Seneca Valley pitcher Troy Martin will be counted on as a key cog on the mound as the Raiders attempt to defend their WPIAL Quad-A baseball title.dave prelosky/Butler eagle

Arms, arms and more arms.

But don't forget about the bats.

Some Butler County area baseball teams appear to have a plethora of both this season.

Seneca Valley, which is coming off its improbable run last season from barely making the WPIAL playoffs as a 16th seed to winning the WPIAL Quad-A title, lost its biggest arm, Connor Coward, but may have enough back to make another run.

Left-hander Troy Martin will be counted on, among others, to fill the void on the mound left by Coward.

“Obviously, we want to make the second season,” said Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega. “I think we have a great shot to make the playoffs if we can be consistent. This group saw what happened last year when you squeak into the playoffs.”

Butler won't be squeaking into anything after a breakout season that saw the Tornado rise to the top of the section last season.

This year the section has a new look with old standbys Seneca Valley, North Allegheny, North Hills and new members, Pine-Richland and Moon, joining Butler.

All six teams made the WPIAL playoffs last season.

“It's going to be a dogfight,” said Butler coach Todd Erdos. “All the teams are good. There's not going to be any easy battles.”

Butler does have two big-time pitchers returning in Mark Gross and Wyatt Daugherty.

There are some big-time pitchers also returning elsewhere in the county.

Mars gets Cam Smith back on the hill this season with Andy Bednar resuming his role as head coach after a six-year hiatus as an assistant.

Smith was 4-2 witha 1.65 ERA last season.

Slippery Rock has a duo of pitchers who could be aces.

Jackson Kerches will miss some time at the beginning of the season, but will bring his 2.35 ERA back to the mound in May.

Jake Arienzo also flourished last season for the Rockets with a 1.97 ERA.

Karns City is looking for mainstay Matt Yough to be an ace and the return to health of Holden Martin to solidify its staff.

And Moniteau has a not-so-secret weapon in Derek Boben, who was nearly unhittable last season in spot action with a 0.23 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 31 innings.

Hitting wise, Mars has Ty Reginelli and his .529 average back to terrorize pitchers.

Slippery Rock welcomes back Ryan Lauster, who hit .412 and only struck out three times in 68 plate appearances.

Freeport's Josh Beale will look to build on his .385 average and Moniteau's Josh McBride was a dangerous hitter with a .409 average and 15 RBI.

Here is a look at this year's Butler County area baseball teams:

<B>Butler</B>Coach: Todd Erdos, fifth yearLast year: 12-6The Arms: Wyatt Daugherty (senior), Mark Gross (senior), Jeremy Moorehead (senior), Zach Henderson (junior), Cade Negley (sophomore), Connor Ollio (freshman)The Bats: Reid Werth (senior), OF; Nathan Kibbie (junior), OF; Dallas Hays (sophomore), IF/OF; Moorehead, Connor Thomas (senior), Garrett Goslaw (senior) 3B; Ian Steighner (senior) SS; Gross, 1B; Lake Sankey (senior), C; Chad White (senior), C.<B>Seneca Valley</B>Coach: Eric Semega, 15th yearLast year: 12-12, WPIAL Quad-A championsThe Arms: Troy Martin (senior), Brandon Schlick (senior), Vince Augustine (senior)The Bats: Augustine, OF; Johnny Brittner (senior), 2B; Corbin Kessler (junior), 3B; Matt Wagner (senior), LFKnochCoach: George Bradley, fifth yearLast year: 8-9The Arms: Alex Stobert (junior), Cole Shinsky (junior), Brian Jack (junior), Dustin Montgomery (senior), Jeremy Frazier (junior), Nick Guercio (junior), Chris Law (senior), Ryan Grossman (senior)The Bats: Asa Adams (senior), C; Jordan Kowalski (senior), 3B; Garrett Traggiai (senior), 3B; Shinsky, 1B; Addis Crouch (junior), OF; Dom Bucko (sophomore), CF; P.J. Gourley (sophomore); Mike McCarty (sophomore), IF; Jake Herrit (freshman), OF/IF<B>Mars</B>Coach: Andy Bednar, first season (second stint)Last year: 11-7The Arms: Cam Smith (senior), Matt Berouin (senior), Zach Hanes (senior), Luke Doudy (senior), Ryan Leshinsky (senior)The Bats: Ty Reginelli (senior), SS; Zarek Simkovich (junior), Utl.; Jake Swiatek (senior), C<B>Freeport</B>Coach: Chris Graczyk, 15th yearLast year: 11-6The Arms: Ryan Eshenbaugh (senior), Matt VanTine (senior), Nathan Pastorek (junior)The Bats: Josh Beale (junior), 3B; Justin Brestensky (junior), IF; Kris Keppel (junior), OF; Frank Stefko (junior), C; Pastorek, 1B<B>North Catholic</B>Coach: John Haggarty, first yearLast year: 9-9, section champsThe Arms: Nick Tunstall (senior), Jake Matschner (senior), Andrew Kocay (senior)The Bats: Matschner, SS; Robert Schad (junior), RF; Nick Nyman (senior), 3B; Tyler Morris (senior), CF<B>Karns City</B>Coach: Randy Collins, fifth yearLast year: 19-2, District 9 Class AA championsThe Arms: Matt Yough (senior), Holden Martin (junior), Alessandro Marotto (senior), Eric Dodd (sophomore), Jimmy Thompson (sophomore)The Bats: Yough, SS; Marotto, 3B; Martin, SS/2B; Tyler Dunn (senior), OF; Cody Dead (senior), 1BMoniteauCoach: Ross Martin, 10th yearLast year: 14-3The Arms: Zach Jewart (senior), Derek Boben (junior), Josh Adamson (sophomore), Josh McBride (senior), Jake McBride (senior), Austin Blauser (senior), Lake Pry (sophomore)The Bats: Josh McBride, OF; Jake McBride, 3B; Boben, IF; Aaron Marterella (junior), 2B/SS; Blauser, C; Cody Skiver (senior), OF; Kaleb Eshebbaugh (senior), 1B<B>A-C Valley</B>Coach: Mike Woodward, second yearLast year: 2-7The Arms: Tommy Amsler (junior)The Bats: John Anderson (senior): Zach Muhl (junior); Cody Jones (senior); Drew Kralj (senior)l Aaron Busch (sophomore); Noah Morgan (junior); Hunter Definbaugh (senior)<B>Union</B>Coach: Alan Carmichael, second yearLast year: 4-10The Arms: Hank Murphy (junior), Jordan Krear (senior), Lane Cicciarelli (senior), Chet Carmichael (senior), Dana Logue (sophomore), Gavin Guntrum (junior), Lucas Bowser (freshman)The Bats: Sutton Varner (junior), OF; Jordan Heeter (senior), OF; Nathan Solida (junior), C; Gavin Hawk (sophomore), IF; Dugan Gallagher (junior), OF; Brandon Spencer (senior), 3B; Dylan Gallagher (senior), OF; Cicciarelli, SS; Carmichael, OF; Zach Hepler (senior), OF; Murphy, IF; Krear, IF<B>Slippery Rock</B>Coach: Nathan McCollough, fourth yearLast year: 13-7The Arms: Jackson Kerchis (junior), Jake Arienzo (senior), Gunner Becker (sophomore), Nick Stutz (sophomore), Kyle Benson (sophomore), Ricky Minneo (freshman)The Bats: Ryan Lauster (junior), SS; Travis Lauster (senior), CF; Josh Bowser (junior), C; Jason Bennett (senior), OF; Jason Rockburn (senior), IF/OF<B>Grove City</B>Coach: Bill Herman, second yearLast year: 9-8The Arms: Jesse Hodge (senior), Brandon Grace (senior); Justin Orlowski (junior); Kyle Shingledecker (sophomore); Zach Reddick (senior)The Bats: Jordan Anderson (senior), OF; Shingledecker, IF; Nick Davies (sophomore), IF/OF; Brandon Dennis (junior), C; Brett Snyder (senior), 1B

Slippery Rock’s Ryan Lauster is one of the best hitters in the Butler County area. Last season, Lauster batted .412 and struck out just three times in 68 plate appearances for the Rockets.Tye Cypher/special to the Butler Eagle