JACKSON TWP — Butler's climb toward the WPIAL baseball playoffs just got a bit easier.

In the process, the Golden Tornado put a rival on the brink of elimination.

Butler tallied 10 hits and received timely pitching en route to a 4-2 Section 1-AAAA victory Monday over Seneca Valley at Raider Field.

The Raiders (3-6 overall) dropped to 1-4 in section play and are in danger of not reaching the postseason for the first time since 2010.

“It's about having a competitive spirit,” Raiders' coach Eric Semega said. “We have individuals who are competing, but we're not competing as a team.

“The things that need to be done are not being done.”

Butler southpaw Zach Henderson pitched six innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five and walking one. His last pitch was a big one for the Tornado (6-3, 2-3).

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth frame, Henderson faced SV's Andrew Funovits with runners at first and second base following consecutive base hits from Anthony Cinicola and Brett Steinmiller.

Henderson fooled Funovits with a fastball on the inside corner and the latter was caught looking for the last out of the inning.

“Zach kept us in the ball game,” said Butler coach Todd Erdos. “He did a good job of locating his pitches, was able to pitch inside and got a lot of big outs for us.”

Dallas Hays closed the game in the seventh. He allowed a one-out single to Mike Collins, but then struck out Shane Hepner to end the game.

The Raiders grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Hepner's base hit plated Lane Palmer and Collins.

But Butler wasted no time in responding. Brandon Hildebrand led off the top of the fourth with an infield single, moved to second base on a wild pitch from Raider starter Corey Laskey and to third on Jefferson Ford's base hit. Hildebrand scored on Adam Hohn's groundout to tie the game.

The Tornado's top of the fifth proved decisive. Connor Ollio and Hildebrand both had RBI-singles in the frame and they were the last runs scored by either team.

Ollio, Hildebrand and Hohn each had a pair of hits for Butler.

“Overall, I thought we stayed within ourselves at the plate today,” said Erdos. “We hit the ball where it was pitched and had several opposite-field hits.”

Laskey took the loss for the Raiders, surrendering all four runs on nine hits in five innings of work. Funovits pitched two scoreless innings of relief for SV.

Collins had four of the Raiders' seven hits, but as a whole the team's lineup struggled.

Corbin Kessler, Seneca's No. 3 hitter, was lost in the bottom of the third inning to a left leg injury.

“That didn't make things any easier for us,” said Semega.

After an 0-3 start in section play, Butler has returned to the postseason race with a pair of 4-2 victories. The Tornado defeated Pine-Richland by that score on Friday.

“We always talk about being a family,” said Henderson, “but after that loss to (North Allegheny, 5-0 on April 8), we kind of got away from that. Now it's like everyone is coming together again.”

Butler 010 120 0 — 4 10 0

Seneca Valley 002 000 0 — 2 7 1

W: Zach Henderson 6 IP (5K, 1BB). L: Corey Laskey 5 IP (0K, 3BB). S: Dallas Hays 1 IP (1K, 0BB).

Butler (6-3, 2-3): Dallas Hays 1B, Cade Negley 2B R, Connor Ollio 2-1B R RBI, Sam Gross R, Brandon Hildebrand 2-1B R, Jefferson Ford 1B, Adam Hohn 2-1B 2RBI, Jarret Lyon 1B

Seneca Valley (3-6, 1-4): Mike Collins 4-1B R, Shane Hepner 1B 2RBI, Anthony Cinicola 1B, Lane Palmer R, Brett Steinmiller 1B

Wednesday: Upper St. Clair at Butler

Thursday: Shaler at Seneca Valley