UPCL Cricket - Week 33 Part 3

We've got the last segment of this week of cricket ready to go. As mentioned at the end of the City Cup, the remainder of the cricket season will be moving into pool's afternoon slot for awhile, and the evening and night slots will be available for administrative tasks and relaxing in between seasons. We begin this session with...

McDonald's Pitch at Pirates Park, Atlantic: The Pirates wrap up a three-game home stand against a Defenders team making a one-off road trip to the east. Bianca had a false start initially for Southridge, but did great on the replay, smacking 944 to give her side a good opening turn. Delila countered with a strong 520 for Atlantic, giving them a respectable start despite the deficit. Debby doubled the offense for the Defenders, adding another 944 to their score with her excellent performance. Isabella kept the high-scoring theme, but the Pirates lost ground despite her 686 at the midway mark. Stephanie faltered on only 78 for Southridge, weakening their lead quite a bit with her poor turn. Americus just about halved the deficit with her 367 for Atlantic, but they've got a ways to go and not much time to get there. Hughbert made an embarrassment of himself with 28 for the Defenders, leaving them at 1994 total. Klaus pulled up with 501 for the Pirates, covering the deficit to give them a win on 2074 total. Atlantic's comeback win gets them to 37-30, while Southridge slumps to 25-42 with the loss.

UPS Ground, Maplewood: The Lumberjacks have been soft at home, giving the Specters a great chance for their first division win in their last game against a Northeastern opponent. Sydney settled for a solid 337 for Harrison at the start after her turn ended early on a deflection. Fluffina took an aggressive stance for her turn, but ended quickly with a mishit ball cutting her down at 48 for Maplewood. Twinkie II fired back with 384 for the Specters, adding a bit more to their lead to keep them in control. Diddley countered with 711 for the Lumberjacks, the veteran doing enough to put his team ahead. Lexi struggled a bit with distractions on her turn, ending at 279 for Harrison to reclaim a small lead. Bryant shot back with more strength for Maplewood, batting 408 to boost their lead a bit late in the game. Sugar made a huge impact with 975 for the Specters, giving them a lofty final of 1975. Waluigi hit a paltry 128 for the Lumberjacks, leaving them at 1295 in yet another loss. Harrison gets the division win to go to 28-38 on a five-game road winning streak, while Maplewood is 20-45.

Ebay Center, Queens: The Flames wrap up a four-game home stand with a challenge from the Torpedoes, who are just ahead of them in the standings currently. Smudge put up a reasonable 328 for Infinity to lead off the game, although she wanted more than what she got. Her good friend Crystal replied with a much stronger 784 for Queens to give the hosts the initial lead with a good appearance. Solaris put in a good response for the Torpedoes with 398, but he couldn't quite cover the deficit on his turn. Paige showed some of her recent inconsistency with 78 for the Flames, dramatically weakening their lead. Whiskers covered the deficit lightly with 320 for Infinity, leaving them in a vulnerable position. Violetta stumbled again with 53 for Queens, leaving them behind with a player each to go. Mr. Snowman made a mess of his opportunity with 132 for the Torpedoes, giving them a weak 1178 overall. Max did quite well to attack with 601 for the Flames, lifting them to a win with 1516 total. Queens is up to 35-30 while pushing Infinity back down to 36-30 to tighten the position battle.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders break out their Greek thirds in their home finale, hosting the Monarchs, who play the second of a three-game road trip. Panda took a massive knock with 0 points on the opening turn after a backhand flick and a high hit combined to end his turn early for Southern. Bianca put the essentially free turn to good use, running up the lead with 439 for Southridge at the start. Hoppy couldn't meet the deficit with 320 for the Monarchs, as they remain behind. Debby countered with a big effort for the Defenders, slapping 762 to extend their lead at the halfway point. Pounce tried to mount a comeback for Southern with 543 on his turn, but they deficit remains quite large. Stephanie chose to accept 137 for Southridge instead of taking a replay, weakening their lead heading into the final players' turns. Shannon rallied with 532 for the Monarchs, putting them at 1395 overall to force a response from the hosts. Hughbert had 317 for the Defenders at the end, sealing their win at 1655. Southridge closes their home schedule at 26-42 overall and 15-20 at home, while Southern dips to 27-36.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Urban Division title is on the line here, but neither team is likely to make the playoffs regardless of the result in this game. Tigerette got Commerce's five-game road trip finale off to a bad start with only 69 on the opening turn. Peach levied a heavy attack for North Modernistic at the start, corralling 692 to put the hosts well ahead initially. Ice Cream couldn't give the Tradewinds a boost either, with a pathetic 33 digging them deeper. Luigi wasted the chance to give the lead a meaningful extension, instead hitting 64 for the Nighthawks in this low-scoring battle. Lionel tried his best to get Commerce on track, but his 348 only cut the deficit in half. Cheddar was frustrated by a cluttered pitch for North Modernistic, taking just 182 as their lead holds steady for now. Lorde pushed forward with 316 for the Tradewinds, but they took the loss with 766 total. Bright iced the Nighthawks win with 475 on his turn, producing the final score of 1413. North Modernistic gets up to 31-37, and 6-4 in the division, while Commerce is 31-36 and 5-5 in the division.

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows have their home finale to cap a four-game stay, while the Crowns begin a doubleheader by putting good road form on the line. Nightfur made a great impact with 743 for Royal, putting them in a comfortable starting position in this game. Sally started slowly for Archtown with just 180, giving them a deep deficit early on. Jake replied with 409 for the Crowns in a strong performance to extend their lead with a sturdy second attack. Sleepy B. countered with 822 for the Arrows on her turn, cutting deeply into the deficit halfway through the game. Kayla couldn't keep her swing under control with 174 for Royal, weakening their lead this time. Ruby went deep for Archtown with 764, pulling them farther ahead with a player each to go in the game. Hannah couldn't get the Crowns back on top with 201 on her turn, leaving them to take the loss at 1527 overall. Dusky capped the big win for the Arrows with 737 individually, putting them at 2503 for their winning total. Archtown went 16-19 at home to get to 33-36, not yet officially eliminated, while Royal is 22-42 on the year now.

Kraft Crowns Park, Royal: The Crowns are now at home for a game, facing their Southeast Division, Castle Derby, and Navy Blue Derby rivals, the Defenders, who begin their last pair of road games. Bianca started with a good pace, but fell off rather quickly, scraping her way to 359 for Southridge. Nightfur dealt a crushing attack for Royal, blasting 1101 to give them a massive lead early in the game. Debby countered with 443 for the Defenders, but they remain behind at this point in the game. Jake got stuck going to his backhand, and his second hit sent the ball out of play, ending his turn at just 111 for the Crowns. Stephanie took full advantage of the misstep, crashing her way to 523 to pull Southridge ahead on her turn. Kayla replied with 502 for Royal, restoring their lead to a healthy level with a player each to go. Hughbert managed 231 for the Defenders, leaving them short at 1556 in the loss. Hannah's turn ended early on a deflection for the Crowns, her 50 points icing their win at 1764. Royal's win puts them at 23-42 and 3-7 in the division, while Southridge is 26-43 and 4-6 against the Southeast.

Subway Field, Stonebridge: The Wolves wrap up their most recent pair of home games here, while the Spurs play their second in a five-game road trip. Spice put in a decent first turn for Victoria, batting 384 to get them going with a solid performance in attack. Juno broke out of her recent home slump quite well with 538 for Stonebridge, doing enough to give them the lead early on. A deflected swing prevented Yekaterina from recovering the lead for the Spurs, her early exit sealed at 51 points. Frosty lacked her usual danger in this turn for the Wolves, a deflection cutting her down at only 98. B. Chapman picked up the pace in attack for Victoria, slashing 512 to put them ahead again. Cobalt allowed the lead to shift away from Stonebridge after a poor turn of only 117, giving them a slight deficit with a player each to go. Wario struggled his way to 308 for the Spurs, bringing their final score to 1255 in a low-scoring battle. Prism tried to rally with 416 for the Wolves, but an accidental backhand ended her turn and the team was short with 1169 in a loss. Victoria's win takes them to 30-33, a dark horse candidate for the playoffs, while Stonebridge is now 26-39.

Apple Park, Todavía: The Stills try to right the ship at home after a recent loss, while the Union begin a doubleheader in the third of a trying five-game road trip. Ms. Puppy couldn't bring down a high-arcing and fast ball, ending at 228 on the opening turn for Modernistic, a rough start. Easter demolished the ball on her turn for Todavía, belting 1586 to give the hosts a gargantuan lead. Daisy picked up only 120 for the Union, doing virtually nothing to address the massive deficit. Sierra provided a solid second attack of 404 for the Stills, doing well to add to their lead at the midway mark. Modernistic continued to show a lack of offense, as Puff I contributed 297 to their poor scoring on her turn. Sparkles actually lost a bit of ground for Todavía, stumbling to 200 points on a rather weak turn. Strawberry did her part to make the Union a bit more respectable, cranking out 818 to bring their losing final score to 1463. Bells managed just 64 for the Stills, giving them 2254 in the big win. Todavía rises to 38-30, clinching a playoff spot, while Modernistic is 35-31 after the loss.

Chevrolet Field, Everton: One of the most pivotal matches of the year sees the Eagles try to kick the Union while they're down to claw back into the playoff picture. Ms. Puppy had another poor outing for Modernistic with 248, unable to break this string of mediocrity on the road. Goldy just fell short of matching that mark, taking 240 for Everton as inconsistency reigns for her late in the season. Daisy gave a much stronger effort for the Union, crisply swinging her way to 593 for a better second lead. Puff III plucked 433 for the Eagles, keeping them within striking distance but behind at the halfway mark. Puff I replied with 400 for Modernistic on her turn, protecting their lead quite well in a still-close game. Kirstin finally cratered the Everton offense, unable to keep up with her 186 as they fall far behind late in the game. Strawberry failed to put the game out of reach with only 160 for the Union, leaving them at 1401 overall. Blizzard used the home field advantage to full effect, hammering 665 to give the Eagles the win at 1524. Everton survives at 34-33, while dumping Modernistic to 35-32, just a game away with three to go for each team.

Mercedes-Benz Field, Harrison: Two teams definitely out of the playoff hunt collide as the Specters return home to host the Monarchs in the finale of their three-game road trip. Panda returned to acceptable production after last game's swoon, tallying 424 for Southern to lead off this game. Sydney just edged Harrison ahead on her turn, collecting 472 to give the hosts a small advantage. Hoppy kept the offense consistent for the Monarchs with 441, pulling them ahead once again. Twinkie II slipped up a bit with 367 for the Specters, creating a small deficit at the midway point. Pounce made a huge breakthrough for Southern on his turn, essentially doubling their offense with his 856. Lexi did great work for Harrison to keep them within striking distance late in the game, clobbering 769 on the counterattack. Shannon made a comeback unlikely with her 816, bringing the Monarchs to a final score of 2537. Sugar faded with 260 for the Specters, leaving them at a loss with 1868 overall. Southern's persistent effort gets them to 28-36, while Harrison sinks to 28-39 with the loss.

AT&T Oceanside Stadium, Oceanside: The Waves begin their last home stand, the first of three games played against a Pirates team making its last road appearance of the regular season. Delila tried to establish an aggressive swing, but she hooked a ball out of play to score only 130 for Atlantic. Snuggle tripled that on his own with a more composed turn, hitting 395 to give Oceanside the early lead. Isabella had a bit of a chaotic turn for the Pirates, with a technical error wiping out the first effort before she scattered 433 on the second try. Caitlin couldn't maintain control of the lead for the Waves, her meager 133 putting them behind at the halfway mark. Americus made a fairly modest addition to the Atlantic lead with her 345 against a former team of hers. Celestia fired back with 418 for Oceanside, putting them narrowly ahead with a player each to go. Klaus spiked 419 at the end for the Pirates, giving them 1327 total in a close game. Dewey pulled the Waves to a win with his 521, giving them 1467 as their final score. Oceanside is back in a tie in 17th at 34-33, while Atlantic dips to 37-31 overall and 22-13 on the road at the end.

That's all for now. If everything goes to plan, the cricket regular season will end a week from tomorrow, and the playoffs will begin by the end of next week. Keep an eye out on Twitter for the new standings and Players of the Week.

2017 City Cup - Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Finals

We've got fewer games today than yesterday, but by the end, a City Cup champion will be crowned. We begin with the quarterfinals, the first being...

Intel Center: Capital City Sharpshooters v. Atlantic Pirates. Missy looked comfortable at the start of 7-ball for Capital City, making a pair on the break, but her shot on the 1 failed her. Atlantic's Klaus picked up the offense with a five-ball run-out on his first and only turn, giving his team a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Americus dominated in 8-ball from start to finish, as the Sharpshooters' Missy gave up collateral damage before making a shot for herself, and she couldn't pull back into the game. Americus also had one turn of collateral damage, but her choppy runs did enough to put the Pirates ahead 2-0 in the series. Capital City's Sprinkles had a great start in 9-ball, but it appeared that it might not be enough when Atlantic's Klaus rallied back with a four-ball run. Klaus was stalled on the 6, and Sprinkles got the win a turn later, making the last two balls to cut the series to 2-1. Sprinkles and Klaus battled again in 10-ball, a game in which the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles twice illegally potted the 10. Klaus took over in possession both times for the Pirates, but he couldn't complete a run at the end of the game, leaving Sprinkles to pot the 10 a third time, this one legal to tie the series at 2 with her win. Missy and Americus returned for their teams in 12-ball, and neither player looked to have a grip on the game after Missy's rough break. Americus had the first burst of offense, but it wouldn't hold up, as Missy did well late in the game with positioning, setting up a nice bank on the 13 for her final shot at the top side to get the win and a 3-2 series lead for Capital City over Atlantic. The Sharpshooters' saw Nicole struggle at the start of Rotation against a patient attack from the Pirates' Isabella, who worked her way to a lead, only to see Nicole chip away at it. When Nicole got closer, she stalled, then burst with a four-ball run for the lead, and Isabella's counterattack came up short. Nicole won 8-6, putting her side ahead 4-2 in the series. Sprinkles put a lot of offense in for 15-ball for Capital City, including a late four-ball run, but Atlantic's Isabella held her up just enough to make the last two shots for the win. Isabella's critical intervention against Sprinkles cut the series back to 4-3, setting up an entertaining finish. Nicole and Isbaella combined for another big battle in Accuracy, with the Pirates' Isabella falling behind early on. Nicole slipped up a couple of times with a stick foul and a scratch for the Sharpshooters, but she drilled the 13 to the bottom right to secure the 2-3 win and 5-3 series win. Capital City is the first team through to the semifinals.

The Intel Pitch: Pronger Tridents v. Boston Swifts. A young team, with some local support in their rivals' building, takes on a veteran team capable of championships. Pronger's Spot had a decent effort in 7-ball, but he probably should have lost to Boston's Sweetheart, who had two pairs of shots and a near-miss on the 7. Spot tapped this in at the bottom left for the win and a 1-0 series lead. Potter had a good start with a three-ball run in 8-ball for the Tridents. He didn't count on the Swifts' Gradley replying with a three-ball run as well, and then Potter had a double-whammy of gifting Gradley a ball and scratching. Gradley would later make a three-ball run-out to win the game, tying the series at 1. Pronger saw Zach debut pretty well in 9-ball, making a four-ball run at one point against Boston's Sweetheart. The game evened out toward the end, and Sweetheart wound up pretty lucky when she missed the 9 at the top left, but it went off two rails and into the bottom side to give her the win and Boston a 2-1 series lead. The two met again in 10-ball, and this time, it was the Tridents' Zach creating a bit of luck after a slow start. The Swifts' Sweetheart had just hit the 1 into a loose cluster, and Zach came up with the 1-8-10 combination, deflecting the 10 off the 6 to the bottom right for the win to tie the series at 2 with the amazing shot. Boston's Gradley made a nice impact in 12-ball, striking all of the bottom pockets first. This put Pronger's Zach on alert, and he played defense at what would be Gradley's last pocket, the top right. Gradley ignored the defense, giving away the wild-card ball before winning on the next turn to restore his team's series lead at 3-2. Spot got the best of his first meeting with Patches, as the Tridents rookie took the early lead against the veteran. The Swifts' Patches pulled back into the game initially, but Spot locked things down from there, winning 8-2 to retie the series at 3. Patches gave Boston the inside edge with her 15-ball performance, rebounding from the loss to Pronger's Spot the game before. Spot broke the offense open in this game with a three-ball run, but Patches soon answered on an eight-ball run-out for the win, pulling her team ahead 4-3. The Tridents' Potter held the early lead in Accuracy against the Swifts' Gradley, only to see that lead disappear in the middle of the game, and then re-emerge as Gradley missed twice late in the game. Potter won 2-4, tying the series at 4 and sending himself into a tiebreak against Patches, playing left-handed 8-ball. Patches had the game on her stick for Boston at the end of the tiebreaker, and she made the 8 from distance, but scratched on the shot, gifting the win and the series to Pronger and Potter after a competitive battle. The Tridents advance to face the Sharpshooters in the semifinals with a 5-4 series win.

Intel Center: Freedom Cascades v. Southridge Defenders. The third quarterfinal is set to go between these teams. Freedom's Nikolai seemed to be toying with Southridge's Bianca in 7-ball, and it took Bianca scratching for Nikolai to get serious. He won with a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, giving his side a 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Roxy picked up where her teammate left off, playing quite well in her 8-ball appearance. The Defenders' Stephanie, frequently lost for a shot in the game, played a bit recklessly, making Roxy's life easier as she picked off clean shots from Stephanie's poor defense before wrapping up the game with a pair of cuts to make it 2-0 Cascades. Nikolai and Bianca returned for 9-ball, with each player making a pair of shots relatively early in the game before a bit of a slow offense. Freedom's Nikolai would break it up, as Southridge's Bianca left the 5 and 9 too close together, and Nikolai deflected the cue off the 5 to take the 9 at the bottom right, advancing the series lead to 3-0. The Cascades' Jasmine didn't have the best break in 10-ball, leading the Defenders' Hughbert to a three-ball run, which Jasmine quickly answered with a three-ball run herself. Jasmine's run ended in a foul, and Hughbert took over to make a four-ball run-out, getting his team on the board in the 3-1 series. Roxy had the first burst of offense in 12-ball for Freedom, and her positioning was strong enough to draw a wild-card ball when Southridge's Stephanie tried to keep up. Stephanie played better after this, showing up quite dangerous on her third turn after the play, but she missed the 15 to the top side, and Roxy made her last ball at the top left just in time, winning to give her team a 4-1 series lead. Jasmine had one of the worst breaks of the year in Rotation, but she made the best of it, emerging from the early stages with a lead. Hughbert challenged her for much of the game, but the Defenders rookie ultimately fell 8-6 to the Cascades captain, who secured the series at 5-1 for her team. Jasmine kept up her performance in 15-ball for Freedom, taking on Southridge's Bianca this time. The first half of the game was a bit slow for both sides, but Jasmine erupted at the finish with a six-ball run-out for the win and a 6-1 series lead. Stephanie made a good effort for posterity for the Defenders in Accuracy, missing just one shot late in the game against a more relaxed effort from the Cascades' Roxy. The final score was 1-4, but the Cascades won the series 6-2 to advance to the semifinals.

The Intel Pitch: Central Warriors v. Pacific Volcanoes. The last quarterfinal is set to go between these longtime rivals. Central's Twilight had an impressive run in 7-ball after a slow start, taking four in a row before ceding possession to Pacific's Ms. Kitty, who cleaned up with the last two shots for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Volcanoes' Chicky Phil made the first impact with a three-ball run early in 8-ball, but he wasn't prepared for a pair of four-ball runs by the Warriors' Mario. The first included a bit of collateral damage, but the second was a pure run to finish the game, tying the series at 1 with the big win. Central's Dustin had a dominant game of 9-ball, beginning with a four-ball run from the break and adding a late three-ball run. Pacific's Leonette had a chance to steal the win, but her long shot on the 9 went wide, and Dustin tapped in his second try for the win and a 2-1 series lead for his team. The Warriors' Twilight played a similar style in 10-ball against the Volcanoes' Leonette, working a four-ball run to establish herself as the dominant shooter. Twilight got a bit greedy going for the 8-10 combination to the bottom right, and she missed, with Leonette tapping the same shot in to get the win, retying the series at 2. Central's Mario and Pacific's Ms. Kitty engaged in a brilliant 12-ball battle, neither player getting a big run, but using brilliant defense. Both players needed the left pockets by the end, and they had deadlocked each other. Here, Mario got the better of Ms. Kitty, who had to make contact to keep herself going, and while she had a strategic scratch, the plan failed when Mario kicked his last ball in for the win. Central leads 3-2 after the close game. The Warriors' Dustin scratched on the break in Rotation, allowing the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil to make a couple of early shots. On his next turn, Chicky Phil turned juggernaut, stretching a six-ball run-out to get the 8-0 shutout win to retie the series at 3 in a stunning reversal of momentum. Dustin did well for Central in a redemptive 15-ball effort. He had a tough break, leading to short shots in clusters, but he held off Pacific's Ms. Kitty with his late play, including a three-ball run and making the 15 after she missed it on a cut. Dustin put Central ahead 4-3 heading into the last regulation game. Accuracy put both teams on edge, as Twilight slipped behind late in the game, but managed to force overtime against Chicky Phil. They both missed their first shots, but Chicky Phil's second miss was answered by Twilight, who won 6-7 to take the series 5-3 for the Warriors. Central's close win takes them to the semifinals against the Freedom Cascades.

Intel Center: Pronger Tridents v. Capital City Sharpshooters. The semifinals and finals will be indoors, beginning with this first semifinal series. Pronger's Spot made the first two shots in 7-ball, but he couldn't get a second chance when he missed on the 2, and Capital City's Missy burst ahead with a five-ball run-out, putting her side up 1-0 in the series. The Tridents' Potter played better for his team in 8-ball this time, making a five-ball run early in the game. The Sharpshooters got a four-ball run from Missy on the counterattack, but she stalled out, and Potter chipped his way to the win to tie the series at 1. Pronger's Zach picked up a big run near the start of the 9-ball game, making five in a row before things slowed down. Capital City's Sprinkles tried to make a counterattack, but it fell short, and Zach made the last two balls after Sprinkles scratched. Pronger leads the series now at 2-1. Zach attacked 10-ball in a much different way, allowing the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles to get a few shots in early. Sprinkles would have been on a finishing run had she made the 6 in the bottom left, but her miss allowed the Tridents' Zach to charge forward with a four-ball run-out for the win, putting his side up 3-1. Capital City's Missy put a dent in that series lead with a great game of 12-ball. She had an early three-ball run to put Pronger's Zach on alert, and he then gave up a wild-card ball on illegal contact. From ball-in-hand, Missy made the 4 to the bottom side, then banked the 7 to the top side to win, cutting the series to 3-2. The Tridents' Spot made up for his early loss with a great performance this time. The Sharpshooters' Nicole had built an early lead in the game, but Spot stayed close and tied the game before igniting with a four-ball run-out for the 8-4 win. He ended on a deflected shot off the 12 to pot the 15 to the bottom right, and his team now leads 4-2 in the series. Spot pushed hard in his 15-ball appearance, but the Pronger rookie couldn't get much beyond a three-ball run. This was in response to an earlier three-ball run from Capital City's Sprinkles, and she soon won, making the last two shots. Sprinkles' last shot was an 11-15 combination to the top side to keep her team alive in the now 4-3 series. Potter put everything on the line for the Tridents in Accuracy, going well into the game without a miss. The Sharpshooters' Nicole did get Potter to miss once, but her second miss at the top side doomed her in the 1-2 final, as Potter clinched the series at 5-3 for the Tridents. Pronger awaits the next series winner for the City Cup Final.

Intel Center: Freedom Cascades v. Central Warriors. The other semifinal features the best team against the team with the player with the highest winning percentage. Freedom's Nikolai had a slow start in 7-ball, but Central's Twilight didn't tear down the door either, and it would be Nikolai bursting forward with a four-ball run-out for the win and a 1-0 series lead. The Warriors' Mario controlled the middle of the 8-ball game, using short runs to do so, but the Cascades' Roxy followed up her strong start with a five-ball run-out at the end for the win, making up for her collateral damage shot earlier in the game by putting the Cascades ahead 2-0 in the series. Central had a great start in 9-ball with a four-ball run from Dustin that looked like it could have gone deeper. His offense stalled out at this point, and Freedom's Nikolai picked up the slack with a big three-ball run-out to get the win for a 3-0 series lead. The Cascades' Jasmine couldn't get a big run going in 10-ball, but she held up the Warriors' Twilight with smart defensive shooting and chipped away at the rack with pairs of shots, including the last two balls to give her the win. The Cascades have a stranglehold 4-0 series lead now. Mario gave Central a glimmer of hope with his 12-ball, even giving up a wild-card ball that sparked a three-ball run from Freedom's Roxy. Mario settled down after his mistake, and got himself in good positions to finish the game, making his two balls over two turns while Roxy struggled with positioning to grab the win and make it a 4-1 series. The Cascades' Jasmine tried to keep her play positive in Rotation, but the Warriors' Dustin made things quite difficult for her in the clear shots department. Dustin did fall behind in the middle of the game, but used a three-ball run to get ahead before winning with the 13 on the next turn for an 8-5 victory. The series is at 4-2 now, but the Warriors are on the rise. Jasmine and Dustin battled hard again in 15-ball, with the Cascades captain striking a four-ball run at one point, only to see Dustin answer with a shorter run. At the end, Jasmine missed the 15 twice, and Dustin made it on his second try, pulling Central closer in the 4-3 series. The Warriors' Twilight faltered first in Accuracy, but did well enough near the end of the game to force Freedom's Roxy into another miss to tie the game. Twilight then missed her chance to force overtime, and Roxy won 2-3 with a tap-in, clinching the series at 5-3 for the Cascades. The thriller finish sees the Cascades head on to the City Cup Final.

Intel Center: Freedom Cascades v. Pronger Tridents. The City Cup Final series is set between Eastern Hills rivals, not to mention the two biggest rivals of the host city Diamond. Freedom's Nikolai blasted in two balls on the break in 7-ball, but it took until the end, when he made the 6 and 7 for the win to get his offense going. Pronger's Spot had little impact on the game as Freedom takes another 1-0 series lead. The Cascades' Roxy seemed to have a bit of scattered offense syndrome in 8-ball, unable to find a run despite plenty of options to start one. The Tridents' Potter kept his shooting steady and simple, chipping his way to the win to tie the series at 1. Pronger's Zach couldn't strike the right balance for his intensity on his shots, scratching twice due to heavy shots but missing the 9 because of a light kick. Freedom's Nikolai found much more success in the game, carrying a bulk of the offense for the win and a 2-1 series lead. The 10-ball went much faster than expected, with the Tridents' Zach belting a five-ball run only to miss narrowly on the 6 on a bank attempt, and the Cascades' Jasmine fired back to win with a four-ball run-out, putting her side up 3-1 at the halfway mark. Roxy had a quick three-ball run for Freedom in 12-ball, immediately putting Zach on edge. Pronger's Zach responded with a late three-ball run, but he needed twice as many as that, and Roxy tapped in her last ball to get the win for a 4-1 series lead that has her team a win away from the double trophy glory. The Cascades' Jasmine had another rough break in Rotation, a sore spot for her in this playoff season, and she paid for it this time. The Tridents' Spot went on a nutty run of play to build up his lead, and while Jasmine made a good attempt to mitigate the damage, her late scratch allowed Spot to make the last two shots for an 8-3 win to cut the series back to 4-2. Pronger's Spot again got the better of Freedom's Jasmine in 15-ball, as another bad break denied the top seed from the title once again. Jasmine's poor break was Spot's greatest strength, and he turned in a six-ball run and a five-ball run-out on consecutive turns to make it a 4-3 series with his amazing win. Roxy and Potter engaged in an epic game of Accuracy. Potter bent first, but Roxy soon followed with a miss of her own. Near the end, Potter missed again, and lost 1-2 when Roxy made the 10 to the bottom right, clinching the City Cup at 5-3.

That's it. At least for awhile with pool, there's no tomorrow. Next week, evenings will be spent on getting administrative tasks done, while cricket will move into the currently vacant afternoon time slot for the remainder of the season. When the cricket season is fully finished, there will be a bit more administrative work before the draft, including a two-day trading window. After the draft, the work of getting continuity within the documents, final set-up work, and jersey editing will be done, and then the league will shift to a Heart of the Game Tournament and some time off before preseason cricket for next year. All in all, the hardest year the league has seen is almost done, and we're stronger for it, but a break is on the way and changes are coming. Keep posted for the rest of the cricket season, and pool will be back before you know it.

UPCL Cricket - Week 33 Part 2

We're back with the middle segment of this week's games, and we're leading off with a big one here, as...

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: Both teams are ending their Urban Division play in this meeting, which will have a big effect on playoff positioning. Bear didn't look his most comfortable for Whitewater, but he produced well with 560 to start them off in good shape. Ms. Puppy couldn't quite get it all back for Modernistic, playing well at first but ending when a ball got behind her to end her turn at 481. Twinkie III had a bit of a down turn personally, grabbing 288 for the Shores to lightly pad their lead. Daisy did just enough with 375 for the Union to cover the deficit at the halfway point of the game. Marsell had to clear a cluster for Whitewater, his long swing catching him out of position as a ball flew over his bat to hit his wicket, downing him at 380. Puff I went a bit light with 287 for Modernistic, putting them behind again with a player each to go. Shaggy stepped up at the right time with 506 for the Shores, helping them finish with 1734 overall. Strawberry surged out of nowhere with 742 to give the Union 1885 in their comeback win. Modernistic is up to 33-29, while Whitewater is 36-23 after the loss, but with a massive schedule remaining.

Henry Ford Memorial Stadium, Pronger: The Tridents are back home for a quick game, facing a Specters team beginning a pair of road games. Sydney hit well leading off for Harrison this time, although her last swing was too slow and she ended at 604 for the turn. Precious only got 353 back for Pronger on the counterattack, just losing control too early for her liking. Twinkie II couldn't place her swing well enough for the Specters, crashing out at a poor 32 on this turn. Zach covered the deficit with a modest 331 for the Tridents, the game becoming quite close at the midway mark. Lexi fired back with a solid 408 for Harrison, restoring a smaller lead for the visitors with her solid performance. Spot got wiped out by an unlucky pair of deflections, halting his turn at just 202 for Pronger, who trail late in the game. Sugar didn't pull away as much as she wanted to for the Specters, taking a mild 271 to put their final score at 1315. Potter needed more pace than he got for the Tridents, ending on 378 to put them at a loss with 1264 in the end. Harrison's upset carries them up to 27-38, while Pronger is down to 34-29 with the loss.

Google Pitch at Union Ground, Modernistic: The Union finish a quick pair of home games in a huge bubble battle, while the Surfers begin their final pair of road games this season. Watermelon had the right idea but poor execution for Pearl on her turn, hitting 306 in an acceptable start. Ms. Puppy didn't have much for pace either, but she lasted all the way to 595 for Modernistic to earn the early lead. Neopolitan shot back with 679 for the Surfers on a great turn, putting them ahead for now. Daisy upped the stakes quite a bit for the Union, crushing 1049 in a wonderful turn to give them a huge lead. Boots countered with a crisp 568 for Pearl, unable to reach the deficit on her strong turn, which puts the visitors in danger. Puff I didn't quite break out for Modernistic, but she added 352 to stabilize their lead a bit late in the game. Wings put in a good challenge with 392 for the Surfers, but they came up short at 1945, taking a critical loss. Strawberry didn't go too far, just icing the Union win with 249 to give them 2245 overall. Modernistic rises to 34-29 now, while Pearl sinks to 35-31, two games ahead of 17th with four games to go.

Toyota Pitch, Freedom: The Rockers are making a one-off trip to the east for this game, while the Cascades get their last home game before their season finale. Misty got off to a decent start for Westside, going at a solid pace to put up 408 on the initial turn. Jasmine had quite the rough start for Freedom in this appearance, only able to accumulate 128 to start her team off. Goatee had an awful appearance for the Rockers, taking a pathetic 24 on the second attack to weaken their lead. Stinky wasted the opportunity to help the Cascades catch up, producing a paltry 96 instead in this low-scoring game. Midnight wanted a replay for excessive distractions, but it was not granted, and she accepted 353 for Westside. Roxy kept Freedom's offense embarrassingly low with her 112, likely erasing any chance of a comeback. Slinks managed only 194 with an awful pace, leaving the Rockers at 979 total. Nikolai went on a rally with 615 for the Cascades, but they still took the loss at 951 overall in a bad game for both teams. Westside is lucky to rise to 43-21, while Freedom dips to 23-41.

Amazon Field, Golden: The Pilots begin their final pair of home games, while the Tridents start a three-game road trip against playoff teams in a pivotal stretch of the season. Precious was not the one to bring the offense back, as she picked up a weak 192 to lead things off for Pronger. Valencia broke the dam on scoring for Golden, slugging 1047 to put them far ahead initially in this game. Zach provided a solid 408 for the Tridents on their second turn, cutting into the deficit a little bit as well. Dusty got most of it back with 361 for the Pilots, keeping their lead strong halfway through the game. Spot made a bit more progress on his turn for Pronger, slicing 487 as he pulls the visitors closer. Strut cancelled out that effort for Golden as well, swatting 495 to once again steady their lead late in the game. Potter fell far short with 84 for the Tridents, leaving them at a brutal loss with 1171. A. Charlton emphatically closed the game for the Pilots with her 534, bringing their winning total to 2437. Golden's big win puts them up at 44-23, while Pronger is 34-30 with the loss in this appearance.

Home Depot Forum, Web City: The Spiders wrap up a pair of home games, while the Predators close a four-game road trip in this game. Shawn cranked out 858 for Midland on the opening turn, an excellent performance to stake out their early lead. Shadow didn't let him get too far away, showing his strong offense once again by churning out 697 for Web City to keep it close. Rainmane added some solid padding for the Predators with her 423, keeping their lead intact for now. Ted successfully used his backhand under pressure early for the Spiders, but his next swing failed and he ended at 16 points only. Leonardo pummeled another 784 for Midland on his turn, adding nicely to their large lead. Shiny actually gained ground for Web City after a remarkable turn, smashing 1028 to bring them a little closer with a player each to go. Fuchsia set the bar pretty high with another 722 for the Predators, giving them a final of 2787. Dani dribbled just 16 for the Spiders at the end, leaving them with 1757 in the loss. Midland rises to 40-25, while dumping Web City down to 30-33 with the loss.

BMW RockDome, Westside: The Rockers open up their last four-game home stand of the year, while the Sharks are the first team to have any sort of finale, this derby being their last road game. Chelsea served up a massive 862 for Eastside in this appearance, giving them a huge foundation. Misty kept her pace high but fell out of rhythm and stalled at 414 for Westside, putting them behind at the start. Taylor did well enough to cover that damage for the Sharks with 420, keeping their lead strong. Goatee made some progress with 633 for the Rockers this time, cutting into the deficit. Niki faltered at 176 for Eastside, destabilizing their lead at a bad time for such a thing to occur. Midnight wasted the opportunity to catch up for Westside, poking a simple 200 to make only minor progress. Paps put the Sharks on the right track again with 512, giving them a final of 1970 for the game. Slinks couldn't even cancel that out, her average 361 leaving the Rockers in a loss with 1608. Eastside gets their revenge for the series, improving to 30-38, while bumping Westside down to 43-22 in the disappointing loss.

Pepsi Prestige Park, Lighton: Southwestern rivals clash in this game, with the Spurs opening a five-game road trip against their northern neighbors, the Prestige. Spice looked to be building her attack with pace for Victoria, but an errant swing brought her down at 243, a mediocre result. Acorn didn't have as strong of a pace, but he edged Lighton ahead with his 256, creating a close start to the game. Yekaterina blew the game wide open on her turn, drilling 907 to put the Spurs well ahead. Spirit answered with just as much force for the Prestige, ripping 837 to keep things close at the midway mark. B. Chapman collected 348 in a decent turn for Victoria, adding a bit to their lead. Twinkie I lacked pace on her turn for Lighton, unable to keep up with her mark as she added 279 to their offense, widening the deficit. Wario popped up with a big performance for the Spurs, tacking on 748 to bring their final score to 2246. Salmo tried to make a rally for the Prestige, but his 566 left them short at 1938. Victoria's big win takes them to 29-33, while Lighton is 29-39 on the year and 3-7 in the division.

GE Stadium, Southridge: The Defenders are back at home for a game, meeting another team already out of the hunt as the Hummingbirds come to town. Princess put up a pretty good first attack for Tysini, establishing their offense with a strong 578 in the lead-off role. Bianca didn't have much pace after a messy first turn, but her perfect backhand flick allowed her to scrounge up 307 for Southridge. Leandra efficiently matched that for the Hummingbirds, plucking 312 to add to their score. Debby lost ground for the Defenders with only 177 on her turn, making the deficit worse at the halfway mark. Charli floundered for much of her turn, eventually crashing out at a bad 150 for Tysini as their lead weakens. Stephanie tried to pull back for Southridge, and she gained a little ground with her 312, but the deficit remains significant. Brownie went with a good 400 for the Hummingbirds as their final attack, putting them at 1440 overall. Hughbert made a good attempt at a rally with 566 for the Defenders, but they still lost with 1362. Tysini gets a boost to 26-38, while Southridge is 25-41 on the year.

Starbucks Cup, Archtown: The Arrows are at home for the third of a four-game home stand, while the Union begin their final road trip, a five-game stretch that will define their season. Ms. Puppy found herself disappointed with a middling turn of 206 for Modernistic at the start of the game. Sally gave the visiting captain a huge let-off, as her third swing was deflected out to end her turn at 16 for Archtown. Daisy slashed a much stronger 697 for the Union on the second attack, giving their lead more stability. Sleepy B. was too aggressive on her backhand save attempt for the Arrows, ending at 376 instead as they trail more significantly now. Puff I suffered an unfortunate deflection to end her turn at 231 for Modernistic, keeping her in a bit of a slump. Ruby made a little bit of progress with 361 for Archtown, but they remain far behind as the final players come to bat. Strawberry swung and missed on about three balls all at once to end at 117 for the Union, giving them a final of 1251. Dusky made a great push forward with 487 for the Arrows, but fell short for a total of 1240 in a narrow loss. Modernistic advances to 35-29, while Archtown slips to 32-36 with the loss.

IBM Nighthawks Nest, North Modernistic: The Nighthawks must win to stay alive in the playoff hunt, and they face a Monarchs team out of the fight with nothing to lose. Panda continued a strong run of recent road form by striking 564 for Southern to begin the scoring in this game. Peach covered the deficit for North Modernistic, impressing the fans with a steady turn of 603 to take the early lead. Hoppy replied with a crisp 499 for the Monarchs, doing her part to restore a smaller lead to the visitors. Luigi got too absorbed with drilling balls to the 6s, and he ended up mishitting one to end with 185 for the Nighthawks, erasing their lead. Pounce did well to use his backhand for Southern, saving his turn and allowing him to hit 411 to extend their lead. Cheddar made a bit more progress for North Modernistic, swinging her way to 515 to get them a bit closer before the final players' turns. Shannon's making a late season push to go out on a good note, hauling in 521 this time to end their offense at 1995. Bright made a good attempt with 455 for the Nighthawks, but they're done at 1758 and a loss. Southern is up to 27-35, while North Modernistic is out at 30-37.

Volkswagen Stadium, Viewpoint Sound: The Meteors play their second of three straight at home, while a busy segment sees the Union play their second of five straight on the road. Ms. Puppy seems to be having some road offense struggles, taking only 312 to begin this game. Mams made quite the impact for Viewpoint Sound in response, belting 694 to give them a sizable lead. Daisy failed to cover the deficit for the Union, contributing an acceptable 324 on her turn instead. Hoot powered the Meteors a bit more, clobbering 726 to grow their lead at the halfway mark of the game. Puff I shook her head as she left with 196 for Modernistic, their heavy schedule this week clearly catching up to them on the road. Nibbles provided another big attack for Viewpoint Sound, padding their lead with his 592. Strawberry had only 327 for the Union, far from enough to cover the deficit as they lose with 1159 this time. Dominic chipped 258 at the end for the Meteors, bringing their winning total up to 2270. Viewpoint Sound pulled off the upset here, rising to 27-40, while Modernistic falls to 35-30.

That's all for tonight. We hope to finish Week 33 tomorrow, as well as the City Cup, before a weekend off.

2017 City Cup First Round

The final playoff Tournament has converged upon Diamond's two facilities for today. We'll begin indoors with the series featuring even-numbered better seeds, and alternate outdoors for the rest. We begin with the tournament hosts playing their series inside at...

Intel Center: Diamond Gems v. Southridge Defenders. Southridge's Bianca was the first to find her footing in 7-ball, easily squashing an error-prone Citrus of Diamond. The start was shaky for both sides, but Bianca settled down to get the win on a five-ball run-out, putting her side ahead 1-0 in the series. The Gems' Pedey had a bit of a rough start in 8-ball as well, struggling with a difficult distribution from the break. The Defenders' Stephanie had some better play early, and both players exchanged collateral damage before Pedey executed a four-ball run-out to get the win, tying the series at 1. Citrus looked a lot more comfortable in 9-ball for Diamond, striking the ball well and making a few shots this time, but at the end, Southridge got the win through a three-ball run-out by Bianca. The rookie ended on an 8-9 combination to the bottom right to push her side ahead 2-1. Hughbert did just about everything he could for the Defenders in 10-ball, making all but the first and last balls on an eight-ball run. Unfortunately for him, the Gems' Citrus would not miss a straight shot on the 10 at the end, as she buried it to retie the series at 2 for her side. Rosalina wasn't happy with her break in 12-ball, as it left Stephanie with a more favorable spread, evidenced by the Southridge rookie's quick three-ball run. Rosalina pulled back toward the end of the game, but she couldn't get an angle for her last shot, and Stephanie made her last two shots from ball-in-hand to take a 3-2 series lead over Diamond, the visitors' third lead so far. Rotation saw Rosalina stay at the table, and she put up a good fight for the Gems in this appearance. The Defenders' Hughbert struggled quite a bit with getting his offense going until late in the game. Rosalina couldn't make her lead hold up as Hughbert charged from way back to win on a three-ball run-out for an 8-6 result. This pushed the series lead to 4-2, the visitors on the brink of advancing. Rosalina and Bianca tangled quite fiercely in 15-ball, which seemed to favor Bianca a bit later in the game. Rosalina had trouble developing runs, and it looked as if Bianca would have a couple of chances to get the win, but Rosalina made the last two balls, keeping Diamond alive as Southridge's lead is cut to 4-3. Pedey missed only once for the Gems in Accuracy, but Stephanie made that stand with a brutally efficient game for the Defenders, winning 0-1 to secure the series for them at 5-3. For the home fans, it's an early exit for their side, while Southridge plays on into the quarterfinals.

The Intel Pitch: Capital City Sharpshooters v. Harrison Specters. Missy did well in attack for Capital City in 7-ball, making a pair on the first and second turns of the game. Harrison's Twinkie II countered each time, but neither held up that well, and Missy kicked the 7 in after Twinkie II missed the same play, putting Capital City ahead 1-0. The Sharpshooters' Missy had a rougher start in 8-ball, as the Specters' Lexi dominated the early offense with a six-ball run. Missy chipped back later in the game, getting a late three-ball run to fall, but her miss on the 6 allowed Lexi to take a tap-in on the 8, tying the series at 1. Capital City's Sprinkles played dangerously in 9-ball, trying twice to get the 3 and 9 to connect at the bottom right. Unfortunately for her, Harrison's Twinkie II countered those attacks the second time, making the 9 off a deflection from the 3 to put the visitors ahead 2-1 in the series. Sprinkles tried to settle herself down after the abrupt end in the previous game, but she didn't get much offense. The Specters' Sugar enjoyed a three-ball run early on after Sprinkles scratched on the break. The rest of the game was mostly even, but the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles surrendered possession late, and Sugar went on a three-ball run-out to extend the series lead to 3-1. Missy got her revenge against Lexi in 12-ball, as the Capital City veteran used a good break and a three-ball run on her second turn to establish offense. Lexi shot back with a three-ball run for Harrison, but Missy made quick work of her last two shots for the win, pulling back to a 3-2 series. Rotation went very quickly, as Capital City's Nicole played well in her debut. She did fall behind early on after the Specters' Nicole wrangled a four-ball run, but Nicole shot back with a three-ball run and a four-ball run on consecutive turns to take the 8-6 win, tying the series at 3 for the Sharpshooters as the series approaches a close finish. Sprinkles again put Capital City in unnecessary and very real danger in 15-ball, her insistence on pushing the 15 around being her downfall. Harrison's Sugar struck efficiently on the 2-7-15 combination to the bottom right to give her team another shot at the series lead at 4-3. Nicole again saved the Sharpshooters, battling back and forth with the Specters' Lexi early in the game, before Lexi faltered with three late misses. Nicole held on for a 2-5 win in Accuracy, tying the series one more time at 4 and forcing the tiebreaker. That tiebreaker is left-handed 8-ball, and Nicole takes on Twinkie II in it. Twinkie II seemed to have the early advantage for Harrison, but Nicole stunned her out of nowhere with a four-ball run to get onto the 8. Twinkie II would scratch later, and Nicole made the 8 from the kitchen to the bottom right to get the win and a 5-4 series win. Capital City enjoys the trip to the quarterfinals thanks to Nicole's 3-0 performance.

Intel Center: Archtown Arrows v. Boston Swifts. Boston's Sweetheart wasted little time in establishing her side in 7-ball, using a three-ball run to pace the attack. Archtown's Ruby quickly replied with a pair of shots, but Sweetheart locked in on the last two balls to give her team the win and the 1-0 series lead. The Swifts got a hot start from Gradley in 8-ball as well, as he made a five-ball run with a bit of collateral damage. This helped the Arrows' Dusky, who followed up with a five-ball run to pull even, but her shooting late in the game, including a scratch and a miss on the 8, made it relatively easy for Gradley to take the win and a 2-0 series lead for his team. Ruby had a five-ball run from the break in 9-ball, but this ended in a scratch on the 4, an unfortunate turn of events for the Archtown star. Sweetheart made the 6 from ball-in-hand, and added the 7-9 combination to the bottom right for the win, putting Boston up 3-0 in the series. Sweetheart continued to have the upper hand on her opponent Ruby in 10-ball, using an early three-ball run to set the tone, but Ruby wouldn't break under pressure. Ruby instead stayed in the battle and managed to pull away with the win late, cutting the series to 3-1 with her play. Neither played seemed to grab control of 12-ball at first, but after a scratch, Gradley found a three-ball run on his next turn, and this paved his way to success. He set up his last two shots, and while Dusky made a pair in an attempt to catch up, Gradley closed her out and earned the win, putting the Swifts ahead of the Arrows by a 4-1 score. Boston's Patches had a slow start against Archtown's Sleepy B. in their first of two meetings in Rotation. The offense was glacial at first, but when Patches took a three-ball run for the lead, she would continue with more pace going forward. At the end, Patches had a three-ball run-out, including a double-pot of the 9 to the bottom right and the 13 to the top right, for a 9-2 win that secured the series at 5-1 for Boston. The Swifts' Patches stepped up again in 15-ball against the Arrows' Sleepy B., combining for short bursts of offense and general frustration late in the game before Patches could cap a three-ball run-out on a 14-15 combination to the top right to give the Swifts a 6-1 series lead. Dusky and Gradley had a tight battle in Accuracy, as Dusky played for the Arrows' pride more than anything. She managed to force overtime, erasing Gradley's late lead, and then finally got him to miss a second time in overtime after exchanging shots for most of the extra rack. Dusky won 3-4, but the Swifts took the series 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals.

The Intel Pitch: Pacific Volcanoes v. Swordpoint Blades. Outside, the fourth series is played. Ms. Kitty did well to make Pacific proud in 7-ball, as the veteran cranked the 7 into the top left on the break, never letting Swordpoint's Bandit take a shot in his first playoff game. Pacific holds a quick 1-0 series lead. The Blades' Stealth made more of an impact in 8-ball, countering a four-ball run from the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil, which ended in illegal contact, with a four-ball run of his own. From there, Stealth had better position, and he won a few turns later on a three-ball run-out, while Chicky Phil's offense had run dry. The series is now tied at 1. Save for a good break in 9-ball, Pacific's Leonette had very little to show for her performance. Instead, it was Swordpoint's Bandit who had a four-ball run, and he also made the last two shots in the game to get the win, giving his team a 2-1 series lead. Leonette had another slow start in 10-ball, and while she enjoyed a nice bit of possession in the middle of the game, the Blades' Snowball generally had the better game. Snowball capitalized on this advantage with a three-ball run-out at the end to get the win, lifting her team to a 3-1 lead in the series. Ms. Kitty's previous meeting with Bandit didn't even register in 12-ball, as she made a ball on the break, but the game was such a mess that the first shot didn't echo for long. Eventually, Bandit was able to scoop out enough shots for a three-ball run-out to get the win, putting Swordpoint ahead of Pacific by a 4-1 score. The Blades couldn't close out the series in Rotation, as Snowball's effort fell just a bit short in a rapidly-changing back-and-forth with the Volcanoes' Chicky Phil, who took the 8-7 win on a three-ball run-out at the end. Chicky Phil's bold play cut the series to 4-2. Ms. Kitty picked up the baton for Pacific, maintaining a strong offensive presence against Swordpoint's Snowball in 15-ball. Snowball got her shots in when she could, but Ms. Kitty had a greater share of the offense and won on a three-ball run-out to pull her side closer again in the now 4-3 series. Stealth made an absolute mess of Accuracy for Swordpoint, squandering the rest of the series lead away as well. The Volcanoes' Chicky Phil played quite well, only missing a couple of times late in his 2-7 win that tied the series at 4 to force a tiebreaker. Leonette and Stealth will have their only direct meeting in this game, playing 13-ball. Pacific's Leonette made the push forward in 13-ball, as Swordpoint's Stealth stalled out after a five-ball run and a later scratch. Leonette had a four-ball run in response, and then had the positioning to make her last ball and the 8 for the win, giving the Volcanoes a 5-4 series win. Pacific's high-wire act worked to make it to the quarterfinals.

Intel Center: Central Warriors v. Tysini Hummingbirds. The Legend of Zelda matchup between Central's Twilight and Tysini's Princess lasted for a single shot, as Twilight made the 7 on the break to win 7-ball for Central. They lead 1-0, while Princess sees one of her two appearances vanish. The Warriors' Mario got off to a hot start in 8-ball with a four-ball run, only committing collateral damage once at the end. The Hummingbirds' Leandra sparked to life with a four-ball run right after that, but the rest of the game was slow to develop until Mario made a three-ball run-out for the win, putting the Warriors ahead 2-0 in the series. Central's Dustin had a decent performance in 9-ball, but Tysini's Princess wanted to get the win more for her side, playing an excellent game that featured a couple of short runs on her way to victory. The series is now at 2-1. The Warriors' Twilight played an excellent game of 10-ball, helped greatly by the Hummingbirds' Brownie having a propensity for scratching. Brownie's struggles with errors popped up late, and led Twilight to a classical finish, banking the 10 to the bottom side for the win that put the Warriors up 3-1 in the series. Mario couldn't hold up in 12-ball, as he gave away two wild-card balls to Leandra in their second meeting. Leandra would return one of those and give one away herself, putting the players on level terms at the end. Mario made a late push but missed the 13 at the bottom side, and Leandra buried the 3 in the top left to get the win, making it a 3-2 series now. Brownie charged forward for the Hummingbirds in Rotation, establishing the early lead through a close duel with the Warriors' Dustin. They sparred a bit longer, but Brownie pulled away to strengthen the lead, and she made it hold up at the end, making the last pair of balls for an 8-4 win, tying the series at 3 with her effort. Dustin and Brownie battled again in 15-ball, but this game was much sloppier. Neither player could get a true run going, and scratches, illegal contacts, and fouls persisted through the game. At the end, tempers flared, but Dustin settled enough to make a three-ball run-out, restoring Central's lead at 4-3 in the series. In Accuracy, Twilight played an inspired effort, missing just once late in the game to easily bury the Hummingbirds' Leandra to give the Warriors a 5-3 series win with her 1-4 win in the game. Central is ready to renew the Sisterhood Derby in the quarterfinals against the Pacific Volcanoes.

The Intel Pitch: Pronger Tridents v. Westside Rockers. The Gems fans may not have a team to root for, but they can root against their division rivals, who act as hosts in this series. Pronger's Spot rallied for a chaotic four-ball run from the break, but a scratch gave Westside's Slinks a chance. She went bold at the end, missing contact on her kick toward the 7, and Spot made it from ball-in-hand to give Pronger a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Goatee had a better start in game 2, establishing her offense with a three-ball run, but it would be the Tridents' Potter who battled through the middle of the game to get a four-ball run-out at the end, giving his team a 2-0 lead in the series. Pronger looked to be en route to a huge lead when Zach opened the 9-ball game with an eight-ball run, but he missed wide on the 9, and Westside's Slinks redeemed herself from earlier by tapping it in for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. The Rockers' Slinks played a different style in 10-ball, choosing to dominate possession rather than make a timely counterattack against the Tridents' Zach this time. Zach thought he could change the game by taking possession when Slinks potted an uncalled ball, but Zach's turn ended two shots later, and Slinks took over with a four-ball run-out to win, tying the series at 2 in the process. Goatee had a nice surge of offense early in 12-ball for Westside, but Pronger's Zach refused to drop three straight for his team. He defended Goatee's final pocket, which he also needed, and when the time came, he made his last two shots to pick up the win, giving his team a 3-2 series lead. Midnight never left any doubt as to who would come out on top in Rotation, with the Westside veteran not quite dominating, but the Tridents rookie Spot didn't have enough offense to influence the game at all. Midnight walked away with an 8-3 win, retying the series at 3. Spot played better in 15-ball against the Rockers' Goatee, who had a decent performance herself. Things remained pretty even for much of the game, without anything spectacular until Spot won with a double-pot of the 8 to the top right and the 15 to the bottom right from ball-in-hand after Goatee had scratched. Spot's win put Pronger in the driver's seat at 4-3. Potter stepped up to the challenge in Accuracy, facing Midnight. The Rockers veteran Midnight fell behind early on, and while Potter faltered and even scratched on his last shot, it was too late to save midnight, who lost 3-4. Potter's win gave the Tridents a 5-3 series win to advance to the quarterfinals against the Boston Swifts, much to the home fans' displeasure.

Intel Center: Everton Eagles v. Atlantic Pirates. The #2 team will be the fan favorites here in the second-to-last series of the day. Everton's Goldy had the majority of the offense in 7-ball, but she didn't sink the 7 after a three-ball run, leaving it up at the bottom right for Atlantic's Klaus to tap in for the win, giving his team a 1-0 series lead. The Eagles' Blizzard showed up quite well for 8-ball, matching an early burst of offense from the Pirates' Americus to keep things close in the middle. Blizzard made a big impact at the end with a four-ball run-out to get around Americus for the win, tying the series at 1. The Eagles' Blizzard put on a huge surge with a seven-ball run to open up the game of 9-ball, but her miss on the 8 would be the last shot for her in the game. Klaus countered with a pair of shots at the end to get the win, regaining the series lead at 2-1 for Atlantic. The Eagles' Goldy made a ridiculous shot to cap a four-ball run-out in 10-ball, getting her revenge on the Pirates' Klaus with a spinning deflection off the 3 and 8 that bumped the 10 to the bottom side. She had called that shot, and nearly made the 3 and 6 as well, but it was legal the way it was. Goldy's world-class play tied the series again at 2. Blizzard put in a good effort for Everton, making a three-ball run at one point, but Americus showed up in a big way at the end for Atlantic. She was trailing, with Blizzard having just one ball left but out of position. Americus made a pair of shots, and then boldly used Blizzard's 10 as a deflector to put the 6 in the top left for the win. Americus will be hailed as a hero for gaining a 3-2 series lead for Atlantic before a tripleheader between Puff III and Isabella. The Pirates' Isabella made the first impact, absolutely dominating in Rotation against the Eagles' Puff III. Isabella had an early five-ball run and a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand on her next turn, sandwiched around Puff III making one shot before a scratch. Isabella won 8-1, putting the Pirates ahead 4-2 in the series. Puff III played much closer to Isabella's level in 15-ball, making for a close game between the highly-talented youngsters. Puff III took full advantage of Isabella's scratch on the 11 near the end, making a four-ball run-out from ball-in-hand to get the win, pulling the series back to a pivotal 4-3 score. Puff III and Isabella battled about as closely in possibly in their third match, playing Accuracy pretty well. The score was tied at the end of the rack, forcing overtime, where Puff III missed on the break and Isabella made the 15 and 6 to secure a 2-3 win and 5-3 series win. The Atlantic Pirates pull off a massive upset, again to the chagrin of the home fans, and they'll meet the Capital City Sharpshooters in the quarterfinals.

The Intel Pitch: Freedom Cascades v. Golden Pilots. The Cascades, neighbors and rivals of the Gems, got a few of their own fans to support the Governor's Cup winners in their first series. Freedom's Nikolai got off to a nice start with a three-ball run, and he added two more on his next turn, but Golden's Valencia poked the 7 to the top left to get the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Dusty had a strong start in 8-ball with a three-ball run, but she chipped a lot of her remaining shots in the game. The Cascades' Roxy didn't immediately pick up the slack in offense, but she rallied at the end with a six-ball run-out to get the win, tying the series at 1. Golden's Valencia seemed like the better player in 9-ball, but Freedom's Nikolai flipped the script from their earlier meeting, striking for the last two balls after Valencia had a three-ball run to own the possession advantage. Nikolai's 8-9 combination to the bottom side sealed the win and put Freedom ahead 2-1 in the series. Valencia had another solid performance for the Pilots in 10-ball, but the Cascades' Jasmine kept with her just about perfectly. Valencia pulled away on a three-ball run late in the game, but her bank attempt on the 10 was terrible. Jasmine made the 10 straight in for the win, putting the Cascades up 3-1. Golden's A. Charlton stepped up well in 12-ball, battling early on before slowly finding herself some positive positioning. She made Freedom's Roxy look silly for playing defense at the end, making a well-executed three-ball run-out for the win to cut the series back to 3-2. The Cascades' Jasmine did not mess around in Rotation, making a five-ball run from the break. Stunned, Charlton had little offense for the Pilots, ending up getting shut out despite playing decent defense to slow Jasmine down. Jasmine still won 8-0, pushing the series lead to 4-2. Jasmine put everything she had into 15-ball, dominating in possession with the highlight being a four-ball run at the start and near the end, including three on the break. Still, Charlton survived those surges to pick up the 15 at the bottom right, keeping Golden alive in the 4-3 series and passing the baton to the team's legend. Roxy and Dusty engaged in a great second battle in Accuracy, with Dusty holding the lead deep into the game for the Pilots until she faded, missing three late shots to allow Roxy to win 2-4, clinching the series at 5-3 for Freedom. The Cascades will host the Southridge Defenders in the quarterfinals tomorrow.

Tomorrow, the 2017 Tournament comes to a full stop with the last three rounds of the City Cup. This can't miss action will also be on Twitter @UnitedPCL, as will any cricket played tonight.