Alone at the top
Butler grabs section lead after 3-2 win over SV


By Derek Pyda
Eagle Staff Writer


JACKSON TWP — They were the kind of plays you expect a first-place team to make.
And that's exactly where the
Butler baseball team finds itself.
The Golden Tornado made two clutch defensive plays that saved at least three runs from scoring in a 3-2 victory at rival
Seneca Valley Friday afternoon.
Both teams entered the game with a 4-1 record in Section 1-AAAA. With the victory,
Butler will enter the second half of the section schedule in sole possession of first place.
"It's a win, and it's always nice to get a win," said Butler coach Davie Florie, who was coaching his first game at Raider Field since leaving Seneca Valley in the spring of 2000.
The first of
Butler's fielding gems came in the bottom of the fourth inning with the Tornado leading 2-1.
With the bases loaded and two outs, SV's Phil Double lined a pitch that appeared to be headed for right field. But
Butler first baseman Aaron Ordy dove to his right and snagged the ball before getting to his feet and beating a sliding Double to first base to end the threat.
The second play came in the bottom of the sixth with Butler clinging to a 3-2 edge.
With runners on first and second, Zach Duggan was robbed of a base hit when his ground ball up the middle was snared by a diving Darren Blakely at shortstop.
Blakely flipped the ball to second baseman Anthony Pinto, forcing out Double.
"Both plays were fantastic," said Florie. "I told the kids that as long as I've been coaching, I don't think I've ever had two unbelievable plays made like that in the same game."
Butler starting pitcher Josh Marchinoski was the beneficiary of the defensive plays, as they helped him record a complete game, giving up two runs on seven hits. He didn't strike out a batter and walked six, though two of those were intentional free passes.
The Tornado defense also came up with two double plays behind Marchinoski, one in the first inning and another in the second.
"It's great to have those guys behind me playing defense," said Marchinoski. "They hustle every day in practice and they make me look good."
Butler still held its 3-2 lead in the last of the seventh when the Raiders had the tying run on second base with one out.
But Marchinoski got Cory Mazzoni to fly out to right and Kevin Rohm popped out to end the game.
"Josh is gutty," said Florie. "He's gritty, he's tough — he's everything."
After SV had taken a 1-0 lead on Double's run-scoring two-base hit in the third inning, Butler (8-4, 5-1) answered in the next half inning.
Blakely scored on Jay McDonough's pinch-hit single and courtesy runner Jordan Roycroft came home on Ordy's base hit.
The Raiders proceeded to leave six men on base over the final four innings.
"(Butler) came up with two big defensive plays, but even with those, I thought we should have scored more than two runs," said SV coach Eric Semega.
The Raiders entered the game having collected only seven hits in their previous two contests.
"It's certainly not because of a lack of effort," said Semega. "Our players are aggressive at the plate. I'm not sure what it is."
SV sophomore left-hander Kyle Helisek shouldered the loss after pitching 5X\c innings. He struck out one, walked three and surrendered three runs on eight hits.
"He gave up just three runs and wasn't on top of his game," said Semega. "That tells you something about him."
Butler increased its lead to 3-1 in the fifth when Robbie Cochran's single to left plated Jim McCaslin.
The Raiders (7-4, 4-2) managed a run in the bottom of the sixth when Jim Burry scored on Dan Jergel's sacrifice fly.

Butler 000 210 0—3 9 1
Seneca Valley 001 001 0—2 7 1
WP:
Josh Marchinoski (7 IP) 0 strikeouts, 6 walks. LP: Kyle Helisek (5 IP) 1 strikeout, 3 walks
Butler (8-4, 5-1): Aaron Ordy 2-1B RBI, Adam Miller 2-1B, Andy Onufrak 1B, Jim McCaslin 1B R 2SB, Robbie Cochran 1B RBI, Darren Blakely 1B R SB, Jay McDonough 1B RBI, Jordan Roycroft R.
Seneca Valley (7-4, 4-2): Phil Double 1B 2B RBI, Zach Duggan SB, Cory Mazzoni 1B, Kevin Rohm 2-1B, Kenny Walrond 1B, Dan Jergel 1B R RBI, Jim Burry R 2SB.