the 2 and hit only the 10, which sank for the win and a 3-1 series advantage. Sally had a five-ball run late in game 5, but missed on the 10, allowing Sally to take the game with a tap-in for a 4-1 series win. Noelle, ranked #96 in 10-ball, will host Precious of the Pronger Tridents at Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central in the third round. With the series win, Noelle eliminated Sally, the twentieth player to see their season end to this point. Sally's spot with the Archtown Arrows is safe due to a top-32 effort in cricket. Noelle earned her first kill of the tournament.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Chelsea. The 256th series of the round, the finale, is Rotation, with the red cue making a cameo after a long layoff. Eastside's Chelsea dominated in game 1, but much of that was due to Lighton's Acorn making a half-dozen fouls that resulted in ball-in-hand. The Sharks' Chelsea took the game 8-2, converting over half of her score on these free shots for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn cut back on his fouls by about half, and that made game 2 much more competitive and less sloppy, but it wasn't enough, as Chelsea's slightly better accuracy gave her an 8-6 win for a 2-0 lead. Game 3 had a wavering pace at times, as Acorn bounced to a lead early on after falling behind at the start, using a three-ball run. Chelsea answered with a four-ball run to take the lead, and the players exchanged leads late before Chelsea banked the 15 to the bottom right for the win and a 3-0 series lead, clinching the final third round spot. Acorn made a strong showing in game 4 to avoid a sweep, controlling the early portion of the game and cruising to an 8-6 victory, cutting the series to 3-1. Acorn took game 5 as well, using three-ball runs at the start and the end to bookend an 8-6 win. Chelsea, ranked #98 in Rotation, moves along to the third round, where she will visit Allison of the Hummingbirds at Cisco Arena in Tysini.
That's it for the second round. By the end of today, there will be a new schedule and standings table on the website. Please check this page for the new schedule, and this other page for the new standings post-round two action. If everything in my life goes according to plan tonight, I will be back for a light workload tomorrow afternoon and evening, but if not, there will be games on Monday for sure. Expect Part 1 of the SCL Week 3 action as well over this weekend.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Noelle. We begin with 10-ball from the northeast. Central's Noelle stole game 1 away after Archtown's Sally failed to continue a three-ball run by leaving the 10 short at the top right, which was easy pickings for the Warriors' Noelle over her rival's team. The Arrows' Sally replied with a win in game 2 after Noelle chipped her shot on the 10, allowing Sally to redeem herself after giving Noelle ball-in-hand off a stick violation late in the game. Noelle retook a 2-1 series lead in game 3, using a three-ball run-out from Sally's scratch to get ahead again in the series. Game 4 took little time to conclude with the 10 parked by the top left after the break. After a scratch by Noelle, Sally sank the 1 and set up for a 2-9-10 combination, but ended up jamming the 9 and 10 at the jaws of the pocket. Noelle, with a deft touch, caromed the cue off the 2 and hit only the 10, which sank for the win and a 3-1 series advantage. Sally had a five-ball run late in game 5, but missed on the 10, allowing Sally to take the game with a tap-in for a 4-1 series win. Noelle, ranked #96 in 10-ball, will host Precious of the Pronger Tridents at Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central in the third round. With the series win, Noelle eliminated Sally, the twentieth player to see their season end to this point. Sally's spot with the Archtown Arrows is safe due to a top-32 effort in cricket. Noelle earned her first kill of the tournament.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Chelsea. The 256th series of the round, the finale, is Rotation, with the red cue making a cameo after a long layoff. Eastside's Chelsea dominated in game 1, but much of that was due to Lighton's Acorn making a half-dozen fouls that resulted in ball-in-hand. The Sharks' Chelsea took the game 8-2, converting over half of her score on these free shots for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn cut back on his fouls by about half, and that made game 2 much more competitive and less sloppy, but it wasn't enough, as Chelsea's slightly better accuracy gave her an 8-6 win for a 2-0 lead. Game 3 had a wavering pace at times, as Acorn bounced to a lead early on after falling behind at the start, using a three-ball run. Chelsea answered with a four-ball run to take the lead, and the players exchanged leads late before Chelsea banked the 15 to the bottom right for the win and a 3-0 series lead, clinching the final third round spot. Acorn made a strong showing in game 4 to avoid a sweep, controlling the early portion of the game and cruising to an 8-6 victory, cutting the series to 3-1. Acorn took game 5 as well, using three-ball runs at the start and the end to bookend an 8-6 win. Chelsea, ranked #98 in Rotation, moves along to the third round, where she will visit Allison of the Hummingbirds at Cisco Arena in Tysini.
That's it for the second round. By the end of today, there will be a new schedule and standings table on the website. Please check this page for the new schedule, and this other page for the new standings post-round two action. If everything in my life goes according to plan tonight, I will be back for a light workload tomorrow afternoon and evening, but if not, there will be games on Monday for sure. Expect Part 1 of the SCL Week 3 action as well over this weekend.
Friday, May 22, 2015
Pool: Round Two Day 19
The last big day of the round is today, and we will try to fit as much as possible into this day so there's less gaming and more administrative work for tomorrow. Depending on how all of that goes, we'll have fresh, third round action on Sunday or Monday.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Goldy. The day starts with a Survival series in the morning. Golden's Dusty played strong game from the start, as Everton's Goldy took a couple of shots to get comfortable, and Dusty played the positioning game from then on to take a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Goldy tied the series with a win in game 2, netting two extra lives that she held onto without missing a shot after the break while the Pilots' Dusty couldn't quite find the sweet spot on her strokes. For the third straight game in the series, game 3 ended on the first shot of the second rack, with Goldy this time electing to try at the spare ball remaining instead of the breakup shot, but without the result changing, allowing a dominant Dusty to pull into a 2-1 series lead in the very rhythmic series. Just as the patterned emerged, it disappeared, as Dusty again lacked the precision shooting that has made her into a legend of the league, and Goldy got away with some lucky shots (a double-pot with the 3 in the bottom side and the 14 in the bottom left being the highlight) to retie the series again at 2 games apiece. Dusty and Goldy dueled effectively in game 5, battling to stay on top, but Dusty had the advantage heading into the second rack, and milked it for all it was worth, avoiding disturbing the pristine rack and using it instead as a defensive ploy just weak enough to give Goldy hope of making the free 6, but just strong enough to make it unlikely. This strategy worked, as Dusty won with the rack intact, for a 3-2 series win. Ranked #9 in Survival, Dusty will welcome Whiskers of the Infinity City Torpedoes to this venue in the third round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Cheddar v. Acorn. The next series is in 10-ball to get the afternoon going. Lighton's Acorn struck first in the back-and-forth game 1, making two balls at the end to take a 1-0 series lead. Whitewater's Cheddar appeared set to run out, but she couldn't corral the 9 into the top right, allowing Acorn of the Prestige the opportunity instead. The Shores' Cheddar got lucky in game 2, as her three-ball run ended on an uncalled make, allowing Acorn to take possession. He made the 9, but had no plan for the 10, and it set up nicely for Cheddar to the top side for the equalizer, tying the series at 1. Acorn shot back as Cheddar saw a three-ball run end in a scratch in game 3, giving Acorn a tap-in to the bottom right on the 10 for a 2-1 lead. Acorn struck back as Cheddar couldn't convert on the 6 after taking possession, giving Acorn the easy make on the 6 plus a set-up on the 7, which he drove two rails into the top side, while also caroming the cue to push the 10 into the bottom left for the win and the 3-1 series lead. Cheddar did most of the work in game 5, running seven balls early and making two of the last three, but not the one that counts, as Acorn mopped up the 10 to win the game and series 4-1. Acorn, ranked #37 in 10-ball, will host Jake of the Royal Crowns in the third round at Pepsi Arena in Lighton, his home table.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Spirit. We're back to likely the last Survival of the day, unless we go big with the games tonight. Game 1 went very well, lasting deep into the second rack. Lighton's Spirit rarely missed, leaving just two shots outside the pocket. Queens' Crystal missed more, as the Prestige's Spirit eventually won, but the Flames' Crystal held her own through much of the first rack and only tailed away on a clutter second rack, falling behind 1-0. In game 2, Spirit built up a lead with two on the break and a double-pot on her second turn, going up three balls, which shook Crystal to her core, causing her to miss almost all of her shots and lose very quickly, giving Spirit a 2-0 lead. Spirit used the lure trick in game 3, tying the game with Crystal at four lives each and leaving a decent but oddly angled shot on the 8 that Crystal missed and Spirit cleaned up, allowing her to casually push Crystal back the rest of the game, until a breakup shot on the second rack went fruitless and allowed Spirit to clinch at 3-0 with the win. Crystal avoided the sweep with an impressive game 4 win, taking control after Spirit attempted to leave the cue clustered on the soft breakup, which failed as Crystal got the 5 to the top left. Spirit then missed three more shots as Crystal ran the pace of play and implemented stellar defense. Crystal and Spirit sparred at one life each until Spirit was left with no good shot and couldn't convert the 8 anywhere for an extra life. Spirit answered back with another dominant win in game 5, although Crystal twice made gasps to stay in it, but ultimately faltered. Ranked #44 in Survival, Spirit will host Chicky Phil of the Westside Rockers at Pepsi Arena in Lighton.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Sparkles. In 10-ball again, we head out to the coast. Game 1 went in sloppy fashion, as many shots taken were not very clean or easy. Near the end, Todavía's Sparkles thought she had a chance to win it on her final run, but she left the 10 short at the top right. From distance, Pacific's Starlight spun the cue to the 10, knocking it in but managing to keep the cue out as so few tend to do on similar shots, taking a 1-0 lead in the process. The Stills' Sparkles thought she had game 2 in the bag, but her four-ball run ended with a miss on the 10, and after another miss, the Volcanoes' Starlight knocked it to the top left to go up 2-0 in the series. Starlight overcame her carom off the 4 on the 10 to the top left getting erased by a scratch by finishing with a four-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-0. Sparkles got on the board with a three-ball run-out in game 4, coming after Starlight got a little too fancy on her attempt at the 7. Sparkles made two of the three shots from medium to long distance, adding to the impressive factor. Starlight answered in game 5, a sloppier game after a bad break, making the final two shots to win the series 4-1. Starlight, ranked #74 in 10-ball, will host Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige at this venue in the third round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Smokey. We're onto 12-ball in the southeast, between two highly competitive players. True to form, Royal's Jake stayed relentless even as Diamond's Smokey appeared set up for the game, pushing the 6 aside with his 11 to flip control of the game and earn a 1-0 for the Crowns' Jake. Jake just beat the Gems' Smokey to the punch in game 2, holding defense at the top right and making a kick shot on it to win the game just after Smokey got set up on his remaining shots. Jake gave up a wild card ball late in game 3, but since it is a shot that doesn't cost a turn as long as the player makes one of their own (in this case, 5 to the top right), he was able to then convert the 2 to the pocket he just made wide open to clinch the series at 3-0. Smokey got on the board in game 4, outmaneuvering Jake in very little time to make the series 3-1 after the strong, yet meaningless, showing. Jake answered right back with a brilliantly-executed game 5, using a three-ball run and strong accuracy to take the series by a 4-1 final. The #27 ranked 12-ball player, Jake will host Stripes in this very venue in the third round. Jake earned his first kill by knocking Smokey out of the tournament, and Smokey had previously eliminated Alyssa of the Westside Rockers. As an editor's note, do not expect me to remember who knocked out who, but Smokey recorded the first elimination and is now out, which is significant. Smokey will likely remain as captain of the Diamond Gems due to a strong cricket effort.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Jasmine. Back on the coast, the games shift to 9-ball. Freedom's Jasmine went on a three-ball run late in game 1, but it ended with a scratch as she tried to position on the 9, which gave Snuggle of Oceanside the win on the easy tap-in. The Cascades' Jasmine got visibly frustrated at the end of game 2, after having three chances throughout the game to put the 9 in motion and not see it fall, only to have the Waves' Snuggle mop up the remnants of her third attempt to take a 2-0 lead for himself. Snuggle had a magnificent kick off the bottom rail to score the 7 in the top right, the only problem being that was illegal contact with the 5 on the table. Jasmine took the ball-in-hand and ran the final three balls out with strong positioning to cut her deficit to 2-1. Snuggle had a three-ball run-out in game 4 after Jasmine's scratch, using similar positioning tactics to secure the series at 3-1. The players exchanged scratches late in game 5, with Snuggle's coming after a ball-in-hand situation he attempted to gain position from. Jasmine closed with a three-ball run-out. Snuggle, ranked #44 in 9-ball, took the series 3-2, and he will travel to Del Sur, where Shannon of the Southern Monarchs awaits him at the Microsoft Center in the third round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Starlight. In this series, the silver cue will step in for the red cue one last time in the round. Pacific's Starlight got too desperate in game 1, taking a poor angle on the 8 after Tysini's Bright ran four balls to make it a tighter game. The Volcanoes' Starlight scratched as she made the 8, resulting in the Hummingbirds' Bright going up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 remained very close until the end, where a four-ball run-out by Starlight tied the series after both players had spent time working on positioning. Starlight nearly blew it in game 3, making the same mistake she did against Stripes in 12-ball by trying to toy around the 8 too much when she had it set up. Luckily for her, she held on for a 2-1 win as Bright couldn't strike back quickly enough with his remaining balls on the table. Both players had four-ball runs early in game 4, but Bright established more lasting success, and ended up winning the game when the next four went down a little bit easier for him than Starlight, who was also set back by a scratch. This win by Bright tied the series at 2. Starlight dominated throughout game 5, pushing the silver cue to its limits to obtain the win, as Bright just did not have any accuracy, nor any reasonably good shots to work with. Starlight, ranked #44, won the series 3-2, and she will host the Swordpoint Blades' Dreamy in round three at the Verizon Field Events Center in Pacific.
Apple Center, Todavía: Leonardo v. A. Charlton. Out on the coast, the game is 10-ball, with the silver cue sticking around to cover the blue cue one more time. Golden's Charlton found the highlight reel (we haven't seen that in awhile) with a double-pot in game 1, cutting the 6 into the bottom side and getting the cue to drill the 9 off the right rail hard enough to bring it to the top left successfully. Impressive as it was, it did not win the game, and Charlton's shot on the 10 was left short at the bottom right, giving Todavía's Leonardo the tap-in to go up 1-0 in the series. Charlton tied the series for the Pilots, taking advantage of the Stills' Leonardo not calling the right pocket on the 8. Charlton elected to shoot and finished off the last two balls with ease. Charlton took a 2-1 series lead after Leonardo couldn't make a bank shot on the 10, leaving it in decent position (a bit far from the pocket, but straight) for Charlton to knock home in the top left. Charlton clinched the series with a four-ball run-out in game 4, coming after both players struggled on shots from all distances earlier in the game. Charlton was an absolute wrecking ball in game 5, winning after completing an eight-ball run-out on her second turn, flashing total dominance to take a 4-1 series win. Ranked #114 for 10-ball, Charlton is through to the third round, where she will travel to Lay's Field Events Center to oppose the Victoria Spurs' Tori.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Stripes v. Cleo. The red cue makes one appearance before a long layoff leading up to its finale, playing 15-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Stripes took an inconsistent game 1, with a little help as Cleo of Everton left the 15 short at the bottom side to make it a little easier on Stripes. The shooting was inaccurate on both sides. The Meteors' Stripes won game 2, potting the last five balls over two turns, and again an error from the Eagles' Cleo contributed. Cleo missed contact on the 15, allowing Stripes another tap-in to the top side for a 2-0 lead. Game 3 was a messy affair, with easy shots missed the few times they came around. In the end, Cleo managed to cut the 15 to the top right to pull the series to 2-1, but it was not a pretty game at all. Game 4 went much more smoothly, as the shots that should be made were made, although running any together proved difficult again. Nonetheless, Cleo came out on top with the final two shots after Stripes couldn't corral the 12, tying the series at 2. Stripes appeared in control late in game 5, working a three-ball run, but it ended on a failed bank of the 14, and Cleo cleaned up with favorable positioning for a 3-2 series win. Cleo, ranked #66 in 15-ball, will travel to Capital City SuperCenter to oppose Dani of the Sharpshooters in the third round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Panda. The blue cue begins a stretch of nine straight series with this southeast battle in 8-ball. Panda took game 1 for Southern with a three-ball run-out, after using a four-ball run to establish a bit of control after Queens' Max had a strong start. The Flames' Max got tricky in game 2, finishing with a three-ball run-out with only bank shots included. First, he chose a hard bank off the bottom rail to nab the 6 in the top side. Then, he attempted to cut the 1 into the top side, but it bounced off the edge of the pocket and bounced out to the bottom right. Finally, Max won with a soft bank on the 8 from bottom rail to top side to tie the series. In game 3, Max expertly caromed the cue off the 4 instead of going for the 2 directly, potting it in the top left as part of a five-ball run. Panda of the Monarchs nearly took the lead back with a late three-ball run, but he missed the 8 on a kick attempt to the bottom left, allowing Max an easy tap-in to go up 2-1. Panda did tie the series again in game 4, overcoming a four-ball run from Max with a six-ball run-out as positioning was the name of the game. Game 5 ran as a very cautious game compared to the rest of the series, and it was Max coming out on top for the 3-2 series victory after careful consideration. Max, ranked #18 in 8-ball, plays the equally-ranked Missy of the Capital City Sharpshooters in this venue based on the qualifiers tiebreaker for rankings for their third round matchup.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Snowball. Next up, we have 10-ball from the southwest. Swordpoint's Snowball struck big in game 1, running six balls on five shots. After the third shot, Bright of Tysini elected to defer possession back to the Blades' Snowball, who then potted the 3 on a cut and caromed the 4 into the bottom left while the 10 used to carom the 4 ended up in the top left for a legal win and 1-0 lead. Snowball packed the highlight reel again, going on a six-ball run early and ending with the final two shots, including a crisp kick on the 10 to the top left as it was just slightly off the rail, taking a 2-0 lead in dominant fashion. Snowball also excelled defensively, using that particular skill set to frustrate and aggravate the Hummingbirds' Bright throughout game 3, to the point of victory for Snowball yet again, clinching the series at 3-0. Bright got on the board in a very loosely contested game 4, but the game produced no major highlights. Bright finished game 5 on a three-ball run-out, capitalizing on a previous incorrect decision by Snowball to defer possession. The series ended 3-2 in favor of the #76 ranked Snowball, who will now welcome Twilight of the Central Warriors to the Gillette Center in Swordpoint for a third round battle.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Rainmane v. Starlight. We have a doubleheader of 15-ball, the first game from the northeast. Pacific's Starlight pulled off a five-ball run in game 1, including a double-pot that saw the 10 go on an unlikely bank to the top side, while the 13 found refuge in the bottom right. Web City's Rainmane took the game though, as Starlight's run-ending miss on the 14 set the Spiders' Rainmane up for a two-shot finish to go up 1-0 in the series. Rainmane took a 2-0 series lead with an impressive kick that the Volcanoes' Starlight had also spotted but never got a chance to take. Starlight left the 5 short at the bottom right, which gave Rainmane an easy shot, but the positioning was unfavorable. Rainmane, in desperation, kicked off the bottom rail, somehow avoiding the 9 protecting the 6, and turning the shot into a kick combination of the 6-15 variety to the top left, a surefire top-10 highlight. Starlight eventually got game 3 moving with a five-ball run, but Rainmane, and later had a four-ball run, but Rainmane got the important shot on the 15 after Starlight left it short at the bottom right, with Rainmane clinching the series at 3-0. Rainmane took a very sloppy game 4, with neither player shooting with much control or effort, resulting in a lot of frustrating misses. Starlight saved some face in game 5, winning on a three-ball run-out. Rainmane took the series 4-1, and will travel in the third round to Atlantic, where Amber of the Pirates awaits in McDonald's Hall.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Cheddar v. Robyn. The other half of the doubleheader takes us west a bit for more 15-ball. Cheddar of Whitewater took a fast-paced game 1 over Eastside's Robyn, ending the back-and-forth game with a bank on the 15 from the bottom rail to the top left. The Shores' Cheddar cashed in on a missed shot on the 15 by the Sharks' Robyn, tapping it into the top left for a 2-0 series lead in the first ever game played under only two lights after the left end light went out. Cheddar continued the lights-out play (that was a stretch, but given the light going out, it had to be said), winning game 3 in the final two shots, in an otherwise unremarkable game. Cheddar clinched the series at 3-0. Cheddar took a solid win in game 4, again mopping up a miss on the 15 by Robyn, who this time attempted a bank off the left rail to the top right, which was wide, but wide enough to give it a shot at the top left, where it rattled out favorable for Cheddar to go up 4-0. Robyn got one back late, taking a creatively-shot game 5 with decent positioning. The series ended 4-1, with Cheddar advancing her #19 ranked 15-ball bid to oppose the Spurs' Brooke at Lay's Field Events Center in Victoria.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Stripes v. Valencia. We're back to 10-ball for the first full series under less than full light. Viewpoint Sound's Stripes impressed immediately in game 1, making the highlight reel after Golden's Valencia left a favorable shot. Stripes of the Meteors hit the 1, aiming to carom to knock the 10 in the top left, but the cue was frozen on the rail. Stripes compensated with a little more shot energy, and got the cue to stop on the edge of the pocket for the win as the 10 fell, and the 6 went down for icing on the cake into the bottom right. The Pilots' Valencia answered back in a big way in game 2, taking possession after Stripes' break and never letting it go as she scored a ten-ball run-out with absolutely superb positioning and execution to tie the series. Valencia charged to a 2-1 series lead in game 3, despite getting out-possessed early on. Valencia did recover well, making the final three balls over a lot of turns as the 9 proved stubborn to pot. Stripes tied the series again in a sloppy game 4, winning after Valencia scratched, allowing Stripes to tap in on the 10 anywhere she pleased for the equalizer. Valencia ended up better off in the end, winning the series 3-2 after being the one to sink the 9 and get the 10 on a tap-in to the top side after it was so conveniently set up there earlier in the game. Valencia advances with her unlikely run on her #123 ranked 10-ball bid to the third round against Crystal at Ebay Center in Queens.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Rainmane v. Princess. The next two series compose another doubleheader, the final such occurrence in the second round, with Survival being the game of choice. Web City's Rainmane struck first in the series, outplaying Tysini's Princess after the latter made a critical mistake by trying to get crafty and defensive at the start of the second rack. It cost the Hummingbirds' Princess when the Spiders' Rainmane worked out of the defense. Princess tied the series with a strong showing in game 2, holding onto her lives early as Rainmane had the lead, and then grinding Rainmane down later. Rainmane looked to hold on, but the breakup shot on the second rack did her no favors, resulting in the 1-1 series. Princess played smartly in game 3, using a defensive technique as Rainmane chipped another shot to go down to one life. Princess drove the 15 to right rail, leaving the cue in a bad spot for the two remaining balls, and Rainmane then failed to make contact to give Princess the win and a 2-1 lead. Rainmane tied the series in game 4, a very tight game up until the end, with just enough inconsistency to make it interesting. In game 5, the lead exchanged hands frequently in the early going, but Princess eventually held onto it tight, and finally induced a couple of misses from Rainmane to take the series 3-2. Princess, ranked #47 in Survival, will host Shelley of the Infinity City Torpedoes in the third round at Cisco Arena in Tysini.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Twinkie I. In this Survival second round finale, two Prestige teammates do battle. Game 1 ended up getting very tight, very quick, and in the end Twinkie I took a 1-0 lead after Acorn tried a little too hard to stay alive with the 1, probably about five shots after it became a necessary task to succeed. Acorn again held on for a long time in game 2, but as soon as Twinkie I came down to his level, he lost his chance for a clear shot and allowed Twinkie I to go to 2-0 in the series. Game 3 was a disaster for Acorn, as he couldn't sink a ball early, and Twinkie I was in good enough form to prevent him from making a comeback, eventually losing the series with a one-rack loss as Twinkie I went to 3-0. Acorn avoided the sweep with a convincing win in game 4, dominating possession early on until he could fade ever so slightly in a defensive posture to prevent Twinkie I from charging back. Acorn also won game 5, starting out strong and getting a little friendly help from his teammate to speed up the process. Twinkie I, ranked #126, won the series 3-2, and will travel to Del Sur to play Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the third round at the Microsoft Center.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Twilight. Pearl's Neopolitan dominated possession in game 1, making six of the seven balls to take a 1-0 lead over Central's Twilight. In game 2, a sloppier game all around, the Surfers' Neopolitan still seemed to retain a lot of possession, but her late miss on the 7 allowed the Warriors' Twilight to tap it in and tie the series at 1 game apiece. Neopolitan retook the series lead after game 3 at 2-1, using a well-positioned five-ball run-out as her critical piece of the puzzle for this particular victory, as she continues to dominate Twilight in possession. Neopolitan claimed the series with a game 4 win, another possession-centered effort. Twilight made it 3-2 in game 5 with a lucky win, vulturing the 7 away again. Neopolitan, ranked #15, hosts Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades at this venue in the third round.
That's all 85 games for today. Tomorrow, there are 10, and the rest of the day will be administrative in nature.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Dusty v. Goldy. The day starts with a Survival series in the morning. Golden's Dusty played strong game from the start, as Everton's Goldy took a couple of shots to get comfortable, and Dusty played the positioning game from then on to take a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Goldy tied the series with a win in game 2, netting two extra lives that she held onto without missing a shot after the break while the Pilots' Dusty couldn't quite find the sweet spot on her strokes. For the third straight game in the series, game 3 ended on the first shot of the second rack, with Goldy this time electing to try at the spare ball remaining instead of the breakup shot, but without the result changing, allowing a dominant Dusty to pull into a 2-1 series lead in the very rhythmic series. Just as the patterned emerged, it disappeared, as Dusty again lacked the precision shooting that has made her into a legend of the league, and Goldy got away with some lucky shots (a double-pot with the 3 in the bottom side and the 14 in the bottom left being the highlight) to retie the series again at 2 games apiece. Dusty and Goldy dueled effectively in game 5, battling to stay on top, but Dusty had the advantage heading into the second rack, and milked it for all it was worth, avoiding disturbing the pristine rack and using it instead as a defensive ploy just weak enough to give Goldy hope of making the free 6, but just strong enough to make it unlikely. This strategy worked, as Dusty won with the rack intact, for a 3-2 series win. Ranked #9 in Survival, Dusty will welcome Whiskers of the Infinity City Torpedoes to this venue in the third round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Cheddar v. Acorn. The next series is in 10-ball to get the afternoon going. Lighton's Acorn struck first in the back-and-forth game 1, making two balls at the end to take a 1-0 series lead. Whitewater's Cheddar appeared set to run out, but she couldn't corral the 9 into the top right, allowing Acorn of the Prestige the opportunity instead. The Shores' Cheddar got lucky in game 2, as her three-ball run ended on an uncalled make, allowing Acorn to take possession. He made the 9, but had no plan for the 10, and it set up nicely for Cheddar to the top side for the equalizer, tying the series at 1. Acorn shot back as Cheddar saw a three-ball run end in a scratch in game 3, giving Acorn a tap-in to the bottom right on the 10 for a 2-1 lead. Acorn struck back as Cheddar couldn't convert on the 6 after taking possession, giving Acorn the easy make on the 6 plus a set-up on the 7, which he drove two rails into the top side, while also caroming the cue to push the 10 into the bottom left for the win and the 3-1 series lead. Cheddar did most of the work in game 5, running seven balls early and making two of the last three, but not the one that counts, as Acorn mopped up the 10 to win the game and series 4-1. Acorn, ranked #37 in 10-ball, will host Jake of the Royal Crowns in the third round at Pepsi Arena in Lighton, his home table.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Spirit. We're back to likely the last Survival of the day, unless we go big with the games tonight. Game 1 went very well, lasting deep into the second rack. Lighton's Spirit rarely missed, leaving just two shots outside the pocket. Queens' Crystal missed more, as the Prestige's Spirit eventually won, but the Flames' Crystal held her own through much of the first rack and only tailed away on a clutter second rack, falling behind 1-0. In game 2, Spirit built up a lead with two on the break and a double-pot on her second turn, going up three balls, which shook Crystal to her core, causing her to miss almost all of her shots and lose very quickly, giving Spirit a 2-0 lead. Spirit used the lure trick in game 3, tying the game with Crystal at four lives each and leaving a decent but oddly angled shot on the 8 that Crystal missed and Spirit cleaned up, allowing her to casually push Crystal back the rest of the game, until a breakup shot on the second rack went fruitless and allowed Spirit to clinch at 3-0 with the win. Crystal avoided the sweep with an impressive game 4 win, taking control after Spirit attempted to leave the cue clustered on the soft breakup, which failed as Crystal got the 5 to the top left. Spirit then missed three more shots as Crystal ran the pace of play and implemented stellar defense. Crystal and Spirit sparred at one life each until Spirit was left with no good shot and couldn't convert the 8 anywhere for an extra life. Spirit answered back with another dominant win in game 5, although Crystal twice made gasps to stay in it, but ultimately faltered. Ranked #44 in Survival, Spirit will host Chicky Phil of the Westside Rockers at Pepsi Arena in Lighton.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Sparkles. In 10-ball again, we head out to the coast. Game 1 went in sloppy fashion, as many shots taken were not very clean or easy. Near the end, Todavía's Sparkles thought she had a chance to win it on her final run, but she left the 10 short at the top right. From distance, Pacific's Starlight spun the cue to the 10, knocking it in but managing to keep the cue out as so few tend to do on similar shots, taking a 1-0 lead in the process. The Stills' Sparkles thought she had game 2 in the bag, but her four-ball run ended with a miss on the 10, and after another miss, the Volcanoes' Starlight knocked it to the top left to go up 2-0 in the series. Starlight overcame her carom off the 4 on the 10 to the top left getting erased by a scratch by finishing with a four-ball run-out to clinch the series at 3-0. Sparkles got on the board with a three-ball run-out in game 4, coming after Starlight got a little too fancy on her attempt at the 7. Sparkles made two of the three shots from medium to long distance, adding to the impressive factor. Starlight answered in game 5, a sloppier game after a bad break, making the final two shots to win the series 4-1. Starlight, ranked #74 in 10-ball, will host Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige at this venue in the third round.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Jake v. Smokey. We're onto 12-ball in the southeast, between two highly competitive players. True to form, Royal's Jake stayed relentless even as Diamond's Smokey appeared set up for the game, pushing the 6 aside with his 11 to flip control of the game and earn a 1-0 for the Crowns' Jake. Jake just beat the Gems' Smokey to the punch in game 2, holding defense at the top right and making a kick shot on it to win the game just after Smokey got set up on his remaining shots. Jake gave up a wild card ball late in game 3, but since it is a shot that doesn't cost a turn as long as the player makes one of their own (in this case, 5 to the top right), he was able to then convert the 2 to the pocket he just made wide open to clinch the series at 3-0. Smokey got on the board in game 4, outmaneuvering Jake in very little time to make the series 3-1 after the strong, yet meaningless, showing. Jake answered right back with a brilliantly-executed game 5, using a three-ball run and strong accuracy to take the series by a 4-1 final. The #27 ranked 12-ball player, Jake will host Stripes in this very venue in the third round. Jake earned his first kill by knocking Smokey out of the tournament, and Smokey had previously eliminated Alyssa of the Westside Rockers. As an editor's note, do not expect me to remember who knocked out who, but Smokey recorded the first elimination and is now out, which is significant. Smokey will likely remain as captain of the Diamond Gems due to a strong cricket effort.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Jasmine. Back on the coast, the games shift to 9-ball. Freedom's Jasmine went on a three-ball run late in game 1, but it ended with a scratch as she tried to position on the 9, which gave Snuggle of Oceanside the win on the easy tap-in. The Cascades' Jasmine got visibly frustrated at the end of game 2, after having three chances throughout the game to put the 9 in motion and not see it fall, only to have the Waves' Snuggle mop up the remnants of her third attempt to take a 2-0 lead for himself. Snuggle had a magnificent kick off the bottom rail to score the 7 in the top right, the only problem being that was illegal contact with the 5 on the table. Jasmine took the ball-in-hand and ran the final three balls out with strong positioning to cut her deficit to 2-1. Snuggle had a three-ball run-out in game 4 after Jasmine's scratch, using similar positioning tactics to secure the series at 3-1. The players exchanged scratches late in game 5, with Snuggle's coming after a ball-in-hand situation he attempted to gain position from. Jasmine closed with a three-ball run-out. Snuggle, ranked #44 in 9-ball, took the series 3-2, and he will travel to Del Sur, where Shannon of the Southern Monarchs awaits him at the Microsoft Center in the third round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Starlight. In this series, the silver cue will step in for the red cue one last time in the round. Pacific's Starlight got too desperate in game 1, taking a poor angle on the 8 after Tysini's Bright ran four balls to make it a tighter game. The Volcanoes' Starlight scratched as she made the 8, resulting in the Hummingbirds' Bright going up 1-0 in the series. Game 2 remained very close until the end, where a four-ball run-out by Starlight tied the series after both players had spent time working on positioning. Starlight nearly blew it in game 3, making the same mistake she did against Stripes in 12-ball by trying to toy around the 8 too much when she had it set up. Luckily for her, she held on for a 2-1 win as Bright couldn't strike back quickly enough with his remaining balls on the table. Both players had four-ball runs early in game 4, but Bright established more lasting success, and ended up winning the game when the next four went down a little bit easier for him than Starlight, who was also set back by a scratch. This win by Bright tied the series at 2. Starlight dominated throughout game 5, pushing the silver cue to its limits to obtain the win, as Bright just did not have any accuracy, nor any reasonably good shots to work with. Starlight, ranked #44, won the series 3-2, and she will host the Swordpoint Blades' Dreamy in round three at the Verizon Field Events Center in Pacific.
Apple Center, Todavía: Leonardo v. A. Charlton. Out on the coast, the game is 10-ball, with the silver cue sticking around to cover the blue cue one more time. Golden's Charlton found the highlight reel (we haven't seen that in awhile) with a double-pot in game 1, cutting the 6 into the bottom side and getting the cue to drill the 9 off the right rail hard enough to bring it to the top left successfully. Impressive as it was, it did not win the game, and Charlton's shot on the 10 was left short at the bottom right, giving Todavía's Leonardo the tap-in to go up 1-0 in the series. Charlton tied the series for the Pilots, taking advantage of the Stills' Leonardo not calling the right pocket on the 8. Charlton elected to shoot and finished off the last two balls with ease. Charlton took a 2-1 series lead after Leonardo couldn't make a bank shot on the 10, leaving it in decent position (a bit far from the pocket, but straight) for Charlton to knock home in the top left. Charlton clinched the series with a four-ball run-out in game 4, coming after both players struggled on shots from all distances earlier in the game. Charlton was an absolute wrecking ball in game 5, winning after completing an eight-ball run-out on her second turn, flashing total dominance to take a 4-1 series win. Ranked #114 for 10-ball, Charlton is through to the third round, where she will travel to Lay's Field Events Center to oppose the Victoria Spurs' Tori.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Stripes v. Cleo. The red cue makes one appearance before a long layoff leading up to its finale, playing 15-ball. Viewpoint Sound's Stripes took an inconsistent game 1, with a little help as Cleo of Everton left the 15 short at the bottom side to make it a little easier on Stripes. The shooting was inaccurate on both sides. The Meteors' Stripes won game 2, potting the last five balls over two turns, and again an error from the Eagles' Cleo contributed. Cleo missed contact on the 15, allowing Stripes another tap-in to the top side for a 2-0 lead. Game 3 was a messy affair, with easy shots missed the few times they came around. In the end, Cleo managed to cut the 15 to the top right to pull the series to 2-1, but it was not a pretty game at all. Game 4 went much more smoothly, as the shots that should be made were made, although running any together proved difficult again. Nonetheless, Cleo came out on top with the final two shots after Stripes couldn't corral the 12, tying the series at 2. Stripes appeared in control late in game 5, working a three-ball run, but it ended on a failed bank of the 14, and Cleo cleaned up with favorable positioning for a 3-2 series win. Cleo, ranked #66 in 15-ball, will travel to Capital City SuperCenter to oppose Dani of the Sharpshooters in the third round.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Panda. The blue cue begins a stretch of nine straight series with this southeast battle in 8-ball. Panda took game 1 for Southern with a three-ball run-out, after using a four-ball run to establish a bit of control after Queens' Max had a strong start. The Flames' Max got tricky in game 2, finishing with a three-ball run-out with only bank shots included. First, he chose a hard bank off the bottom rail to nab the 6 in the top side. Then, he attempted to cut the 1 into the top side, but it bounced off the edge of the pocket and bounced out to the bottom right. Finally, Max won with a soft bank on the 8 from bottom rail to top side to tie the series. In game 3, Max expertly caromed the cue off the 4 instead of going for the 2 directly, potting it in the top left as part of a five-ball run. Panda of the Monarchs nearly took the lead back with a late three-ball run, but he missed the 8 on a kick attempt to the bottom left, allowing Max an easy tap-in to go up 2-1. Panda did tie the series again in game 4, overcoming a four-ball run from Max with a six-ball run-out as positioning was the name of the game. Game 5 ran as a very cautious game compared to the rest of the series, and it was Max coming out on top for the 3-2 series victory after careful consideration. Max, ranked #18 in 8-ball, plays the equally-ranked Missy of the Capital City Sharpshooters in this venue based on the qualifiers tiebreaker for rankings for their third round matchup.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Snowball. Next up, we have 10-ball from the southwest. Swordpoint's Snowball struck big in game 1, running six balls on five shots. After the third shot, Bright of Tysini elected to defer possession back to the Blades' Snowball, who then potted the 3 on a cut and caromed the 4 into the bottom left while the 10 used to carom the 4 ended up in the top left for a legal win and 1-0 lead. Snowball packed the highlight reel again, going on a six-ball run early and ending with the final two shots, including a crisp kick on the 10 to the top left as it was just slightly off the rail, taking a 2-0 lead in dominant fashion. Snowball also excelled defensively, using that particular skill set to frustrate and aggravate the Hummingbirds' Bright throughout game 3, to the point of victory for Snowball yet again, clinching the series at 3-0. Bright got on the board in a very loosely contested game 4, but the game produced no major highlights. Bright finished game 5 on a three-ball run-out, capitalizing on a previous incorrect decision by Snowball to defer possession. The series ended 3-2 in favor of the #76 ranked Snowball, who will now welcome Twilight of the Central Warriors to the Gillette Center in Swordpoint for a third round battle.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Rainmane v. Starlight. We have a doubleheader of 15-ball, the first game from the northeast. Pacific's Starlight pulled off a five-ball run in game 1, including a double-pot that saw the 10 go on an unlikely bank to the top side, while the 13 found refuge in the bottom right. Web City's Rainmane took the game though, as Starlight's run-ending miss on the 14 set the Spiders' Rainmane up for a two-shot finish to go up 1-0 in the series. Rainmane took a 2-0 series lead with an impressive kick that the Volcanoes' Starlight had also spotted but never got a chance to take. Starlight left the 5 short at the bottom right, which gave Rainmane an easy shot, but the positioning was unfavorable. Rainmane, in desperation, kicked off the bottom rail, somehow avoiding the 9 protecting the 6, and turning the shot into a kick combination of the 6-15 variety to the top left, a surefire top-10 highlight. Starlight eventually got game 3 moving with a five-ball run, but Rainmane, and later had a four-ball run, but Rainmane got the important shot on the 15 after Starlight left it short at the bottom right, with Rainmane clinching the series at 3-0. Rainmane took a very sloppy game 4, with neither player shooting with much control or effort, resulting in a lot of frustrating misses. Starlight saved some face in game 5, winning on a three-ball run-out. Rainmane took the series 4-1, and will travel in the third round to Atlantic, where Amber of the Pirates awaits in McDonald's Hall.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Cheddar v. Robyn. The other half of the doubleheader takes us west a bit for more 15-ball. Cheddar of Whitewater took a fast-paced game 1 over Eastside's Robyn, ending the back-and-forth game with a bank on the 15 from the bottom rail to the top left. The Shores' Cheddar cashed in on a missed shot on the 15 by the Sharks' Robyn, tapping it into the top left for a 2-0 series lead in the first ever game played under only two lights after the left end light went out. Cheddar continued the lights-out play (that was a stretch, but given the light going out, it had to be said), winning game 3 in the final two shots, in an otherwise unremarkable game. Cheddar clinched the series at 3-0. Cheddar took a solid win in game 4, again mopping up a miss on the 15 by Robyn, who this time attempted a bank off the left rail to the top right, which was wide, but wide enough to give it a shot at the top left, where it rattled out favorable for Cheddar to go up 4-0. Robyn got one back late, taking a creatively-shot game 5 with decent positioning. The series ended 4-1, with Cheddar advancing her #19 ranked 15-ball bid to oppose the Spurs' Brooke at Lay's Field Events Center in Victoria.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Stripes v. Valencia. We're back to 10-ball for the first full series under less than full light. Viewpoint Sound's Stripes impressed immediately in game 1, making the highlight reel after Golden's Valencia left a favorable shot. Stripes of the Meteors hit the 1, aiming to carom to knock the 10 in the top left, but the cue was frozen on the rail. Stripes compensated with a little more shot energy, and got the cue to stop on the edge of the pocket for the win as the 10 fell, and the 6 went down for icing on the cake into the bottom right. The Pilots' Valencia answered back in a big way in game 2, taking possession after Stripes' break and never letting it go as she scored a ten-ball run-out with absolutely superb positioning and execution to tie the series. Valencia charged to a 2-1 series lead in game 3, despite getting out-possessed early on. Valencia did recover well, making the final three balls over a lot of turns as the 9 proved stubborn to pot. Stripes tied the series again in a sloppy game 4, winning after Valencia scratched, allowing Stripes to tap in on the 10 anywhere she pleased for the equalizer. Valencia ended up better off in the end, winning the series 3-2 after being the one to sink the 9 and get the 10 on a tap-in to the top side after it was so conveniently set up there earlier in the game. Valencia advances with her unlikely run on her #123 ranked 10-ball bid to the third round against Crystal at Ebay Center in Queens.
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Rainmane v. Princess. The next two series compose another doubleheader, the final such occurrence in the second round, with Survival being the game of choice. Web City's Rainmane struck first in the series, outplaying Tysini's Princess after the latter made a critical mistake by trying to get crafty and defensive at the start of the second rack. It cost the Hummingbirds' Princess when the Spiders' Rainmane worked out of the defense. Princess tied the series with a strong showing in game 2, holding onto her lives early as Rainmane had the lead, and then grinding Rainmane down later. Rainmane looked to hold on, but the breakup shot on the second rack did her no favors, resulting in the 1-1 series. Princess played smartly in game 3, using a defensive technique as Rainmane chipped another shot to go down to one life. Princess drove the 15 to right rail, leaving the cue in a bad spot for the two remaining balls, and Rainmane then failed to make contact to give Princess the win and a 2-1 lead. Rainmane tied the series in game 4, a very tight game up until the end, with just enough inconsistency to make it interesting. In game 5, the lead exchanged hands frequently in the early going, but Princess eventually held onto it tight, and finally induced a couple of misses from Rainmane to take the series 3-2. Princess, ranked #47 in Survival, will host Shelley of the Infinity City Torpedoes in the third round at Cisco Arena in Tysini.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Twinkie I. In this Survival second round finale, two Prestige teammates do battle. Game 1 ended up getting very tight, very quick, and in the end Twinkie I took a 1-0 lead after Acorn tried a little too hard to stay alive with the 1, probably about five shots after it became a necessary task to succeed. Acorn again held on for a long time in game 2, but as soon as Twinkie I came down to his level, he lost his chance for a clear shot and allowed Twinkie I to go to 2-0 in the series. Game 3 was a disaster for Acorn, as he couldn't sink a ball early, and Twinkie I was in good enough form to prevent him from making a comeback, eventually losing the series with a one-rack loss as Twinkie I went to 3-0. Acorn avoided the sweep with a convincing win in game 4, dominating possession early on until he could fade ever so slightly in a defensive posture to prevent Twinkie I from charging back. Acorn also won game 5, starting out strong and getting a little friendly help from his teammate to speed up the process. Twinkie I, ranked #126, won the series 3-2, and will travel to Del Sur to play Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the third round at the Microsoft Center.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Neopolitan v. Twilight. Pearl's Neopolitan dominated possession in game 1, making six of the seven balls to take a 1-0 lead over Central's Twilight. In game 2, a sloppier game all around, the Surfers' Neopolitan still seemed to retain a lot of possession, but her late miss on the 7 allowed the Warriors' Twilight to tap it in and tie the series at 1 game apiece. Neopolitan retook the series lead after game 3 at 2-1, using a well-positioned five-ball run-out as her critical piece of the puzzle for this particular victory, as she continues to dominate Twilight in possession. Neopolitan claimed the series with a game 4 win, another possession-centered effort. Twilight made it 3-2 in game 5 with a lucky win, vulturing the 7 away again. Neopolitan, ranked #15, hosts Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades at this venue in the third round.
That's all 85 games for today. Tomorrow, there are 10, and the rest of the day will be administrative in nature.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Pool: Round Two Day 18
We're back with another day full of tense games. This day focuses on more of the longer styles of play, so the games number may ring in a bit low compared to a similar day. Leading off the afternoon...
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Sweetheart. The first series is 12-ball. Pacific's Ms. Kitty took game 1 with confident positioning and good shot selection, working past Boston's Sweetheart, who took a less efficient approach. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty again started well in game 2, selecting solids with strong shooting and then using mistakes by the Swifts' Sweetheart to take a 2-0 lead. Sweetheart's errors were illegally potting the 12 on a poorly-designed bank shot and failing to contact that same 12 later in the game with Ms. Kitty down to one ball. Sweetheart couldn't manage to get set even with two wild card balls in hand. Ms. Kitty took game 3 on a three-ball run to set up for the 13 in the bottom right, and then a conversion on the 13 from distance after the impressively positioned effort. Ms. Kitty won game 4 after exerting some brilliant defense, leaving the 11 jammed in the top right, which didn't actually work, and then potting the 11 to set up for an awkward but successful bank on the 10 to the top side for a win. Ms. Kitty's strong positioning and execution continued, with her accurate shot on the 6 to the bottom right giving her a workable shot on the 3 to end game 5, completing a relatively effortless 5-0 sweep. Ms. Kitty, ranked #60 in 12-ball, will next host Smudge of the Infinity City Torpedoes in the third round at this venue.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Dustin. This Rotation battle has the undertone of the Eagles cutting Dustin despite his fan favorite status and borderline sufficient statistic, only for him to star this season for the Central Warriors. Everton's Puff III started hot, but Central's Dustin matched immediately, creating a very tense game until the end, where Puff III of the Eagles pulled away to an 8-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin got buried early on, but roared back with a six-ball run that paced his attack, and he finished with a two-ball run-out when Puff III couldn't convert on the 7, winning 8-3 to tie the series at 1. Dustin eked out a win in game 3, as the shooting got messy around the 12, but Dustin eventually received the right shot to take the game 8-5 and go up 2-1 in the series where he looks for redemption for being cut. Dustin staked out a lead in game 4, watched it disappear, and then rallied back with a three-ball run-out, clinching the series at 3-1 with the 8-5 victory. Dustin held off Puff III early, and then blitzed a four-ball run-out to win the game 8-2 and the series 4-1. Dustin, ranked #105 in Rotation, will host Mr. Snowman of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors at his home table in Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central in the third round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Chicky Phil. A doubleheader in Survival starts with these two players. Golden's Strut started out well, but once Westside's Chicky Phil got into a groove, he successfully pushed the Pilots' Strut around and toppled him in the second rack for a 1-0 lead. Strut matched Chicky Phil of the Rockers early in game 2, but once Strut gained possession, he got revenge for game 1 in little time, maneuvering efficiently to tie the series as Chicky Phil could not get reset. Strut used bold defensive technique to halt Chicky Phil in a very tight game 3, and Strut went up 2-1 in the series with the win. Chicky Phil retied the series, winning in a strong effort in game 4 with a two-rack game, in which Strut faded early and couldn't hold on long enough to induce the late fade on Chicky Phil. Chicky Phil came out shooting in game 5, building up his lead from the break. strut shot himself in the foot quite a few times, and Chicky Phil did the rest, defending expertly to prevent Strut from making a comeback. Chicky Phil won the series 3-2, and takes his #67 ranked Survival bid to the third round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Gabe v. Twilight. As the second half of the Survival doubleheader, a rebounding player and superstar do battle in the southwest. The silver cue will draw in for the red cue here. Gabe of Infinity City took game 1 in a tightly played and fast-paced affair, with Central's Twilight definitely not deserving to lose in a very accurate effort. Game 2 was the almost polar opposite, as both players struggled, but the Warriors' Twilight held on longer, topping the Torpedoes' Gabe with a strong defensive game. In game 3, Twilight smothered Gabe defensively, maintaining her own lead and leaving little in the way of clean shots behind to frustrate him and ultimately take a 2-1 lead. The players sparred early in game 4, battling to see who could hold onto a lead the longest, and it was Twilight, who then pummeled shot after shot to force Gabe to the brink, where he lost the game in the second rack, and allowed Twilight to clinch the series at 3-1 with the win. Twilight continued in game 5, pushing Gabe around throughout and leaving him with a nothing shot to begin rack two, which he missed, losing the game and series. Twilight won the series 4-1, and takes her #124 ranked Survival campaign into the third round, however unpredictably, to oppose the Boston Swifts' Puff II at the Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center in Boston.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Stripes. Back at the central coast, there's another series of 12-ball. Pacific's Starlight made quick work of Viewpoint Sound's Stripes, with the only ball credited to the Meteors' Stripes sunk by the Volcanoes' Starlight in an attempt to free up the top side pocket for the 13, which eventually worked. Starlight took a 2-0 lead with dominant positioning offensively, and further struggles to get going by Stripes, save for one three-ball run that made it a little bit close around the middle of the game. Starlight got generous in game 3, giving Stripes two wild card balls, which appeared to do the trick for her, as she won the game after Starlight desperation defensive play failed, making it 2-1 in the series. Game 4 got defensive late, with Stripes playing a bit coy. The lazy pace caught up with Starlight, who twice failed to sink the 14 laid up on the bottom side, and the second time proved costly, as Stripes converted the necessary shots for a win, overcoming giving away a wild card ball, to tie the series at 2. Stripes made the most of the break, and that allowed her to get set up later in game, overcoming losing a wild card ball and giving Starlight another one to win the series 3-2 as a chorus of boos rained down upon her from the home fans. Stripes, ranked #58, got divine intervention to take this series and make it into the third round for 12-ball.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Noelle. In a Survival encore, we head to the northeast. The only phrase acceptable to describe game 1 of this series would be hot mess, as many simple tap-in shots were struck too hard at the wrong angle, making both players lose lives very quickly. Twinkie II of Harrison held on slightly longer at one life, eventually getting Central's Noelle to bow out about midway through the first and only rack of the game. The Specters' Twinkie II played more expertly in game 2, holding onto a big lead until it was time to come down and play dirty. The Warriors' Noelle did a good job of holding on at two lives, even tying the game at one point, but Twinkie II's crafty leave late ended things for Noelle, giving Twinkie II a 2-0 lead. Noelle's resilience was rewarded in game 3, as she fell behind early again, but Twinkie II slipped up in the second rack, and a narrow Noelle shot on the 1 to open the third rack sealed the deal to make it 2-1. Noelle only had herself to blame for losing game 4, failing to make contact when the 6 was open near the bottom side and she was on her last life, after an early game free-fall that started with a scratch on the break. Twinkie II, amidst all the chaos, didn't play well, but came away with a 3-1 series lead. Noelle managed to push Twinkie II around in game 5, earning a hard fought win through good tactics. Twinkie II won the series 3-2, and will host Olivia of the Diamond Gems in the third round at this very venue.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Ruby. We end the afternoon with Rotation. In game 1, Puff II came out blazing and did not let up, as Boston's star battled Archtown's Ruby effectively, in a very defensive game without an open shot popping up often. Puff II of the Swifts took a 1-0 series lead on an 8-4 win. Game was a bit tight, as neither player gathered momentum early on until a three-ball run by Puff II staked her out to a lead she eventually finished off for an 8-3 and 2-0 series lead. The Arrows' Ruby got on the board with an 8-5 win in game 3, making the final five balls in two turns to get herself back in the series. Ruby used a professional three-ball run-out to win game 4, scoring the 11 in the top side off the 14, bending the cue around the 15 to get to the 14 at the top left, and knocking the 15 away into the top side for an 8-7 win to tie the series at 2. Game 5 went to Puff II after a three-ball run made it 8-4. As a whole, the series was extremely tight after a lot of breaks scattered the balls well but did not lend themselves to being convenient for running long streaks. Puff II, ranked #17 in Rotation, advanced to play Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the third round at Microsoft Center in Del Sur.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Dominic. The long night begins with 15-ball in the southwest, and the silver cue will draw in for the blue cue. Victoria's Chapman controlled possession in game 1 as Web City's Dominic made a lot of simple mistakes to give the Spurs' Chapman good shots. In the end, one of Dominic's mistakes resulted in Chapman using the 9 to set up for a 10-13-15 combination to the bottom left for a 1-0 lead. The Spiders' Dominic limited his mistakes in game 2, but the end of the game got to be very back-and-forth, and he was not on the right end of that, missing the 15 and leaving it easy for Chapman to go up 2-0 in the series. Chapman asserted herself in game 3, making a wonderful kick shot that intended just to make contact on the 4 into the top right, setting up for a reasonable 5-15 combination that went down easily for the clinching win at 3-0 in the series. Not a lot went right in the pressure-free game 4, but Chapman did use excellent positioning at the end from hitting the 13 at the top right to get precisely set on the 15 in the bottom left, moving to 4-0 in the series. In game 5, the story went back to the start: a sloppy game with the ending coming after a mistake by Dominic, as Chapman pulled off a 5-0 sweep. Chapman is through to the third round on her #10 ranked 15-ball bid. Chapman's win meant the end of the line for Dominic, who lost all three second round appearances to become the seventeenth eliminated player. Dominic, a journeyman who's been with the Monarchs, Pirates, and Spiders, is likely onto another team after another rough season. Chapman recorded her first kill of the season.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Princess. Sparkles of Todavía has a personal doubleheader on the schedule, with both sets at home. The first is a series of 9-ball with the red cue. Todavía's Sparkles dominated most of game 1, controlling possession with accurate shooting and reasonable defense, but a late scratch allowed Tysini's Princess to vulture her way to a 1-0 lead. Game 2 saw the script flipped, as the Hummingbirds' Princess appeared the stronger of the two players, only to miss contact on the 9 and give the Stills' Sparkles a free tap-in to tie the series at 1. Game 3 turned it around again, although the possession was fairly even in this one. Still, Sparkles scratched while on the 9, allowing Princess to pick a spot and bury the 9 to go up 2-1 in the series. After matching three-ball runs in game 4, Sparkles couldn't make contact with the 9, scratching to compound the foul and give Princess a 3-1 series lead in what has become a somewhat predictable course of events in making the first eight balls absolutely meaningless. Princess didn't allow Sparkles a shot in game 5, running five balls beginning with the break, finishing on a 4-9 combination cut caroming off the 6 to the bottom left to make it a 4-1 series. Princess, ranked #59 in 9-ball, will host Brownie of the Atlantic Pirates in the third round at Cisco Arena in Tysini.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Shadow. The other half of the doubleheader is 12-ball with the blue cue as Todavía's Sparkles looks to shake off a bruising defeat. The Stills' Sparkles excelled in obtaining position on her shots, and she used a three-ball run to spark the majority of her game 1 victory, as Web City's Shadow couldn't get much separation. The Spiders' Shadow tied it in game 2, using a three-ball run-out aided by a wild card ball as the keys for him to get into gear. Before giving the wild card ball up, Sparkles did well to stay in the game, but she couldn't set her shots like in the previous game. Sparkles paid when she lost a gamble in game 3, thinking that she could manage to win when giving Shadow two wild card balls. The gamble failed, as Shadow's meticulous set-up shots from earlier finally paid off for him after Sparkles couldn't finish off the 2 on her only chance at it. Shadow clinched the series in game 4, working a little faster with more favorable shots than Sparkles could. Sparkles was nearly set up on her remaining shots when Shadow made a shot on the 10 from distance to the top right to go up 3-1 in the series. In game 5, the vibe was more of a race, as both players worked fairly independently until Sparkles used a bit of defense near the end to muck up Shadow's shot. Sparkles went on to win the game, but Shadow took the series 3-2. In the third round, the #96 ranked Shadow will travel to Lighton to play the Prestige's Pounce at Pepsi Arena.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Diddley. Now, a little inland, 15-ball will be the series for the blue cue's finale of the night. Game 1 was a disaster, especially for Lighton's Acorn. Neither player shot with any accuracy or command, but it was the Prestige's Acorn, a calm and collected player usually, that lost his cool, leaving the 9-15 combination open for Maplewood's Diddley at the top right. Acorn made up for his gaffe in game 2, shocking the world in the process of tying the series by caroming the cue off the 9 and into the 14, which crossed the table to bump the 15 into the bottom right for the win in an otherwise clean but unremarkable game. Acorn, clearly more comfortable in game 3, didn't give the Lumberjacks' Diddley many opportunities throughout, and closed the game with a four-ball run-out to pull ahead at 2-1 in the series, a far cry from the embarrassing start. Acorn again took control of game 4 late, scoring a four-ball run before chipping the 15. Diddley couldn't corral the 15 to the bottom left either, so Acorn took care of a tap-in to clinch the series at 3-1 after another strong game. Game 5 featured a lot of early action, and the later play was also good and proper, but Acorn did have a miss late that allowed Diddley to take the final two balls and win the game. The #95 ranked Acorn advanced on a 3-2 series win, and he will travel to Oceanside to play the Waves' captain Snuggle in AT&T Hall in the third round.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: Spice v. Tori. This Rotation match is all Spurs all the time, as two of Victoria's own go head-to-head. Tori got off to a hot start in game 1, dominating possession and making quite a few shots along the way, but when she stagnated, Spice roared to life on a four-ball run, and later finished the game off 8-5 for a 1-0 series lead. Spice added on with a 2-0 series lead after winning game 2 on a three-ball run-out for a final score of 8-5 in a game that featured even possession until the end. The players exchanged three-ball runs late in the game, but luckily for Spice, that was as far as Tori's got, allowing Spice to score the 14 in the bottom left and take a 3-0 series lead with the 8-6 win in game 3. Spice pulled herself together in game 4 after an extended battle on the 4 left the players tied. Spice pulled away late, and ended up winning the game 9-5 after a double-pot at the end of the game on the 12 and 15, going to 4-0 in the series after another strong finish. Spice didn't let her paw off the gas in game 5, cruising with a five-ball run and a final score of 8-1 after some impressive accuracy to take the series in a 5-0 sweep. Ranked #13 in Rotation, Spice is set to host Crystal of the Queens Flames in the third round at this venue.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stinky v. Patches. This 10-ball matchup may not be accurately represented in the rankings, given the overall histories of each player. Freedom's Stinky got away with one late as Boston's Patches bumbled the positioning after making the 9 and then doubled down the errors with a scratch while attempting the 10, giving the Cascades' Stinky an easy shot to go up 1-0 in the series. Stinky again received a gift in game 2, as the Swifts' Patches scratched late again. Stinky used the ball-in-hand to easily handle the 9 and get good position on the 10, sending it the bottom side on a narrow angle in a show of skill. Patches couldn't break her bad luck in game 3, keeping pace in the middle of the game but leaving the 10 short when she got a chance at it, allowing Stinky a tap-in to clinch the series at 3-0. Patches got on the board despite another scratch on the 9, as Stinky took his shot on the 10 too casually, and Patches hit it long and hard into the bottom right to make it 3-1 in the series. Stinky fired back as Patches returned to her error-prone ways in game 5, using ball-in-hand on the 9 and 10 again for a 4-1 series win. Stinky, ranked #18 in 10-ball, will host Dusky of the Archtown Arrows at this venue in the third round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Lionel. The final set of the day will be 15-ball from the northeast. As the theme has gone tonight, Twinkie II of Harrison scratched late after a solid showing in game 1, allowing Commerce's Lionel to do easy work to get the final two balls for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Lionel took a surprising route to victory in game 2, kicking the cue off the left rail and into the 3, turning the shot into a 3-15 combination when the 15 found its way into the top side for the win and a 2-0 lead for Lionel. In game 3, Lionel continued his brilliant run with some strong situational awareness. The 8 he shot at was frozen on the top rail a diamond away from the top left, a prime position for spinning off the rail, which he did with enough authority to take the 15 from about two-thirds of the way down the left rail, knocking it to the bottom left on the game-winning double-pot that gave him a 3-0 series lead. The Specters' Twinkie II showed up for game 4, using the fast pace of play to her advantage in the end, as she banked the 13 off the top rail toward the bottom side, which was blocked squarely by the 15. The bank-combination shot served her well in winning the game, making the series 3-1 for Lionel at this point. Lionel shot back with a three-ball run-out in another fast-paced game 5, finishing on a top rail to bottom side bank on the 15, good for a 4-1 series win. Lionel, ranked #62 in 15-ball, is set to host Mams of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the third round at Nike Field Events Center in Commerce.
That's 70 games today, and we're on pace to wrap up the round on Saturday. Tomorrow, the goal is play as much as possible, but we'll see how my body holds up. I expect that I will either play a light schedule or none on Sunday so as to be able to work on some of the behind-the-scenes details as well as other personal projects I do not yet share with the world. Hope you all are enjoying these, and please leave a comment to let me know you're out there.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Ms. Kitty v. Sweetheart. The first series is 12-ball. Pacific's Ms. Kitty took game 1 with confident positioning and good shot selection, working past Boston's Sweetheart, who took a less efficient approach. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty again started well in game 2, selecting solids with strong shooting and then using mistakes by the Swifts' Sweetheart to take a 2-0 lead. Sweetheart's errors were illegally potting the 12 on a poorly-designed bank shot and failing to contact that same 12 later in the game with Ms. Kitty down to one ball. Sweetheart couldn't manage to get set even with two wild card balls in hand. Ms. Kitty took game 3 on a three-ball run to set up for the 13 in the bottom right, and then a conversion on the 13 from distance after the impressively positioned effort. Ms. Kitty won game 4 after exerting some brilliant defense, leaving the 11 jammed in the top right, which didn't actually work, and then potting the 11 to set up for an awkward but successful bank on the 10 to the top side for a win. Ms. Kitty's strong positioning and execution continued, with her accurate shot on the 6 to the bottom right giving her a workable shot on the 3 to end game 5, completing a relatively effortless 5-0 sweep. Ms. Kitty, ranked #60 in 12-ball, will next host Smudge of the Infinity City Torpedoes in the third round at this venue.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Puff III v. Dustin. This Rotation battle has the undertone of the Eagles cutting Dustin despite his fan favorite status and borderline sufficient statistic, only for him to star this season for the Central Warriors. Everton's Puff III started hot, but Central's Dustin matched immediately, creating a very tense game until the end, where Puff III of the Eagles pulled away to an 8-6 win and 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Dustin got buried early on, but roared back with a six-ball run that paced his attack, and he finished with a two-ball run-out when Puff III couldn't convert on the 7, winning 8-3 to tie the series at 1. Dustin eked out a win in game 3, as the shooting got messy around the 12, but Dustin eventually received the right shot to take the game 8-5 and go up 2-1 in the series where he looks for redemption for being cut. Dustin staked out a lead in game 4, watched it disappear, and then rallied back with a three-ball run-out, clinching the series at 3-1 with the 8-5 victory. Dustin held off Puff III early, and then blitzed a four-ball run-out to win the game 8-2 and the series 4-1. Dustin, ranked #105 in Rotation, will host Mr. Snowman of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors at his home table in Nestle's Warriors Hall in Central in the third round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Chicky Phil. A doubleheader in Survival starts with these two players. Golden's Strut started out well, but once Westside's Chicky Phil got into a groove, he successfully pushed the Pilots' Strut around and toppled him in the second rack for a 1-0 lead. Strut matched Chicky Phil of the Rockers early in game 2, but once Strut gained possession, he got revenge for game 1 in little time, maneuvering efficiently to tie the series as Chicky Phil could not get reset. Strut used bold defensive technique to halt Chicky Phil in a very tight game 3, and Strut went up 2-1 in the series with the win. Chicky Phil retied the series, winning in a strong effort in game 4 with a two-rack game, in which Strut faded early and couldn't hold on long enough to induce the late fade on Chicky Phil. Chicky Phil came out shooting in game 5, building up his lead from the break. strut shot himself in the foot quite a few times, and Chicky Phil did the rest, defending expertly to prevent Strut from making a comeback. Chicky Phil won the series 3-2, and takes his #67 ranked Survival bid to the third round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Gabe v. Twilight. As the second half of the Survival doubleheader, a rebounding player and superstar do battle in the southwest. The silver cue will draw in for the red cue here. Gabe of Infinity City took game 1 in a tightly played and fast-paced affair, with Central's Twilight definitely not deserving to lose in a very accurate effort. Game 2 was the almost polar opposite, as both players struggled, but the Warriors' Twilight held on longer, topping the Torpedoes' Gabe with a strong defensive game. In game 3, Twilight smothered Gabe defensively, maintaining her own lead and leaving little in the way of clean shots behind to frustrate him and ultimately take a 2-1 lead. The players sparred early in game 4, battling to see who could hold onto a lead the longest, and it was Twilight, who then pummeled shot after shot to force Gabe to the brink, where he lost the game in the second rack, and allowed Twilight to clinch the series at 3-1 with the win. Twilight continued in game 5, pushing Gabe around throughout and leaving him with a nothing shot to begin rack two, which he missed, losing the game and series. Twilight won the series 4-1, and takes her #124 ranked Survival campaign into the third round, however unpredictably, to oppose the Boston Swifts' Puff II at the Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center in Boston.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Stripes. Back at the central coast, there's another series of 12-ball. Pacific's Starlight made quick work of Viewpoint Sound's Stripes, with the only ball credited to the Meteors' Stripes sunk by the Volcanoes' Starlight in an attempt to free up the top side pocket for the 13, which eventually worked. Starlight took a 2-0 lead with dominant positioning offensively, and further struggles to get going by Stripes, save for one three-ball run that made it a little bit close around the middle of the game. Starlight got generous in game 3, giving Stripes two wild card balls, which appeared to do the trick for her, as she won the game after Starlight desperation defensive play failed, making it 2-1 in the series. Game 4 got defensive late, with Stripes playing a bit coy. The lazy pace caught up with Starlight, who twice failed to sink the 14 laid up on the bottom side, and the second time proved costly, as Stripes converted the necessary shots for a win, overcoming giving away a wild card ball, to tie the series at 2. Stripes made the most of the break, and that allowed her to get set up later in game, overcoming losing a wild card ball and giving Starlight another one to win the series 3-2 as a chorus of boos rained down upon her from the home fans. Stripes, ranked #58, got divine intervention to take this series and make it into the third round for 12-ball.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Noelle. In a Survival encore, we head to the northeast. The only phrase acceptable to describe game 1 of this series would be hot mess, as many simple tap-in shots were struck too hard at the wrong angle, making both players lose lives very quickly. Twinkie II of Harrison held on slightly longer at one life, eventually getting Central's Noelle to bow out about midway through the first and only rack of the game. The Specters' Twinkie II played more expertly in game 2, holding onto a big lead until it was time to come down and play dirty. The Warriors' Noelle did a good job of holding on at two lives, even tying the game at one point, but Twinkie II's crafty leave late ended things for Noelle, giving Twinkie II a 2-0 lead. Noelle's resilience was rewarded in game 3, as she fell behind early again, but Twinkie II slipped up in the second rack, and a narrow Noelle shot on the 1 to open the third rack sealed the deal to make it 2-1. Noelle only had herself to blame for losing game 4, failing to make contact when the 6 was open near the bottom side and she was on her last life, after an early game free-fall that started with a scratch on the break. Twinkie II, amidst all the chaos, didn't play well, but came away with a 3-1 series lead. Noelle managed to push Twinkie II around in game 5, earning a hard fought win through good tactics. Twinkie II won the series 3-2, and will host Olivia of the Diamond Gems in the third round at this very venue.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Ruby. We end the afternoon with Rotation. In game 1, Puff II came out blazing and did not let up, as Boston's star battled Archtown's Ruby effectively, in a very defensive game without an open shot popping up often. Puff II of the Swifts took a 1-0 series lead on an 8-4 win. Game was a bit tight, as neither player gathered momentum early on until a three-ball run by Puff II staked her out to a lead she eventually finished off for an 8-3 and 2-0 series lead. The Arrows' Ruby got on the board with an 8-5 win in game 3, making the final five balls in two turns to get herself back in the series. Ruby used a professional three-ball run-out to win game 4, scoring the 11 in the top side off the 14, bending the cue around the 15 to get to the 14 at the top left, and knocking the 15 away into the top side for an 8-7 win to tie the series at 2. Game 5 went to Puff II after a three-ball run made it 8-4. As a whole, the series was extremely tight after a lot of breaks scattered the balls well but did not lend themselves to being convenient for running long streaks. Puff II, ranked #17 in Rotation, advanced to play Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the third round at Microsoft Center in Del Sur.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Dominic. The long night begins with 15-ball in the southwest, and the silver cue will draw in for the blue cue. Victoria's Chapman controlled possession in game 1 as Web City's Dominic made a lot of simple mistakes to give the Spurs' Chapman good shots. In the end, one of Dominic's mistakes resulted in Chapman using the 9 to set up for a 10-13-15 combination to the bottom left for a 1-0 lead. The Spiders' Dominic limited his mistakes in game 2, but the end of the game got to be very back-and-forth, and he was not on the right end of that, missing the 15 and leaving it easy for Chapman to go up 2-0 in the series. Chapman asserted herself in game 3, making a wonderful kick shot that intended just to make contact on the 4 into the top right, setting up for a reasonable 5-15 combination that went down easily for the clinching win at 3-0 in the series. Not a lot went right in the pressure-free game 4, but Chapman did use excellent positioning at the end from hitting the 13 at the top right to get precisely set on the 15 in the bottom left, moving to 4-0 in the series. In game 5, the story went back to the start: a sloppy game with the ending coming after a mistake by Dominic, as Chapman pulled off a 5-0 sweep. Chapman is through to the third round on her #10 ranked 15-ball bid. Chapman's win meant the end of the line for Dominic, who lost all three second round appearances to become the seventeenth eliminated player. Dominic, a journeyman who's been with the Monarchs, Pirates, and Spiders, is likely onto another team after another rough season. Chapman recorded her first kill of the season.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Princess. Sparkles of Todavía has a personal doubleheader on the schedule, with both sets at home. The first is a series of 9-ball with the red cue. Todavía's Sparkles dominated most of game 1, controlling possession with accurate shooting and reasonable defense, but a late scratch allowed Tysini's Princess to vulture her way to a 1-0 lead. Game 2 saw the script flipped, as the Hummingbirds' Princess appeared the stronger of the two players, only to miss contact on the 9 and give the Stills' Sparkles a free tap-in to tie the series at 1. Game 3 turned it around again, although the possession was fairly even in this one. Still, Sparkles scratched while on the 9, allowing Princess to pick a spot and bury the 9 to go up 2-1 in the series. After matching three-ball runs in game 4, Sparkles couldn't make contact with the 9, scratching to compound the foul and give Princess a 3-1 series lead in what has become a somewhat predictable course of events in making the first eight balls absolutely meaningless. Princess didn't allow Sparkles a shot in game 5, running five balls beginning with the break, finishing on a 4-9 combination cut caroming off the 6 to the bottom left to make it a 4-1 series. Princess, ranked #59 in 9-ball, will host Brownie of the Atlantic Pirates in the third round at Cisco Arena in Tysini.
Apple Center, Todavía: Sparkles v. Shadow. The other half of the doubleheader is 12-ball with the blue cue as Todavía's Sparkles looks to shake off a bruising defeat. The Stills' Sparkles excelled in obtaining position on her shots, and she used a three-ball run to spark the majority of her game 1 victory, as Web City's Shadow couldn't get much separation. The Spiders' Shadow tied it in game 2, using a three-ball run-out aided by a wild card ball as the keys for him to get into gear. Before giving the wild card ball up, Sparkles did well to stay in the game, but she couldn't set her shots like in the previous game. Sparkles paid when she lost a gamble in game 3, thinking that she could manage to win when giving Shadow two wild card balls. The gamble failed, as Shadow's meticulous set-up shots from earlier finally paid off for him after Sparkles couldn't finish off the 2 on her only chance at it. Shadow clinched the series in game 4, working a little faster with more favorable shots than Sparkles could. Sparkles was nearly set up on her remaining shots when Shadow made a shot on the 10 from distance to the top right to go up 3-1 in the series. In game 5, the vibe was more of a race, as both players worked fairly independently until Sparkles used a bit of defense near the end to muck up Shadow's shot. Sparkles went on to win the game, but Shadow took the series 3-2. In the third round, the #96 ranked Shadow will travel to Lighton to play the Prestige's Pounce at Pepsi Arena.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Acorn v. Diddley. Now, a little inland, 15-ball will be the series for the blue cue's finale of the night. Game 1 was a disaster, especially for Lighton's Acorn. Neither player shot with any accuracy or command, but it was the Prestige's Acorn, a calm and collected player usually, that lost his cool, leaving the 9-15 combination open for Maplewood's Diddley at the top right. Acorn made up for his gaffe in game 2, shocking the world in the process of tying the series by caroming the cue off the 9 and into the 14, which crossed the table to bump the 15 into the bottom right for the win in an otherwise clean but unremarkable game. Acorn, clearly more comfortable in game 3, didn't give the Lumberjacks' Diddley many opportunities throughout, and closed the game with a four-ball run-out to pull ahead at 2-1 in the series, a far cry from the embarrassing start. Acorn again took control of game 4 late, scoring a four-ball run before chipping the 15. Diddley couldn't corral the 15 to the bottom left either, so Acorn took care of a tap-in to clinch the series at 3-1 after another strong game. Game 5 featured a lot of early action, and the later play was also good and proper, but Acorn did have a miss late that allowed Diddley to take the final two balls and win the game. The #95 ranked Acorn advanced on a 3-2 series win, and he will travel to Oceanside to play the Waves' captain Snuggle in AT&T Hall in the third round.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: Spice v. Tori. This Rotation match is all Spurs all the time, as two of Victoria's own go head-to-head. Tori got off to a hot start in game 1, dominating possession and making quite a few shots along the way, but when she stagnated, Spice roared to life on a four-ball run, and later finished the game off 8-5 for a 1-0 series lead. Spice added on with a 2-0 series lead after winning game 2 on a three-ball run-out for a final score of 8-5 in a game that featured even possession until the end. The players exchanged three-ball runs late in the game, but luckily for Spice, that was as far as Tori's got, allowing Spice to score the 14 in the bottom left and take a 3-0 series lead with the 8-6 win in game 3. Spice pulled herself together in game 4 after an extended battle on the 4 left the players tied. Spice pulled away late, and ended up winning the game 9-5 after a double-pot at the end of the game on the 12 and 15, going to 4-0 in the series after another strong finish. Spice didn't let her paw off the gas in game 5, cruising with a five-ball run and a final score of 8-1 after some impressive accuracy to take the series in a 5-0 sweep. Ranked #13 in Rotation, Spice is set to host Crystal of the Queens Flames in the third round at this venue.
Toyota Arena, Freedom: Stinky v. Patches. This 10-ball matchup may not be accurately represented in the rankings, given the overall histories of each player. Freedom's Stinky got away with one late as Boston's Patches bumbled the positioning after making the 9 and then doubled down the errors with a scratch while attempting the 10, giving the Cascades' Stinky an easy shot to go up 1-0 in the series. Stinky again received a gift in game 2, as the Swifts' Patches scratched late again. Stinky used the ball-in-hand to easily handle the 9 and get good position on the 10, sending it the bottom side on a narrow angle in a show of skill. Patches couldn't break her bad luck in game 3, keeping pace in the middle of the game but leaving the 10 short when she got a chance at it, allowing Stinky a tap-in to clinch the series at 3-0. Patches got on the board despite another scratch on the 9, as Stinky took his shot on the 10 too casually, and Patches hit it long and hard into the bottom right to make it 3-1 in the series. Stinky fired back as Patches returned to her error-prone ways in game 5, using ball-in-hand on the 9 and 10 again for a 4-1 series win. Stinky, ranked #18 in 10-ball, will host Dusky of the Archtown Arrows at this venue in the third round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Twinkie II v. Lionel. The final set of the day will be 15-ball from the northeast. As the theme has gone tonight, Twinkie II of Harrison scratched late after a solid showing in game 1, allowing Commerce's Lionel to do easy work to get the final two balls for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Lionel took a surprising route to victory in game 2, kicking the cue off the left rail and into the 3, turning the shot into a 3-15 combination when the 15 found its way into the top side for the win and a 2-0 lead for Lionel. In game 3, Lionel continued his brilliant run with some strong situational awareness. The 8 he shot at was frozen on the top rail a diamond away from the top left, a prime position for spinning off the rail, which he did with enough authority to take the 15 from about two-thirds of the way down the left rail, knocking it to the bottom left on the game-winning double-pot that gave him a 3-0 series lead. The Specters' Twinkie II showed up for game 4, using the fast pace of play to her advantage in the end, as she banked the 13 off the top rail toward the bottom side, which was blocked squarely by the 15. The bank-combination shot served her well in winning the game, making the series 3-1 for Lionel at this point. Lionel shot back with a three-ball run-out in another fast-paced game 5, finishing on a top rail to bottom side bank on the 15, good for a 4-1 series win. Lionel, ranked #62 in 15-ball, is set to host Mams of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the third round at Nike Field Events Center in Commerce.
That's 70 games today, and we're on pace to wrap up the round on Saturday. Tomorrow, the goal is play as much as possible, but we'll see how my body holds up. I expect that I will either play a light schedule or none on Sunday so as to be able to work on some of the behind-the-scenes details as well as other personal projects I do not yet share with the world. Hope you all are enjoying these, and please leave a comment to let me know you're out there.
Summer Cricket League: Week 2 Part 3
It's the close of another cricket week, and we have two league games and two Showcase games to run through. We begin with...
The Seoul Crushers hosting the Madrid Toros. Spencer Howard got stuck at 131 for Madrid after failing to corral a loose ball. Natal Badillo continued an all-or-nothing approach for Seoul, hitting only 136 for a very small lead. Pepillo Gamboa lifted 544 for the Toros, establishing a lead for them. Gwandoya Makeba answered with 569 for the Crushers, keeping them just slightly in the lead. Lennert Verheyen grabbed 231 for Madrid. Leandro Gamboa cobbled a meager 44 points for Seoul, sacrificing the lead in the process. Thabo Chahine got caught ball-watching, ending up with 187 for the Toros. Max Jennings shot back with 218 for the Crushers, keeping them within striking distance. Former catcher Guillem Gamboa showed some unexpected agility in keeping his turn going for Madrid, eventually ending at 903 after pulling off a backhand-forehand switch move. Frank Schmidt slugged 353 for Seoul, getting a few points back. Martin Badillo ended at 66 for the Toros, producing a final of 2062. Zdenko Jansky lined 112 for the Crushers, as they lost again with 1432. Madrid has pulled even at 3-3 while Seoul drops to 0-4.
Ending the league games for the week, the Toronto Mounties welcome fellow table-toppers the Melbourne Renegades. Charlie Thompson began with 663 for Melbourne. Cyril Hendrickx narrowly topped it for Toronto, scoring 688 and living up to the match's hype. Theodore White posted 168 for the Renegades, staying true to his road form. Curro Garza took advantage for the Mounties, launching 561 to give them a nice lead. Sancho Ramos stumbled to 36 points for Melbourne, putting them in serious danger. Axel Maes scooped 434 for Toronto, padding their lead even more. Rana Naqvi managed 184 for the Renegades, barely denting the deficit. Tabor Laureano had a measly 33 for the Mounties, but both of the teams' fourth players tend to be calms before storms, as they end with dynamic duos. Melbourne's Sikke Eichel hit just 66, leaving it up to his fellow Musketeer in the end. The first half of Toronto's power duo Jaxtoine, Jax Puente slugged 976 to almost guarantee victory for the home side. Stanley Watts couldn't cover for Eichel, getting stymied at 24 to giving the Renegades a loss with 1141. Antoine Hendrickx supplied 233 to give the Mounties 2925 in the convincing victory. Both teams go to 4-1.
Now for the standings table.
The Showcase games are next, beginning with the Toronto Mounties bringing in the Spares squad, composed of players who did not make their regional Showcase teams. Shannon, of the Southern Monarchs, did little to help her case with just 63 points for the Spares. Cyril Hendrickx doubled her up with 126 for Toronto. Nicole, also of the Monarchs, put up 482 for the Spares to at least make her credentials more interesting. Curro Garza grabbed 250 for the Mounties. Former UPCL MVP Cassandra ripped 608 for the Spares, giving her Diamond Gems something more to ponder. Axel Maes sliced a moderate 272 for Toronto. Undrafted rookie Yekaterina Vasilyeva scored 192 for the Spares as she makes her first official appearance in competition. Tabor Laureano slapped 304 for the mounties, pulling them closer before the Jaxtoine duo takes over. Kavan gave the duo a hard time, hitting 998 for the Spares while showing off for his Freedom Cascades, a team likely to tear it all down and start anew. Maybe there won't be as much tearing down now. Jax Puente blasted 575 in response for Toronto. Shiny left the Spares a bit vulnerable, as the Victoria Spurs' borderline player hit 48 for the adopted squad, putting them at 2391 total. Antoine Hendrickx fared even worse for the Mounties, with his 12 points giving them the loss at 1539 in the loss. For the Spares, Cassandra may get a long leash with her pedigree, and Kavan will definitely warrant attention in the second game. Nicole also looked strong, but a weak pool season will hurt her as well.
The other Showcase game is the Johannesburg Lions hosting the Urban Core South, which is actually more of a southern teams hodgepodge, pulling from the Inland Southwest, Urban Core South, and Urban Core North to fill out the roster. Sprinkles of the Capital City Sharpshooters lifted 984 for UCS to open the game. Johannesburg got only 16 from Wiebe Becker, setting them behind early. Shaggy, of the Southridge Defenders, carved out 631 for UCS, extending the lead to a massive level. Normando Alonso lined 171 for the Lions, a struggling SCL side. Alyssa chipped 131 for UCS, but it's probably not enough to move the needle for the Westside Rockers, who are over-extended on the roster with the split-bid and will have to cut at least one player. Ken Howard cashed in with 447 for Johannesburg. Wild Thing of the Swordpoint Blades muscled up with 450 for UCS, but his weak efforts in pool will hurt him. Lucio Adame scored only 215 for the Lions. Whiskers had a respectable 333 for UCS, impressing the Infinity City Torpedoes in the process. Oshri Aharonov's struggled for Johannesburg continued in this game, with a measly 28 points to his credit. Kelly's 638 gained the attention of the Rockers, and it gave the UCS 3167 total. With Kelly as part of the split bid, the Rockers will have to decide if her off-the-pitch issues are worth it after a strong showing here. Pieter Hendrickx slugged 771 for the Lions, but they lost brutally with 1648. For the UCS, it appears Sprinkles may have saved her Sharpshooters' career, and Shaggy made strides with the Defenders. Whiskers looks safe with the Torpedoes, but the Rockers' twins and the Blades' Wild Thing will have to prove a little more, even after a commanding UCS win.
Cricket will continue over the weekend most likely.
The Seoul Crushers hosting the Madrid Toros. Spencer Howard got stuck at 131 for Madrid after failing to corral a loose ball. Natal Badillo continued an all-or-nothing approach for Seoul, hitting only 136 for a very small lead. Pepillo Gamboa lifted 544 for the Toros, establishing a lead for them. Gwandoya Makeba answered with 569 for the Crushers, keeping them just slightly in the lead. Lennert Verheyen grabbed 231 for Madrid. Leandro Gamboa cobbled a meager 44 points for Seoul, sacrificing the lead in the process. Thabo Chahine got caught ball-watching, ending up with 187 for the Toros. Max Jennings shot back with 218 for the Crushers, keeping them within striking distance. Former catcher Guillem Gamboa showed some unexpected agility in keeping his turn going for Madrid, eventually ending at 903 after pulling off a backhand-forehand switch move. Frank Schmidt slugged 353 for Seoul, getting a few points back. Martin Badillo ended at 66 for the Toros, producing a final of 2062. Zdenko Jansky lined 112 for the Crushers, as they lost again with 1432. Madrid has pulled even at 3-3 while Seoul drops to 0-4.
Ending the league games for the week, the Toronto Mounties welcome fellow table-toppers the Melbourne Renegades. Charlie Thompson began with 663 for Melbourne. Cyril Hendrickx narrowly topped it for Toronto, scoring 688 and living up to the match's hype. Theodore White posted 168 for the Renegades, staying true to his road form. Curro Garza took advantage for the Mounties, launching 561 to give them a nice lead. Sancho Ramos stumbled to 36 points for Melbourne, putting them in serious danger. Axel Maes scooped 434 for Toronto, padding their lead even more. Rana Naqvi managed 184 for the Renegades, barely denting the deficit. Tabor Laureano had a measly 33 for the Mounties, but both of the teams' fourth players tend to be calms before storms, as they end with dynamic duos. Melbourne's Sikke Eichel hit just 66, leaving it up to his fellow Musketeer in the end. The first half of Toronto's power duo Jaxtoine, Jax Puente slugged 976 to almost guarantee victory for the home side. Stanley Watts couldn't cover for Eichel, getting stymied at 24 to giving the Renegades a loss with 1141. Antoine Hendrickx supplied 233 to give the Mounties 2925 in the convincing victory. Both teams go to 4-1.
Now for the standings table.
| Team | Wins | Losses | Win % | |
| Bangkok Sixes | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| American Rebels | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| Melbourne Renegades | 4 | 1 | 0.800 | |
| Toronto Mounties | 4 | 1 | 0.800 | |
| Manila Pacmen | 2 | 1 | 0.667 | |
| Madrid Toros | 3 | 3 | 0.500 | |
| Amsterdam Hotstove | 2 | 2 | 0.500 | |
| Guatemala Conquistadors | 1 | 1 | 0.500 | |
| Johannesburg Lions | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | |
| Prague Checkmates | 1 | 2 | 0.333 | |
| Brussels Chocolatiers | 1 | 3 | 0.250 | |
| Seoul Crushers | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | |
| Caracas Hitmen | 0 | 5 | 0.000 |
The Showcase games are next, beginning with the Toronto Mounties bringing in the Spares squad, composed of players who did not make their regional Showcase teams. Shannon, of the Southern Monarchs, did little to help her case with just 63 points for the Spares. Cyril Hendrickx doubled her up with 126 for Toronto. Nicole, also of the Monarchs, put up 482 for the Spares to at least make her credentials more interesting. Curro Garza grabbed 250 for the Mounties. Former UPCL MVP Cassandra ripped 608 for the Spares, giving her Diamond Gems something more to ponder. Axel Maes sliced a moderate 272 for Toronto. Undrafted rookie Yekaterina Vasilyeva scored 192 for the Spares as she makes her first official appearance in competition. Tabor Laureano slapped 304 for the mounties, pulling them closer before the Jaxtoine duo takes over. Kavan gave the duo a hard time, hitting 998 for the Spares while showing off for his Freedom Cascades, a team likely to tear it all down and start anew. Maybe there won't be as much tearing down now. Jax Puente blasted 575 in response for Toronto. Shiny left the Spares a bit vulnerable, as the Victoria Spurs' borderline player hit 48 for the adopted squad, putting them at 2391 total. Antoine Hendrickx fared even worse for the Mounties, with his 12 points giving them the loss at 1539 in the loss. For the Spares, Cassandra may get a long leash with her pedigree, and Kavan will definitely warrant attention in the second game. Nicole also looked strong, but a weak pool season will hurt her as well.
The other Showcase game is the Johannesburg Lions hosting the Urban Core South, which is actually more of a southern teams hodgepodge, pulling from the Inland Southwest, Urban Core South, and Urban Core North to fill out the roster. Sprinkles of the Capital City Sharpshooters lifted 984 for UCS to open the game. Johannesburg got only 16 from Wiebe Becker, setting them behind early. Shaggy, of the Southridge Defenders, carved out 631 for UCS, extending the lead to a massive level. Normando Alonso lined 171 for the Lions, a struggling SCL side. Alyssa chipped 131 for UCS, but it's probably not enough to move the needle for the Westside Rockers, who are over-extended on the roster with the split-bid and will have to cut at least one player. Ken Howard cashed in with 447 for Johannesburg. Wild Thing of the Swordpoint Blades muscled up with 450 for UCS, but his weak efforts in pool will hurt him. Lucio Adame scored only 215 for the Lions. Whiskers had a respectable 333 for UCS, impressing the Infinity City Torpedoes in the process. Oshri Aharonov's struggled for Johannesburg continued in this game, with a measly 28 points to his credit. Kelly's 638 gained the attention of the Rockers, and it gave the UCS 3167 total. With Kelly as part of the split bid, the Rockers will have to decide if her off-the-pitch issues are worth it after a strong showing here. Pieter Hendrickx slugged 771 for the Lions, but they lost brutally with 1648. For the UCS, it appears Sprinkles may have saved her Sharpshooters' career, and Shaggy made strides with the Defenders. Whiskers looks safe with the Torpedoes, but the Rockers' twins and the Blades' Wild Thing will have to prove a little more, even after a commanding UCS win.
Cricket will continue over the weekend most likely.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Pool: Round Two Day 17
We're scheduled for another 70 or so days, with Survival getting plenty of attention after being shunned most of the round. We begin in...
Ford Forum, Pronger: Paps v. Sydnee. The first series of the day is 9-ball. Pronger's Paps took game 1 in a tightly contested match, as each player exchanged short runs with frequency and did well to keep the cue on the table. The Tridents' Paps made three off the break and added four more for a seven-ball run, including a wicked kick off the bottom rail to score the 1 in the top right. Royal's Sydnee picked up the slack, making the final two balls to tie the series. The Crowns' Sydnee took a 2-1 series lead in game 3, starting with two on the break in a four-ball run and ending with a two-ball run-out for the win in a game where she finally controlled possession. Paps retied the series with another tight win in game 4, as both players had approximately equal possession and the accuracy that was on display earlier was a little less prevalent. Sydnee managed to win game 5, a slightly sloppier game in a generally well-played series, and she took the series 3-2. In the third round, her #51 ranked bid in 9-ball will host Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige at her home venue, the Kraft Forum in Royal.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Shelley v. Twinkie III. The next series is a Rotation set. Whitewater's Twinkie III managed to hold on in game 1 for an 8-5 win, building a large lead early on only to see Infinity City's Shelley charge back rapidly at the end. Shelley was done in by a rattling shot on the 13 to the top right. In game 2, the Torpedoes' Shelley was lucky to get a shot at all, as the Shores' Twinkie III built up a 7-0 lead early and waited for a scratch by Shelley to win, 8-2, and took a 2-0 lead in the series as well. Shelley got on the board with a very fire-wagon game 3, roaring back from 3-1 down to take a 5-3 lead, only to go down 7-5 after Twinkie III used a four-ball run, and then Shelley finished on a three-ball run-out for an 8-7 victory. Game 4 was similar, as Twinkie III charged out to a large lead, but Shelley rallied back on a three-ball run with spectacular positioning to make it close again. She couldn't tie the game, and Twinkie III finished it there with the 14, winning 8-6 to take a 3-1 series lead. Shelley won a somewhat messy game 5, working her way around both players' myriad mistakes. Twinkie III, ranked #120, won the series 3-2, and she will continue traveling in round three to visit Amber of the Pirates in McDonald's Hall in Atlantic.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Bright. This 9-ball series is a rematch from about three days ago when these two players met for 7-ball in this venue, with Victoria's Chapman taking the win 3-2 in that meeting. The Spurs' Chapman received a gift for game 1, as Tysini's Bright nearly won with a 6-9 combination to the top left, but also scratched to give the game away. Chapman went up 2-0 in a shakier game 2, as the Hummingbirds' Bright left a number of shots short. Chapman sealed the series with a game 3 win, coming after Bright couldn't connect on the 6 and Chapman got ball-in-hand for a 6-9 combination to the top right. Accuracy remained problematic for both players in game 4, making it a much longer game than it was supposed to be, but Bright got on the board with the sloppy win. Bright also won in game 5, making it a 3-2 series win for Chapman. Ranked #28 in 9-bal, Chapman will host Starlight of the Pacific Volcanoes at this venue in the third round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Shiny. Again, we have Rotation, this time on the coast. Victoria's Shiny managed to eke out the 8-5 win in a very messy ending to game 1. Both players struggled to make solid contact, and accuracy issues were glaringly obvious. Oceanside's Snuggle fixed his problems faster, bouncing back with a three-ball run-out for an 8-2 win in game 2, tying the series at 1 with the confident rebound game. The Spurs' Shiny appeared to have game 3 under control late in the game, but a whiff on the 10 sparked the Waves' Snuggle to a five-ball run-out for the 8-7 victory in another sloppy game. Snuggle took a 2-1 series lead with the win. Snuggle regained his momentum after a terrible break in game 4, and once he got going, he was not to be slowed down until taking victory at 8-3, clinching the series at 3-1. In game 5, Snuggle hit the highlight reel with a 3-10-9-4 combination to the top left, a brilliant play to make it 3-0 in the game. Snuggle cruised throughout the game, winning 8-1 for a 4-1 series win. Snuggle, ranked #49 in Rotation, will travel to Eastside to do battle with Taylor Swift of the Sharks in the third round at the HP Field Events Center.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chicky Phil v. Sugar. The next two series are a doubleheader of 15-ball. Westside's Chicky Phil took an abjectly terrible game 1 with a three-ball run-out and the only impressive shot of the game, a bank on the 13 with just enough touch to get it to the bottom right and leave position on the 15. Web City's Sugar answered with a four-ball run-out in game 2, tying the series in the slightly better played game, although shakiness persisted. The Spiders' Sugar went up 2-1 in game 3, mopping up the 15 after the Rockers' Chicky Phil left it short by the top left. The early-series issues appear to be mostly ironed out now, as the shooting was essentially clean and tempers remained calm as opposed to the fiery outbursts earlier. Chicky Phil returned the favor, making a five-ball run by Sugar late in the game meaningless when she missed the 15 and he mopped it up to the top side. The series is tied at 2 after the thrilling game 4 finish. Chicky Phil took game 5, running four balls before the game got defensive again late, and then tapping in the 15 after a narrow miss by Sugar. Chicky Phil, ranked #63, won the series 3-2, and his 15-ball campaign will continue into the third round, where he hosts Bryant of the Maplewood Lumberjacks at this very venue.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Ms. Puppy. The second half of the doubleheader comes from the coastal southwest. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy appeared to have the better possession in game 1, but it didn't matter, as Panda of Southern used a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead in a fairly strong game. The Union's Ms. Puppy did well to capitalize on a miss by the Monarchs' Panda in game 2, making sure her mid-game five-ball run was actually worth something. Panda played well early, but lost control later on in the game. Panda shot back, taking a 2-1 series lead in game 3. Panda did have a four-ball run during the very tightly contested game. Panda ran six balls near the start of game 4, including a killer two-rail kick on the 1 and a 2-6-4 and 2-6 combination early in the run, which ended on a scratch. It went for naught, as Ms. Puppy retied the series on a three-ball run-out, keeping this series' pace very high. Ms. Puppy won game 5, for a 3-2 series win, in a game that had more peaks and valleys than a coastal mountain range. At times, the players went on runs, and then found drastic cold spells. Ms. Puppy, ranked #124 for 15-ball, takes her surprising run into the third round, where she will oppose Spirit of the Prestige at Lighton's Pepsi Arena.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: Shiny v. Cowzart. Back inland, there's a series of 10-ball. Victoria's Shiny showed up ready to play in game 1, answering a three-ball run from Freedom's Cowzart with a four-ball run-out to take a 1-0 lead. The Spurs' Shiny cashed in after the Cascades' Cowzart scratched in game 2, using a 5-10 combination along the top rail for a 2-0 lead. Cowzart got on the board in game 3, in which Shiny just did not have the accuracy component necessary to keep pace. Shiny fired back with a much quicker, stronger, and more accurate game 4, taking the series at 3-1 while mostly smothering Cowzart to prevent heavy opposition. Each player had a four-ball run in game 5, as Shiny's was answered by Cowzart's, but Cowzart got the final two to take the game. Shiny still won the series 3-2, and her #80 ranked 10-ball campaign continues on the road in round three, traveling to Amazon Field Exhibition Hall in Golden to battle the Pilots' highly-ranked Dusty. With the win, Shiny survives in the first, legitimate do-or-die series, knocking out the Cascades' Cowzart with her first kill of the season. Cowzart, the fifteenth player to bow out, is likely out the door in Freedom, as the Cascades will likely overhaul their entire organization after a second year of heavy failure.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Whiskers v. Shadow. Survival makes an appearance now in a little appetizer to the show later in the day. The shooting was almost perfect in the first rack of game 1, with Whiskers of Infinity City holding the slight edge on Shadow of Web City, and using that to her advantage in pushing him around during the second rack for a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Whiskers got tricky in game 2, playing a dangerous rope-a-dope move in going to one life, but she got a double-pot on the 6 and 8 for two bonus lives, and rode those the rest of the way, forcing the Spiders' Shadow into a bad shot at the start of rack two, which he couldn't make, giving Whiskers the 2-0 lead. Shadow pulled off the same move with two lives, grabbing possession and using it effectively to hold onto his lives while inducing five straight misses by Whiskers, making it a 2-1 series. Whiskers made quick work of Shadow in game 4, frustrating him fully by running possession from the midpoint on, forcing his lives away very quickly and going up 3-1 before the first rack ended. With nothing left to play for, Shadow went down quietly in game 5, allowing Whiskers to run rampant all over the game. Whiskers won the series 4-1, and is taking her #11 ranked Survival campaign into the third round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Paige. The silver cue will put a lid on the afternoon before a fierce evening ahead, relieving the blue cue for 12-ball here. Cleo of Everton had the edge in game 1, using Paige of Queens' mistake in missing contact on the 9 as the opportunity to finish off her final two balls for the win. Previously, the Flames' Paige had positioned well, but the Eagles' Cleo mucked those shots up frequently. Paige worked her positioning better than Cleo in game 2, and that separated them enough in that particular game for Paige to get the win and tie the series at 1. Paige managed to win game 3, despite what could be politely called an unorthodox break, but more accurately would be called the worst break in UPCL history. With that bad break, it only got better, as Paige was able to again use positioning to get around a stunned Cleo for a 2-1 lead. Cleo shot back, overwhelming Paige early despite the latter's strong break, and then Cleo out-muscled Paige to the bottom right, overcoming Paige's defensive efforts to retie the series. Cleo won the series 3-2 with a game 5 win, getting a strong break and working quickly to keep Paige chasing her, until Paige's own lack of contact did her in, allowing Cleo to take out the final two balls with ease. Cleo, ranked #84 in 12-ball, moves on to the third round, where she will again host a series at this venue, bringing in A. Charlton of the Golden Pilots.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Sugar. The silver cue is in for red this time, as Pacific's superstar, Starlight, finally gets serious in the final days of the second round, playing Survival this time around. The Volcanoes' Starlight showed off why she is so dangerous, losing a net one life in a very sloppy and inaccurate game 1 of the series, easily topping the unprepared Sugar of Web City. The Spiders' Sugar bounced back, winning game 2 confidently as Starlight had trouble getting lined up early and had no margin for error when she figured her shot out again, allowing Sugar to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Starlight had a magnificent combination shot, going 2-10-15-12-14-3 into the bottom left, but it was for nothing as she also scratched. Starlight did get the lead back in the second rack, and she held on as the race to the bottom started, with Sugar falling just a little fast to allow Starlight a 2-1 series lead. Sugar fired back, as Starlight held pace instead of pulling ahead in game 4, and that backfired on her when the shots got tougher, allowing Sugar to push her around and eventually tie the series after Starlight missed the 10. Starlight did not fall again, dominating in game 5, even as Sugar hung around late into the second rack. Starlight played a patient game to assure victory, winning the series 3-2. Ranked #18 in Survival, Starlight is set to host Leonardo of the Todavía Stills in the third round at this venue.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Taylor Swift. The second of four straight Survival series sees the blue cue return to action as the night session begins. Before the games restarted, the table had to be watered after finding some "unexpected content" on the surface, and I'm a cat owner so take what you will from that. The table will likely run a bit slower with the added water as a friction device. The changes were noticeable, but it didn't affect game quality, as Ice Cream of Commerce dueled with Taylor of Eastside in a brilliantly strategic game, and Ice Cream came out on top as Taylor couldn't do anything with the second rack breakup shot. The Tradewinds' Ice Cream dominated in game 2, controlling the pace of play and pushing the Sharks' Taylor around throughout the single rack to take a 2-0 series lead. Taylor shot back in game 3, but it wasn't because of Ice Cream, who fought very hard. She even made a low-angle cut on the 8 into the bottom right to open the second rack and earn another life, but it didn't last as Taylor cut the series deficit to 2-1. Taylor tied the series in game 4, using excellent shooting to keep Ice Cream on edge, which didn't work at first but became more effective as the available shots reduced in quality and quantity. Game 5 made it to a second rack, but the results did not go well for Ice Cream, as she missed the cut on the 13, and lost the game and the series. Taylor Swift, ranked #96 in Survival, will play in the third round, hosting Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades at Taylor's home venue, the HP Field Events Center in Eastside.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Marsell v. Kavan. The third part of the quadruple-header is from the southwest. Freedom's Kavan won game 1 about a half rack into the game, as Tysini's Marsell lacked accuracy throughout many of his shooting attempts, and the one he did make impressively, a 9-4 combination, resulted in a scratch in the bottom side, giving the Cascades' Kavan a 1-0 lead. The Hummingbirds' Marsell answered, working the same kind of strategy and defense to bury Kavan in game 2, tying the series at 1. Marsell took a 2-1 lead in game 3, another very poorly shot game between the two players who are on the edge of being cut by their respective teams in the offseason. Marsell secured the series at 3-1 with a game 4 win, again needing much less than a full rack to do it as Kavan continued to struggle to make shots anywhere on the table. Marsell has broken effectively, and he has used better shot selection and defense than Kavan, which is why he will advance. Kavan spared the audience a second rack, bowing out in game 5 at the end of the first rack, giving Marsell a 4-1 series win. Marsell, ranked #86, will oppose the winner of the next series in the third round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Valencia. Success breeds rivalry, and these two players are highly successful, as are their teams. They conclude the four-pack of Survival. Boston's Patches showed off her defensive skill as well as her accuracy, using a tenacious combination of craftiness and raw skill to top the equally-talented Valencia of Golden for game 1. Patches of the Swifts did strong work in game 2, using defensive positioning to her advantage after one misstep by the Pilots' Valencia cost her a chance to retain possession in the game. Patches took possession and never looked back, taking a 2-0 lead. Valencia showed a ton of resiliency in game 3, holding onto her final life for about a whole rack, but Patches still topped her in the end despite Valencia's best efforts to hold her off and eventually almost knock her out. Patches clinched the series at 3-0, but the players have played engaging pool throughout it. Patches continued with a big game 4 win, luring Valencia into a false sense of security as both players dropped to one life with Patches shooting first, and then making the final ball of the first rack and using positioning to create an unfavorable situation for Valencia. Valencia took her shot, and nothing fell on the second rack breakup shot, costing her a game she should have won. Valencia did get a game in game 5, as Patches made a small effort to compete but eventually let it go and settled for a 4-1 series win. Ranked #58 in Survival, Patches will host the Tysini Hummingbirds' Marsell at this venue in the third round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Fluffina v. Wings. Now that the four-pack is over, the red cue returns for an encore, playing 10-ball. Pearl's Wings took little time to establish a lead, using a three-ball run with a 3-10 combination to the bottom left as the finishing move for a 1-0 lead over Maplewood's Fluffina. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina tied it in game 2 despite being on the wrong end of two three-ball runs by the Surfers' Wings. Unfortunately for Wings, the latter run couldn't become four balls, leaving the 10 short at the bottom left for Fluffina to tap in. Game 3 took more of a back-and-forth pattern, and it was Wings that caught it at the end after Fluffina chipped the 10 short of the bottom right. Fluffina shot back quickly in game 4, making the 1 in the bottom side to position on a 2-10 combination to the top left, which was converted as the equalizing shot after the 10 grazed the 4 on the way in, tying the series at 2. Fluffina ended up cleaning up in game 5, even as Wings again dominated in possession. With the 3-2 series win, Fluffina advances to the third round on her #19 ranked 10-ball campaign, where she will host Sweetheart of the Boston Swifts in this venue.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Wild Thing. The final series of the night is 7-ball, a good way to end after a long day of hard games. After a rough start to game 1, Queens' Crystal put it together at the end with a four-ball run-out, including a strong kick off the top rail to the bottom left on the 6, setting up a thin cut on the 7 to the top side for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Crystal took a 2-0 lead in game 2, capping off the game she dominated after Swordpoint's Wild Thing couldn't string together enough shots to retain possession late in the game. The Blades' Wild Thing saw his struggles with possession continue, as Crystal again ran rampant over him in earning a 3-0 series lead after finishing off game 3. Game 4 saw just two turns taken, as Crystal ran four balls before scratching on her poor attempt to get at the 4, allowing Wild Thing to win a game by running out the final three balls, making it 3-1 in the series. Crystal answered back, assuring a late three-ball run would not be wasted, and Wild Thing's miss allowed Crystal the perfect opportunity to convert and win the series 4-1. In the third round, the #18 ranked Crystal will host the Everton Eagles captain, Goldy, at this venue. With the loss, Wild Thing became the sixteenth player eliminated this season, and Crystal earned her first kill.
That's all for a busy day, with 75 more in the books. Tomorrow should go about the same, if everything goes to plan, as a lot of the series on tap are the more time-consuming ones.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Paps v. Sydnee. The first series of the day is 9-ball. Pronger's Paps took game 1 in a tightly contested match, as each player exchanged short runs with frequency and did well to keep the cue on the table. The Tridents' Paps made three off the break and added four more for a seven-ball run, including a wicked kick off the bottom rail to score the 1 in the top right. Royal's Sydnee picked up the slack, making the final two balls to tie the series. The Crowns' Sydnee took a 2-1 series lead in game 3, starting with two on the break in a four-ball run and ending with a two-ball run-out for the win in a game where she finally controlled possession. Paps retied the series with another tight win in game 4, as both players had approximately equal possession and the accuracy that was on display earlier was a little less prevalent. Sydnee managed to win game 5, a slightly sloppier game in a generally well-played series, and she took the series 3-2. In the third round, her #51 ranked bid in 9-ball will host Twinkie I of the Lighton Prestige at her home venue, the Kraft Forum in Royal.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Shelley v. Twinkie III. The next series is a Rotation set. Whitewater's Twinkie III managed to hold on in game 1 for an 8-5 win, building a large lead early on only to see Infinity City's Shelley charge back rapidly at the end. Shelley was done in by a rattling shot on the 13 to the top right. In game 2, the Torpedoes' Shelley was lucky to get a shot at all, as the Shores' Twinkie III built up a 7-0 lead early and waited for a scratch by Shelley to win, 8-2, and took a 2-0 lead in the series as well. Shelley got on the board with a very fire-wagon game 3, roaring back from 3-1 down to take a 5-3 lead, only to go down 7-5 after Twinkie III used a four-ball run, and then Shelley finished on a three-ball run-out for an 8-7 victory. Game 4 was similar, as Twinkie III charged out to a large lead, but Shelley rallied back on a three-ball run with spectacular positioning to make it close again. She couldn't tie the game, and Twinkie III finished it there with the 14, winning 8-6 to take a 3-1 series lead. Shelley won a somewhat messy game 5, working her way around both players' myriad mistakes. Twinkie III, ranked #120, won the series 3-2, and she will continue traveling in round three to visit Amber of the Pirates in McDonald's Hall in Atlantic.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Bright. This 9-ball series is a rematch from about three days ago when these two players met for 7-ball in this venue, with Victoria's Chapman taking the win 3-2 in that meeting. The Spurs' Chapman received a gift for game 1, as Tysini's Bright nearly won with a 6-9 combination to the top left, but also scratched to give the game away. Chapman went up 2-0 in a shakier game 2, as the Hummingbirds' Bright left a number of shots short. Chapman sealed the series with a game 3 win, coming after Bright couldn't connect on the 6 and Chapman got ball-in-hand for a 6-9 combination to the top right. Accuracy remained problematic for both players in game 4, making it a much longer game than it was supposed to be, but Bright got on the board with the sloppy win. Bright also won in game 5, making it a 3-2 series win for Chapman. Ranked #28 in 9-bal, Chapman will host Starlight of the Pacific Volcanoes at this venue in the third round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Shiny. Again, we have Rotation, this time on the coast. Victoria's Shiny managed to eke out the 8-5 win in a very messy ending to game 1. Both players struggled to make solid contact, and accuracy issues were glaringly obvious. Oceanside's Snuggle fixed his problems faster, bouncing back with a three-ball run-out for an 8-2 win in game 2, tying the series at 1 with the confident rebound game. The Spurs' Shiny appeared to have game 3 under control late in the game, but a whiff on the 10 sparked the Waves' Snuggle to a five-ball run-out for the 8-7 victory in another sloppy game. Snuggle took a 2-1 series lead with the win. Snuggle regained his momentum after a terrible break in game 4, and once he got going, he was not to be slowed down until taking victory at 8-3, clinching the series at 3-1. In game 5, Snuggle hit the highlight reel with a 3-10-9-4 combination to the top left, a brilliant play to make it 3-0 in the game. Snuggle cruised throughout the game, winning 8-1 for a 4-1 series win. Snuggle, ranked #49 in Rotation, will travel to Eastside to do battle with Taylor Swift of the Sharks in the third round at the HP Field Events Center.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chicky Phil v. Sugar. The next two series are a doubleheader of 15-ball. Westside's Chicky Phil took an abjectly terrible game 1 with a three-ball run-out and the only impressive shot of the game, a bank on the 13 with just enough touch to get it to the bottom right and leave position on the 15. Web City's Sugar answered with a four-ball run-out in game 2, tying the series in the slightly better played game, although shakiness persisted. The Spiders' Sugar went up 2-1 in game 3, mopping up the 15 after the Rockers' Chicky Phil left it short by the top left. The early-series issues appear to be mostly ironed out now, as the shooting was essentially clean and tempers remained calm as opposed to the fiery outbursts earlier. Chicky Phil returned the favor, making a five-ball run by Sugar late in the game meaningless when she missed the 15 and he mopped it up to the top side. The series is tied at 2 after the thrilling game 4 finish. Chicky Phil took game 5, running four balls before the game got defensive again late, and then tapping in the 15 after a narrow miss by Sugar. Chicky Phil, ranked #63, won the series 3-2, and his 15-ball campaign will continue into the third round, where he hosts Bryant of the Maplewood Lumberjacks at this very venue.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Panda v. Ms. Puppy. The second half of the doubleheader comes from the coastal southwest. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy appeared to have the better possession in game 1, but it didn't matter, as Panda of Southern used a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead in a fairly strong game. The Union's Ms. Puppy did well to capitalize on a miss by the Monarchs' Panda in game 2, making sure her mid-game five-ball run was actually worth something. Panda played well early, but lost control later on in the game. Panda shot back, taking a 2-1 series lead in game 3. Panda did have a four-ball run during the very tightly contested game. Panda ran six balls near the start of game 4, including a killer two-rail kick on the 1 and a 2-6-4 and 2-6 combination early in the run, which ended on a scratch. It went for naught, as Ms. Puppy retied the series on a three-ball run-out, keeping this series' pace very high. Ms. Puppy won game 5, for a 3-2 series win, in a game that had more peaks and valleys than a coastal mountain range. At times, the players went on runs, and then found drastic cold spells. Ms. Puppy, ranked #124 for 15-ball, takes her surprising run into the third round, where she will oppose Spirit of the Prestige at Lighton's Pepsi Arena.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: Shiny v. Cowzart. Back inland, there's a series of 10-ball. Victoria's Shiny showed up ready to play in game 1, answering a three-ball run from Freedom's Cowzart with a four-ball run-out to take a 1-0 lead. The Spurs' Shiny cashed in after the Cascades' Cowzart scratched in game 2, using a 5-10 combination along the top rail for a 2-0 lead. Cowzart got on the board in game 3, in which Shiny just did not have the accuracy component necessary to keep pace. Shiny fired back with a much quicker, stronger, and more accurate game 4, taking the series at 3-1 while mostly smothering Cowzart to prevent heavy opposition. Each player had a four-ball run in game 5, as Shiny's was answered by Cowzart's, but Cowzart got the final two to take the game. Shiny still won the series 3-2, and her #80 ranked 10-ball campaign continues on the road in round three, traveling to Amazon Field Exhibition Hall in Golden to battle the Pilots' highly-ranked Dusty. With the win, Shiny survives in the first, legitimate do-or-die series, knocking out the Cascades' Cowzart with her first kill of the season. Cowzart, the fifteenth player to bow out, is likely out the door in Freedom, as the Cascades will likely overhaul their entire organization after a second year of heavy failure.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Whiskers v. Shadow. Survival makes an appearance now in a little appetizer to the show later in the day. The shooting was almost perfect in the first rack of game 1, with Whiskers of Infinity City holding the slight edge on Shadow of Web City, and using that to her advantage in pushing him around during the second rack for a 1-0 series lead. The Torpedoes' Whiskers got tricky in game 2, playing a dangerous rope-a-dope move in going to one life, but she got a double-pot on the 6 and 8 for two bonus lives, and rode those the rest of the way, forcing the Spiders' Shadow into a bad shot at the start of rack two, which he couldn't make, giving Whiskers the 2-0 lead. Shadow pulled off the same move with two lives, grabbing possession and using it effectively to hold onto his lives while inducing five straight misses by Whiskers, making it a 2-1 series. Whiskers made quick work of Shadow in game 4, frustrating him fully by running possession from the midpoint on, forcing his lives away very quickly and going up 3-1 before the first rack ended. With nothing left to play for, Shadow went down quietly in game 5, allowing Whiskers to run rampant all over the game. Whiskers won the series 4-1, and is taking her #11 ranked Survival campaign into the third round.
Chevrolet Center, Everton: Cleo v. Paige. The silver cue will put a lid on the afternoon before a fierce evening ahead, relieving the blue cue for 12-ball here. Cleo of Everton had the edge in game 1, using Paige of Queens' mistake in missing contact on the 9 as the opportunity to finish off her final two balls for the win. Previously, the Flames' Paige had positioned well, but the Eagles' Cleo mucked those shots up frequently. Paige worked her positioning better than Cleo in game 2, and that separated them enough in that particular game for Paige to get the win and tie the series at 1. Paige managed to win game 3, despite what could be politely called an unorthodox break, but more accurately would be called the worst break in UPCL history. With that bad break, it only got better, as Paige was able to again use positioning to get around a stunned Cleo for a 2-1 lead. Cleo shot back, overwhelming Paige early despite the latter's strong break, and then Cleo out-muscled Paige to the bottom right, overcoming Paige's defensive efforts to retie the series. Cleo won the series 3-2 with a game 5 win, getting a strong break and working quickly to keep Paige chasing her, until Paige's own lack of contact did her in, allowing Cleo to take out the final two balls with ease. Cleo, ranked #84 in 12-ball, moves on to the third round, where she will again host a series at this venue, bringing in A. Charlton of the Golden Pilots.
Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific: Starlight v. Sugar. The silver cue is in for red this time, as Pacific's superstar, Starlight, finally gets serious in the final days of the second round, playing Survival this time around. The Volcanoes' Starlight showed off why she is so dangerous, losing a net one life in a very sloppy and inaccurate game 1 of the series, easily topping the unprepared Sugar of Web City. The Spiders' Sugar bounced back, winning game 2 confidently as Starlight had trouble getting lined up early and had no margin for error when she figured her shot out again, allowing Sugar to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Starlight had a magnificent combination shot, going 2-10-15-12-14-3 into the bottom left, but it was for nothing as she also scratched. Starlight did get the lead back in the second rack, and she held on as the race to the bottom started, with Sugar falling just a little fast to allow Starlight a 2-1 series lead. Sugar fired back, as Starlight held pace instead of pulling ahead in game 4, and that backfired on her when the shots got tougher, allowing Sugar to push her around and eventually tie the series after Starlight missed the 10. Starlight did not fall again, dominating in game 5, even as Sugar hung around late into the second rack. Starlight played a patient game to assure victory, winning the series 3-2. Ranked #18 in Survival, Starlight is set to host Leonardo of the Todavía Stills in the third round at this venue.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Taylor Swift. The second of four straight Survival series sees the blue cue return to action as the night session begins. Before the games restarted, the table had to be watered after finding some "unexpected content" on the surface, and I'm a cat owner so take what you will from that. The table will likely run a bit slower with the added water as a friction device. The changes were noticeable, but it didn't affect game quality, as Ice Cream of Commerce dueled with Taylor of Eastside in a brilliantly strategic game, and Ice Cream came out on top as Taylor couldn't do anything with the second rack breakup shot. The Tradewinds' Ice Cream dominated in game 2, controlling the pace of play and pushing the Sharks' Taylor around throughout the single rack to take a 2-0 series lead. Taylor shot back in game 3, but it wasn't because of Ice Cream, who fought very hard. She even made a low-angle cut on the 8 into the bottom right to open the second rack and earn another life, but it didn't last as Taylor cut the series deficit to 2-1. Taylor tied the series in game 4, using excellent shooting to keep Ice Cream on edge, which didn't work at first but became more effective as the available shots reduced in quality and quantity. Game 5 made it to a second rack, but the results did not go well for Ice Cream, as she missed the cut on the 13, and lost the game and the series. Taylor Swift, ranked #96 in Survival, will play in the third round, hosting Dreamy of the Swordpoint Blades at Taylor's home venue, the HP Field Events Center in Eastside.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Marsell v. Kavan. The third part of the quadruple-header is from the southwest. Freedom's Kavan won game 1 about a half rack into the game, as Tysini's Marsell lacked accuracy throughout many of his shooting attempts, and the one he did make impressively, a 9-4 combination, resulted in a scratch in the bottom side, giving the Cascades' Kavan a 1-0 lead. The Hummingbirds' Marsell answered, working the same kind of strategy and defense to bury Kavan in game 2, tying the series at 1. Marsell took a 2-1 lead in game 3, another very poorly shot game between the two players who are on the edge of being cut by their respective teams in the offseason. Marsell secured the series at 3-1 with a game 4 win, again needing much less than a full rack to do it as Kavan continued to struggle to make shots anywhere on the table. Marsell has broken effectively, and he has used better shot selection and defense than Kavan, which is why he will advance. Kavan spared the audience a second rack, bowing out in game 5 at the end of the first rack, giving Marsell a 4-1 series win. Marsell, ranked #86, will oppose the winner of the next series in the third round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Valencia. Success breeds rivalry, and these two players are highly successful, as are their teams. They conclude the four-pack of Survival. Boston's Patches showed off her defensive skill as well as her accuracy, using a tenacious combination of craftiness and raw skill to top the equally-talented Valencia of Golden for game 1. Patches of the Swifts did strong work in game 2, using defensive positioning to her advantage after one misstep by the Pilots' Valencia cost her a chance to retain possession in the game. Patches took possession and never looked back, taking a 2-0 lead. Valencia showed a ton of resiliency in game 3, holding onto her final life for about a whole rack, but Patches still topped her in the end despite Valencia's best efforts to hold her off and eventually almost knock her out. Patches clinched the series at 3-0, but the players have played engaging pool throughout it. Patches continued with a big game 4 win, luring Valencia into a false sense of security as both players dropped to one life with Patches shooting first, and then making the final ball of the first rack and using positioning to create an unfavorable situation for Valencia. Valencia took her shot, and nothing fell on the second rack breakup shot, costing her a game she should have won. Valencia did get a game in game 5, as Patches made a small effort to compete but eventually let it go and settled for a 4-1 series win. Ranked #58 in Survival, Patches will host the Tysini Hummingbirds' Marsell at this venue in the third round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Fluffina v. Wings. Now that the four-pack is over, the red cue returns for an encore, playing 10-ball. Pearl's Wings took little time to establish a lead, using a three-ball run with a 3-10 combination to the bottom left as the finishing move for a 1-0 lead over Maplewood's Fluffina. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina tied it in game 2 despite being on the wrong end of two three-ball runs by the Surfers' Wings. Unfortunately for Wings, the latter run couldn't become four balls, leaving the 10 short at the bottom left for Fluffina to tap in. Game 3 took more of a back-and-forth pattern, and it was Wings that caught it at the end after Fluffina chipped the 10 short of the bottom right. Fluffina shot back quickly in game 4, making the 1 in the bottom side to position on a 2-10 combination to the top left, which was converted as the equalizing shot after the 10 grazed the 4 on the way in, tying the series at 2. Fluffina ended up cleaning up in game 5, even as Wings again dominated in possession. With the 3-2 series win, Fluffina advances to the third round on her #19 ranked 10-ball campaign, where she will host Sweetheart of the Boston Swifts in this venue.
Ebay Center, Queens: Crystal v. Wild Thing. The final series of the night is 7-ball, a good way to end after a long day of hard games. After a rough start to game 1, Queens' Crystal put it together at the end with a four-ball run-out, including a strong kick off the top rail to the bottom left on the 6, setting up a thin cut on the 7 to the top side for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Crystal took a 2-0 lead in game 2, capping off the game she dominated after Swordpoint's Wild Thing couldn't string together enough shots to retain possession late in the game. The Blades' Wild Thing saw his struggles with possession continue, as Crystal again ran rampant over him in earning a 3-0 series lead after finishing off game 3. Game 4 saw just two turns taken, as Crystal ran four balls before scratching on her poor attempt to get at the 4, allowing Wild Thing to win a game by running out the final three balls, making it 3-1 in the series. Crystal answered back, assuring a late three-ball run would not be wasted, and Wild Thing's miss allowed Crystal the perfect opportunity to convert and win the series 4-1. In the third round, the #18 ranked Crystal will host the Everton Eagles captain, Goldy, at this venue. With the loss, Wild Thing became the sixteenth player eliminated this season, and Crystal earned her first kill.
That's all for a busy day, with 75 more in the books. Tomorrow should go about the same, if everything goes to plan, as a lot of the series on tap are the more time-consuming ones.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)