Conrrado Moscoso defeated Jake Bredenbeck, 15-11, 15-7, to win the International Racquetball Tour (IRT) Golden State Open in Pleasanton, California on Sunday. Moscoso has now won back to back on the IRT for the first time in his career after winning the US Open last weekend. Sunday’s victory was his 4th on tour.
Bredenbeck, who was playing in his second career final, had his chances. He was down 9-3 in game one, but came back to lead 11-9. However, Bredenbeck couldn’t finish it off, as Moscoso got six unanswered points to win it, 15-11.
Game two has a similar storyline, except it was Bredenbeck who led early at 7-3. But again Moscoso got 12 unanswered points to win it, 15-7. Moscoso is a power player, but late in game one he began serving soft, hitting lobs rather the drive serves he was doing early in the match. It was an effective change.
Afterwards, Moscoso said he was “so happy for the match and tournament,” and congratulated Bredenbeck on having good tournament also. With four IRT tournament wins, Moscoso is tied for 20th all time with Alejandro Landa, Steve Keeley, and USA Racquetball Hall of Famers Gregg Peck and Steve Serot.
Samuel Murray and Andree Parrilla won the doubles title in Califoria, as they defeated Andrés Acuña and Eduardo Portillo, 15-10, 15-12. Murray was carrying a right knee injury, so Parrilla played on the left side, which was a change from last weekend’s US Open when Murray played the left side. For much of the match, it seemed like Parrilla was playing two on one, as he took the majority of the shots. Yet they got it to work.
When Murray was asked how he felt after the match, he said “feeling all right enough to win.”
Parrilla added that “I feel comfortable with Sam,” and he’s comfortable with me, and that made for a “really good tournament for us.” They haven’t been playing together for very long, so having success early in a partnership is impressive.
Like the singles final, the match could have gone the other way, as Acuña and Portillo had leads in both games. They couldn’t finish them though. In game one, they led early at 6-2 and 7-5, but Murray and Parrilla came back and took the lead at 10-7.
They wouldn’t relinquish that lead, although Acuña and Portillo did get within one at 11-10. Murray got a side out with a forehand reverse pinch shot, which led to two more points for his side off back to back winners by Parrilla, making the score 13-10.
Acuña and Portillo took a timeout at that point, and they did get the serve back when play resumed. But they couldn’t score, as Parrilla again hit back to back winners.
Another Parrilla winner - a backhand cross court shot - put his side on game point at 14-10. He won it for them when the ball came off the back wall with a big bounce into the front court, where Parrilla just touched it softly to the front wall.
The game two storyline was similar to game one, as Acuña and Portillo led early and for most of the game. When it was 12-8, you have a feeling that a tie-breaker was going to be needed to decide the match. Murray and Parrilla then took a timeout.
When play resumed an Acuña forehand shot was called good by the referee, but Murray and Parrilla appealed that it actually skipped. Both line judges disagreed with the referee’s call, overturning the play and putting Murray and Parrilla in the service box.
They served it out, winning seven straight points. Murray hit three winners, Parrilla two, and Portillo skipped a lob serve return, which all combined to put Murray and Parrilla on match point at 14-12.
Murray hit a lob to Portillo, which started a 26 shot rally during which Murray was on the floor twice - making two shots from the floor - and it ended when Acuña moved around to hit a forehand shot from left to right, but he skipped it. That gave Murray and Parrilla their 15th point, and a win in two straight games.
The win is Murray’s 3rd IRT doubles title in 9 doubles finals. Surprisingly, it was only the 3rd time Parrilla has been in an IRT doubles final, and it’s his 2nd win.
The IRT will play in the 3WallBall Outdoor World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada October 26-30. The next big indoor IRT event will be the Dovetail Open in Sarasota, Florida, November 3-6. If you missed any of the action from the 2022 IRT Golden State Open, then check out the usual IRT media outlets: The IRT YouTube channel or the IRT Facebook page.
2022 IRT Golden State Open, October 6-9, 2022
Pleasanton, California
Final - Sunday
1) Conrrado Moscoso d. 6) Jake Bredenbeck, 15-11, 15-7
Doubles - Final - Sunday
2) Samuel Murray & Andree Parrilla d. 4) Andrés Acuña & Eduardo Portillo, 15-10, 15-12
Follow the bouncing ball….
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