Fitch goes undefeated on DMIRO Tour stop in Greensboro

Shannon Fitch took two from Jeff Pruitt  - once, in the hot seat and a second time in the finals - to finish undefeated on the DMIRO Tour stop in Greensboro, NC on the weekend of January 9-10. The $1,000-added event drew 27 entrants to Gate City Billiards in Greensboro.

From among the winners' side final four, Fitch got into the hot seat match with a 9-4 win over Michael Champagne. Pruitt joined him, following a 9-3 victory over Jerry Hilton. Fitch moved into the hot seat with a 9-7 win over Pruitt, and waited for him to come back.

On the one-loss side, Derek Leonard, who'd been sent west by Fitch from among the winners' side final eight, was waiting for Hilton. Leonard had won his opening match on the one-loss side, defeating Anthony Arney 9-2 and followed that with a 9-5 win over Jeff Abernathy. Adam Stanton, after victories over Danny Mastermaker 9-6 and Tony Morrison 9-5, faced Champagne. With ‘eyes on the prize' – a re-match against Fitch – Leonard got by Hilton 9-6, as Champagne was busy surviving a hill-hill match against Stanton. Leonard moved a step closer with a commanding 9-1 victory over Champagne in the quarterfinals that followed.  

Leonard and Pruitt, both with a single defeat at the hands of Fitch, squared off in the semifinals. The two battled back and forth to double hill before Pruitt closed it out and got his second chance at Fitch. In the extended race-to-13 finals, though, Fitch repeated his earlier effort. He improved his margin of victory in the hot seat match by just over 10%, winning the finals 13-6 and taking home the first place prize.