IRT - Party with the Pros - Quarter finals

Marco Rojas has reached the semi-finals for the first time in his career at a Tier 1 International Racquetball Tour (IRT) event, as he's into the quarters at the Party with the Pros tournament in St Louis, Missouri. And he did so in dramatic fashion, as Rojas defeated Alejandro Landa in five games after losing the first two games and being down 8-0 in game three before coming back to win 9-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-7.

It was a match of two of the most impressive young players on the IRT.

It might have been two Rojas players in the semi finals, if Marco's older brother Jose had managed to maintain the level of play that he started out with against IRT #2 Rocky Carson, as Rojas on game one of their match, 11-6.

Game two was close, but the veteran Carson squeaked it out 12-10 and from there didn't look back, as he won games three and four comfortably to take the match in four games, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-2.

Kane Waselenchuk, IRT #1 and top seed, defeated Ben Croft in straight games, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7, and Alvaro Beltran beat Shane Vanderson in four games, 13-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, to round out the quarter finals.

Rojas will face Waselenchuk in the first semi-finals on Saturday with Carson will take on Beltran in the second semi.

The IRT Network will web-cast the semi-finals beginning at 10 AM CDT Saturday morning with the final to follow on Saturday at 7:00 PM CDT.

2013 Party With The Pros Tournament - St Louis, Missouri

Quarter finals

Kane Waselenchuk d. Ben Croft, 11-7, 11-3, 11-7
Marco Rojas d. Alejandro Landa, 9-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-7

Alvaro Beltran d. Shane Vanderson, 13-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5
Rocky Carson d. Jose Rojas, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-2

Semi-finals

Kane Waselenchuk v. Marco Rojas - 11 AM CDT
Rocky Carson v. Alvaro Beltran - Noon CDT

Follow the bouncing ball....