Balanced Butler beats Raiders
Tornado tops in all phases of game

By Derek Pyda
Eagle Staff Writer

For Dave Florie, playing baseball means more than simply taking a glove into the field and a bat to the plate.
The Butler coach's definition includes being efficient in all three phases of the game hitting, pitching and defense.
Florie watched his team excel in all areas Thursday night to claim a 7-2 win over rival Seneca Valley in a Section 1-AAAA clash at Pullman Park.
"After every game, I ask the players if they played baseball today," said Florie. "I was pleased with the whole performance. Tonight, we got good pitching, played great defense and got timely hits. When you do all three, you're putting yourself in position to win the game."
Butler right-hander Joe Marak started and pitched five innings for the win. The senior struck out four, walked one and surrendered two runs on four hits.
Just as impressive was the relief work turned in by left-hander Zac Sessa, who allowed only one baserunner in the final two innings.
Marak retired SV in order in the second and third innings, and Sessa did so in the sixth.
"I thought both of them pitched very well," said Florie. "We wanted to keep Seneca Valley's hitters off-balance. (Marak and Sessa) were able to limit the number of hard hit balls."
Butler's 1-0 lead grew to 4-0 in the bottom of the third inning. Tanner McCaw got it started when he reached base on an throwing error.
Cody Herald then doubled to right-center, scoring courtesy runner David Schmidt.
After Herald moved to third on Evan Oswald's sacrifice bunt, Dustin Uhlman recorded an infield single and John Crummy's flyout plated Herald.
Uhlman came home on Tyler Slepski's two-out single, after which SV starter Jay Condit was relieved by Sam Bucci.
Condit took the loss for the Raiders (6-3, 3-3), giving up the four runs on six hits. He didn't strike out or walk a batter.
"Jay was leaving everything up," said SV coach Eric Semega. "He wasn't hitting his spots like he normally does, but, at the same time, Butler was putting the bat on the ball and their hitters weren't swinging at bad pitches."
The Raiders cut their deficit to 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning when Zach Motyl led off with a single and scored after Bucci drove a one-out triple to left-center.
Brad Johnson followed with an RBI-single, but Marak got Jake Double to fly out and Kyle Sasala to ground out to end the threat.
Butler (9-4, 4-2) added three runs to its lead in the bottom of the sixth frame after Tanner Master walked and McCaw reached on a throwing error with two outs with Bucci still on the mound for the Raiders.
Herald walked to load the bases and Oswald delivered a two-run single. Two batters later, Crummy drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Herald.
Butler's defense was solid the entire game, highlighted by Master's catch in deep center in the top of the seventh in which the outfielder had his back to the plate when he snagged Vinnie Rice's fly ball.
Butler opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning when Tyler Weist scored on Eric King's sacrifice fly.
After beginning the section slate 3-0, Seneca Valley has dropped three straight to North Allegheny, Pine-Richland and Butler.
The Raiders defeated P-R 3-2 Saturday, but the game was later turned into a forfeit loss after it was discovered SV had used an ineligible pitcher.
"The Pine-Richland game was my fault," said Semega. "But we have to be more disciplined at the plate or we're not going to make the playoffs."

Seneca Valley 000 020 0 2 5 2
Butler 013 003 x 7 7 0
W: Joe Marak (5 IP) 4 K, 1 BB. L: Jay Condit (2 2/3 IP) 0 K, 0 BB.

Butler (9-4, 4-2): Cody Herald 1B 2B 2R RBI, Evan Oswald 1B 2 RBI, Dustin Uhlman 1B R, John Crummy 2 RBI, Ryan Fennell 1B 2B, Tyler Slepski 1B RBI, Eric King RBI, Tanner Master R, Tyler Weist R, David Schmidt 2R