Bulldogs take first game of St. John’s senior final

Cleary Ks 15 in win over The Bigs; Selects move to intermediate semis in unorthodox fashion

Sean Cleary was his usual dominant self Sunday, striking out an average of better than two batters per inning as the Kelly’s Pub Molson Bulldogs struck first in the St. John’s Molson Senior Men’s Softball League final with a 4-1 win over The Big’s.

At Lions Park Sunday, Kelly’s — seeking a fourth straight senior league crown — scored three runs in the fourth inning to seal the victory and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Cleary (15K) gave up five hits and allowed four runners via free pass. Mark Power (6IP, 4R, 4H, 1HBP, 2BB, 13K) was tagged with the loss.

Cleary helped his own cause with an RBI single in the third, scoring Daniel Dalton.

Stephen Dobbin had a tworun double in the fourth.

Shane Kelly had a pair of hits in a losing cause, and knocked in The Big’s only run.

The final resumes with Game 2 at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Lions Park.

Intermediate playoffs

The Newfoundland U18 Selects got a free pass to the St. John’s Molson intermediate softball semifinals with a forfeit win over Rob Roy Sunday at Lions Park.

With the game tied 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning, a Rob Roy player was ejected from the game after a close play at second base.

Having started with only nine players and with no replacement player on the Rob Roy bench, the game was forfeited to the Selects.

Jordan Pomeroy of the Selects hit his first career intermediate home run before the game was called.

In an intermediate game 7:30 tonight, PCI Roebothan McKay Marshall takes on Lafontaine Club Bud Light at Lions Park.