2013 US Open - IRT - Waselenchuk into quarter finals joined by Croft, Beltran & Carson

Kane Waselenchuk kept on track for a 9th International Racquetball Tour (IRT) US Open title Friday at the 2013 United Healthcare US Open with a win over 8th seed Daniel De La Rosa, 11-3, 11-7, 11-9, in the quarter finals.

Waselenchuk'll play 5th seed Ben Croft in the semi-finals Saturday. It's the fifth time in six years that Croft has gotten to the quarters, and is a big improvement from his disappointing first round loss last year.

Croft defeated 4th seed Jose Rojas in an entertaining five game match, 11-0, 10-12, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4. The match was streaky, as Croft scored the first 14 points only to see Rojas score the next seven. Then Croft responded with a five point streak to lead 8-7.

From there they went back and forth. It was tied at 8-8 and 10-10 before Rojas closed it out 12-10 with an ace to the right side. Croft broke his racquet at the end of the game, and seemed to lose focus for awhile in game three as Rojas took that 11-7.

But in game four, Croft was more composed, and led 6-3. Rojas came back and led at 7-6 But Croft countered with another streak as he put five straight points together and take game four 11-7.

Croft took an early lead in the tie-breaker, 5-0, and really never looked back. Rojas did close the gap to four points at 8-4, and they did play several rallies at that score before Croft broke the mold and pushed on to win the tie-breaker 11-4.

Alvaro Beltran defeated Chris Crowther in the second quarter final match, 11-4, 11-2, 12-10, to reach the semi-finals for the 10th time in his career. However, in his previous 9 semi-final appearances Beltran's only been in the final once: in 2010 when he lost to Kane Waselenchuk.

Rocky Carson beat Tony Carson (no relation) in the three quarter final, 11-2, 11-4, 11-5. He'll make his 8th US Open semi-final appearance on Saturday, when he plays Beltran. Carson's won five of his seven US Open semi-finals.

US Open matches are available via the IRT Network throughout the week.

2013 IRT US Open, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Quarter finals - Friday (with seedings)

1 Kane Waselenchuk d. 8 Daniel De La Rosa, 11-3, 11-7, 11-9
5 Ben Croft d. 4 Jose Rojas, 11-0, 10-12, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4

3 Alvaro Beltran d. 6 Chris Crowther, 11-4, 11-2, 12-10
2 Rocky Carson d. 7 Tony Carson, 11-2, 11-4, 11-5

Semi-finals - Ssturday (with seedings)

1 Kane Waselenchuk v. 5 Ben Croft
2 Rocky Carson v. 3 Alvaro Beltran

Follow the bouncing ball….