Pratt defeats Landa to reach quarterfinals at 2018 IRT Shamrock Shootout

Charles Pratt had the biggest upset in the Round of 16 at the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Shamrock Shootout in Lombard, Illinois, as he came back from a game down to defeat 4th seed Alejandro Landa, 12-15, 15-8, 11-5, in what was a battle of two first time winners on the IRT this season. Pratt won in Portland in December, while Landa won in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in January.

Pratt was actually up in game one as well, as he led 12-8, only to see Landa come back to win the first game. In the second game, Pratt got off to a good start with a 6-1 lead, but Landa came back and tied it at 7-7. But Pratt again surged ahead, going out to a 11-7 lead, and carrying on to win 15-8.

In the breaker, they were close early, and tied at 3-3. But again Pratt took control by going ahead 7-4. He hit a great diving forehand pinch shot to make the score 9-5, and prompt a timeout by Landa. However, that pause didn’t stop Pratt, who get the final two points as play resumed to win the game, 11-5, and the match, 2-1.

Pratt will play 5th seed Samuel Murray in the quarterfinals on Saturday, as Murray also needed a tie-breaker to win his match in the 16s, which was an even closer match than Pratt and Landa. Murray squeaked by Jose Diaz, 14-15, 15-13, 11-10.

Top seed Rocky Carson had a comfortable win over Thomas Carter, 15-8, 15-3, and will play Andree Parrilla in the quarters, as he upset 8th seed Jansen Allen, 15-12, 15-10.

Second seed Daniel De La Rosa also won in two straight games against Robert Collins, 15-5, 15-9, and he’ll play Ben Croft in the quarters, as Croft was a straight game winner over 7th seed Sebastian Franco, 15-8, 15-5. Franco’s exit means there won’t be a back to back winner this weekend, as he won the last IRT event two weeks ago in San Antonio.

Finally, 3rd seed Alvaro Beltran dropped the first game against Adam Manilla, but came back to win in three games, 10-15, 15-6, 11-2. Beltran will play David Horn in the quarterfinals, as Horn upset 6th seed Mario Mercado, 15-2, 15-14. Horn needed seven match points to get over the line with Mercado failing to convert three game points before the end.

The quarterfinals will be 10 and 11 AM Saturday morning, and should be seen on the IRT Network, and also check out the IRT FaceBook page. The semi-finals will be at 5 PM and 7 PM Saturday with the final at noon Sunday. All times central.

2018 IRT Shamrock Shootout, March 15-18, 2018
Lombard, Illinois

Round of 16 - Friday

1) Rocky Carson d. Thomas Carter, 15-8, 15-3
Andree Parrilla d. 8) Jansen Allen, 15-12, 15-10

5) Samuel Murray d. Jose Diaz, 14-15, 15-13, 11-10
Charles Pratt d. 4) Alejandro Landa, 12-15, 15-8, 11-5

3) Alvaro Beltran d. Adam Manilla, 10-15, 15-6, 11-2
David Horn d. 6) Mario Mercado, 15-2, 15-14

Ben Croft d. 7) Sebastian Franco, 15-8, 15-5
2) Daniel De La Rosa d. Robert Collins, 15-5, 15-9

Quarterfinals - Saturday

1) Rocky Carson v. Andree Parrilla - 11 AM
5) Samuel Murray v. Charles Pratt - 11 AM

3) Alvaro Beltran v. David Horn - 10 AM
2) Daniel De La Rosa v. Ben Croft - 10 AM

IRT Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa d. 9) Geoff Goldblatt & Trevor Snyders, 15-0, 15-9
4) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray d. 5) David Horn & Andree Parrilla, 15-5, 15-6

3) Sebastian Franco Mario Mercado d. 6) Adam Manilla & Nicholas Riffel, 15-14, 15-12
2) Jansen Allen & Felipe Camacho d. 7) Charles Pratt & Kevin Vazquez, 7-15, 15-8, 11-3

IRT Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa v. 4) Alejandro Landa & Samuel Murray - 8 PM
2) Jansen Allen & Felipe Camacho v. 3) Sebastian Franco Mario Mercado - 9 PM

First Round - Friday

9) Geoff Goldblatt & Trevor Snyders d. 8) Fernando Javier Rivera & Ward Myers, 15-12, 15-10

Follow the bouncing ball….