JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley’s six losses this season have been littered with missed opportunities at the plate.

That was not a problem Thursday afternoon.

The Raiders scored at least two runs in four innings in a 9-1 victory over Butler at Raider Field.

“We’ve been hitting, but not getting the timely hits,” said SV coach George Trew. “We had opportunities today to drive in runs and took advantage of them.”

After pitching a scoreless first inning, Butler senior Alexis Schmeider allowed two runs in the second inning and quickly faced another jam in the third.

Morgan Aloi led off the third with a single. With one out, Elayna Nagy walked. Maddie Schultz smacked an RBI-single and Nagy also scored on the play due to a Butler error.

Karli Hacker then reached base on a fielder’s choice in which no out was recorded. Tori Pfab doubled in Schultz to make it 5-0 and Schmeider’s outing was over.

Butler’s Alex Graham came in and allowed no further damage in the third, getting Katie Hickman to line into a 1-5 double play. But the Raiders would get to Graham as well, scoring four runs in their final three at-bats.

Schultz, Pfab and Amanda Magill all doubled in the game for the Raiders.

“We hit both of their pitchers and they throw two different speeds,” said Trew. “That was good to see. We hit the ball well today.”

Butler actually out-hit the Raiders 9-7, but as the game entered the seventh inning, SV’s Hickman was still working on a shutout.

Noel Pfabe broke it up when she singled home Katelyn Bronder with two outs, but that was all the offense the Tornado (1-5, 1-4) could muster.

“Other than the Brashear game (a 10-6 win March 30), this is the first game we really hit the ball,” said Butler coach Tina O’Donnell. “We had some injuries to start the year and are starting to get them back in the mix.”

Butler tallied three consecutive one-out singles in the top of the first — off the bats of Pfabe, Jen Miller and Julia Gibson — but Pfabe was caught in a rundown between third and home and Graham fouled out to end the inning.

Hickman’s victory included three strikeouts and just one walk.

“That first inning could have gotten ugly,” said Trew, “but Katie pitched well today. She made them put the ball in play and our defense played well behind her.”

Butler 000 000 1 — 1 9 2

Seneca Valley 023 022 x — 9 7 1

W: Katie Hickman 7 IP (3K, 1BB). L: Alexis Schmeider 2.1 IP (0K, 1BB).

Butler (1-5, 1-4): Kat Rudolf 2-1B, Noel Pfabe 2-1B RBI, Jen Miller 3-1B, Julia Gibson 1B, Katelyn Bronder 1B R

Seneca Valley (4-6, 2-5): Morgan Aloi 1B R, Elayna Nagy HR 2R 2RBI, Maddie Schultz 1B 2B 2R RBI, Tori Pfab 2B 2RBI, Katie Hickman 1B, Amanda Magill 2B R RBI, Jodi Frontino R, Morgan Prouty 2R, Kaylee Martin RBI

Today: Butler at North Allegheny; Seneca Valley at Baldwin