Jeremy Kral was mowing down batters like bowling pins, and one run was all the Queensway Auto Body Red Sox needed to draw first blood in the Prince George Senior Baseball Association championship final.
Kral had 17 strikeouts in seven innings of work and also scored the winning run in a 1-0 victory over the Shooter's Pub Gladiators Tuesday night oat Citizen Field.
Kral got the Red Sox offence started in the bottom of the first inning when he was struck by a Graham Allard pitch. He reached second on Paul Wilson's ground-out and wound up at third on a wild pitch. That set the stage for Brandon Hunter and the Sox third baseman delivered with a single to score Kral.
After allowing a two-out basehit to Mike McLaughin in the second inning, Kral retired the next 10 batters he faced before Calvin Todd singled to start the sixth. In seven innings, Kral allowed just three hits, walking two batters.
Allard, the losing pitcher, allowed only four hits in six innings, with two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Buck Schmidt went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Red Sox. Todd had two hits in three plate appearances for the Gladiators.
Game 2 of the best-of-five final was scheduled for Wednesday night at Citizen Field.
Game 3 is set for Thursday and Game 4, if necessary, will be played on Friday. Game time is 6:30 p.m. both nights.
