JACKSON TWP — Pitchers’ duel or slugfest, it hasn’t mattered.

The Butler baseball team has found a way to win both.

The latest one-run victory for the Golden Tornado came in a wild road game against rival Seneca Valley. The teams combined for 19 runs, 23 hits and seven errors as Butler outlasted the Raiders, 10-9.

“It was a test for both sides,” said Butler coach Todd Erdos. “Both sides played and battled to the end and showed no quit. It was one of those games that was bound to happen; We’re going to give up some runs. Our team responded today by scoring some runs itself.”

Butler (7-2, 4-0) had given up just five runs in its six wins this season and had also won four one-run games during its hot start.

The Golden Tornado scored four runs on just one hit in the first inning, but watched that lead evaporate into a 4-4 tie by the end of the first frame, setting the tone for the wild game to follow.

Butler scored its four runs thanks in large part to four walks and a catcher’s interference call.

The Tornado hadn’t put a lot of runs up on the board so far this season, but were patient at the plate, drawing nine walks and chasing Seneca Valley starter Troy Martin with just one out in the first inning.

“I think our guys definitely have the capability to do it,” Erdos said. “We talked this week about pitch selection. It wasn’t a matter of mechanics, but just selecting the wrong pitches to swing at. They were very patient today. We got a lot of walks, made their pitchers work and that definitely played in our favor.”

Butler added four more runs in the top of the third inning for an 8-4 lead. The key hit was a two-run double off the bat of Cory Wheeler, who also made two stellar plays in the field at shortstop on grounders hit to his right.

He gunned down both Johnny Brittner and pinch-hitter Nick Gentry on sharp grounders hit between third and short.

“Those were two big-league plays,” Erdos said. “Before the season started, with this group of kids, he’s been the silent leader. We didn’t have captains in the past, but this year he was voted a team captain. That speaks a lot to how this team views Cory.”

Seneca Valley cut the Butler lead to 8-7 with two runs in the bottom of the third and another run in the bottom of the fourth.

Vince Augustine, who had a two-run double for the Raiders in the first inning, got the third inning started with a double and scored on a RBI single by Jake Laskey. Alex Hajduk, who had three hits on the day, also had a RBI single in the frame.

Matt Rafferty drove in a run with a single in the fourth.

Butler tacked on two runs in the top of the seventh inning off of Rafferty, Seneca Valley’s third pitcher of the day.

It turned out Butler needed them as the Raiders scored twice in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run single by John Davis, who was stranded on first when Nick Reemer got a pop-up to end the game.

Reemer worked three innings in relief of winner Wyatt Daugherty to get the save.

“He was throwing strikes and making them earn their hits,” Erdos said of Reemer. “It was fortunate enough for us that he was able to get that final out for us when it was 10-9.”

Things have not been fortunate this season for Seneca Valley (3-7, 2-3).

The Raiders came into the season gunning for their fourth-straight trip to the WPIAL Quad-A title game, but are struggling just to stay in the playoff race.

Seneca Valley already has lost ace pitcher Connor Coward for the season with back problems. Coward, who is headed to Virginia Tech, missed most of his sophomore season with the same issue.

The issues on the field for Seneca Valley these days are substantial.

“It’s not baseball. It’s frustrating to watch,” said Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega. “Nine walks? You aren’t going to win many games. Period. And if you don’t do the other things right, you aren’t going to win any games. Right now, on any given day, we are doing one thing right and three things wrong. That’s a recipe for a non-playoff team.”

Butler, which won just two games last season, is a game ahead of North Allegheny for the section lead.

“You couldn’t ask for anything more than the way these kids are playing,” Erdos said.

Despite the first-half struggles, Semega is still hopeful his team can turn things around.

“I think we’re still going to be in the mix with everyone else; I don’t think anyone is running away with it,” Semega said. “If you play like this, it doesn’t matter. We still have opportunities.”

Butler 404 000 2 — 10 9 3

Seneca Valley 402 100 2 — 9 14 4

W: Wyatt Daugherty 4IP (4K, 0BB). L: Bryce Schnatterly 4.2IP (3K, 2BB). SV: Nick Reemer 3IP (0K, 1BB)

Butler (7-2, 4-0): Garrett Goslaw 1B RBI; Cory Wheeler 2B 2-RBI, Nick Patten 2-1B RBI, Logan Maxwell 1B, Ryan Vero 2-1B RBI, Ryan Denny 1B 2-RBI, Kyle Campbell 1B RBI

Seneca Valley (3-7, 2-3): John Harper 1B 3-SB, Johnny Brittner 2-1B 2-SB, Vince Augustine 1B 2B 2-RBI, Corbin Kessler 1B, Jake Laskey 2-1B RBI, Alex Hajduk 3-1B 2-RBI, John Davis 1B 2-RBI, Matt Rafferty 2-1B

Today: North Hills vs. Butler at Kelly Automotive Park, 7 p.m.

Tuesday: North Hills at Seneca Valley