Hector Ruiz, Ed Hugh and Beau Baer
Back in September, Ed Hugh worked his way through a field of 40 entrants to go undefeated and win his first Tri-State Tour event. Just shy of three months later, on Sunday, November 27, he chalked up his second victory on the tour, this time, having to come from the loss-side to challenge and defeat hot seat occupant, Hector Ruiz. The $1,000-added event drew 23 entrants to Cue Nine Billiards in Levittown, NY.
After working his way through the event's two opening rounds with victories over Mark Parel and Charles Eames, both 7-3, Hugh ran into Beau Baer among the winners' side final four. Baer sent him west 7-4 and moved into the hot seat match against Hector Ruiz, who'd just defeated Tony Ignomirello 6-2. Ruiz gained the hot seat with an 8-7 victory, and waited for what turned out to be Hugh's return.
Hugh moved over to take on, first, Mark Perel, who'd defeated Charles Aemes 7-6 and Gary Murgia 7-4. Ignomirello picked up Eddie Perez, who'd gotten by BCA league teammate Quin Y. Chen (co-winner with Daniel Dagotdot of the previous week's tour stop on Staten Island) 6-4 and Keith Diaz 6-3. It was Hugh and Perez squaring off in the quarterfinals; Hugh, having defeated Perel 7-4, and Perez, defeating Ignomirello 6-4.
Hugh earned his 'revenge' match against Baer with an 8-5 victory over Perez in the quarterfinals, and exacted that revenge with a 7-5 victory over Baer in the semifinals. In spite of the fact that Ruiz got out to an early 3-0 lead in the extended, single set final, Hugh continued what tour representatives described as a combination of "a strong break, outstanding kicking and fearless play," to win 10 of the next 11 games and complete his second victory on the Tri-State Tour.
The next Tri-State event is a $1,250-added B/D handicapped event to be held this weekend, December 3, at Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY. Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff of Cue Nine Billiards for their hospitality during this most recent event, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Ron Tarr Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics.
