JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley's lineup spent Friday afternoon trying to solve Shaler pitcher Zach Kreke.

The best the Raiders could do was avoid being shut out.

Kreke didn't allow a run until the seventh inning, scattering six hits while striking out three and walking none in the Titans' 8-1 baseball victory at Raider Field.

The senior right-hander, had given up three hits through six innings before Sam Fragale's single scored Carter Bondo in SV's last at-bat.

"Zach had an injured shoulder for the first half of the section schedule and we just recently got him back," said Shaler coach Brian Junker. "He gives us another solid arm."

It was a frustrating game to watch for Raiders coach Eric Semega.

"I didn't think their pitcher threw that great of a game," he said. "But sometimes you just get a gut feeling that things aren't going to turn out good, and that was the case today."

The Titans (10-6, 5-5) jumped on SV starter Tyler Budisky in the first inning.

John Orr singled and, with one out, stole second and third before he and Ryan Mincher scored on Mike Magliocco's double down the left field line.

Magliocco later scored on Aaron Skalos' sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

Budisky gave up two runs in the second inning and three unearned runs in the fourth frame, during which SV (5-8, 3-6) committed three errors.

"If I knew the answer, I'd tell you," Semega said, referring to his team's miscues on defense. "We're just not making plays and we can't seem to get over the hump. But we'll keep working at it."

Budisky pitched the whole game, striking out seven, walking two and allowing eight runs on nine hits.

He pitched a scoreless third, fifth, sixth and seventh.

"He's getting better," said Semega. "He made some mistakes on 0-2 pitches, but I thought he had better overall command of his pitches today"

Shaler 320 300 0 — 8 9 1Seneca Valley 000 000 1 — 1 6 3W: Zach Kreke 7 IP (3 K, 0 BB).

L: Tyler Budisky 7 IP (7 K, 2 BB).

Shaler (10-6, 5-5): John Orr 2-1B 3R RBI 2SB, Ben Mulig 2-1B R RBI, Ryan Mincher 1B 2B 2R 2 RBI SB, Mike Magliocco 2B R 2 RBI, Aaron Skalos RBI, Ed Jacquel 1B, Matt Ciesinski SB, Brett Stark 1B

Seneca Valley (5-8, 3-6): Anthony Sklarsky 1B, Carter Bondo 2-1B R, Sam Fragale 2-1B RBI, Tyler Budisky 1B

Monday: Seneca Valley at Pine-Richland