The tying run was standing 90 feet away.

Cory Greiner didn't care. Seneca Valley's junior left-hander was determined to finish what he started.

Greiner struck out pinch-hitter Brandon Fleeger — recording only his second strikeout all night — as the Raiders held on to defeat Butler, 3-2, Thursday night in Section 1-6A baseball play at Kelly Automotive Park.

“I just pretended that runner wasn't even there,” Greiner said. “I was concentrating on the hitter. Get him out and it's over.”

Greiner had shut down the Golden Tornado earlier this season, pitching his team to a 4-1 win April 18 at Raider Field. He took a no-hitter and a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning of the rematch.

Ryan Lynn broke up the no-hit bid with a one-out infield single. Jacob Keene then singled sharply to left and Colby Anderson's single to right got Butler on the board.

Greiner helped SV get the run back in the sixth, He singled to center with one out and advanced to second when the ball was bobbled in the outfield. Anthony Cinicola lined a single to left to plate Greiner.

The Raiders then loaded the bases with one out. Joey Kozlina flied out to deep right. Cinicola tagged from third and would have scored easily, but the other runners strayed far from their bases to result in an inning-ending double play.

Seneca Valley stranded 13 runners in the game, leaving the bases loaded two other times.

“That's been our achilles heel all year,” SV coach Eric Semega said. “We haven't been able to get the big hit. We were shut out four times in our 10 section games.

“Two other times, we scored one run ... That's not going to get you into the next (playoff) season.”

Seneca Valley (9-8, 4-6) finished in a three-way tie for the fourth and final WPIAL playoff spot in Section 1-6A. North Alleghenv won the head-to head tiebreaker over SV and Shaler.

Butler (8-6, 5-5) finished section play tied with Pine-Richland for second place.

“That kid (Greiner) did a great job of keeping our hitters off-balance,” Butler coach Cody Herald said. “He throws a knuckleball along with a fastball.

“You don't see many knuckleball guys in high school. It's tough to prepare your hitters for it.”

Greiner threw 94 pitches in the contest. With two outs and none on in the seventh, he walked Keene. Pinch-hitter Isaiah Lucas then hit a run-scoring triple to deep left to pull the Tornado within a run.

“Isaiah is one of those kids who is always ready,” Herald said. “He was standing along the rail the entire game, awaiting his chance. It came and he ran with it.”

The Raiders' win snapped a four-game losing streak. SV scored only three runs in those four losses.

“We played well enough to get in the playoffs. But when you don't score runs, it makes it tough,” Greiner said.

“I know their hitters,” he said of Butler. “And I knew to mix things up, not always throw the same type of pitch whether I'm ahead or behind in the count. It worked out.”

Semega lauded his pitcher's performance.

“Cory was outstanding,” he said. “That's twice he shut down a very good hitting team in Butler.

“He knows how to change speeds and make pitches work for him. This was a nice win.”

Seneca Valley 010 101 0 — 3 10 1

Butler 000 010 1 — 2 5 3

W: Cory Greiner 7IP (2K, 2BB). L: Nash Bryan 3.1IP (1K, 2BB).

Seneca Valley (9-8, 4-6): Josh McLean 2-1B, Cory Greiner 1B, Anthony Cinicola 2-1B RBI, Brett Steinle 1B, Luke Engel 1B, Justin Dattoli 1B, Cameron Vozel 2-1B RBI

Butler (8-6, 5-5): Gsret Banner 1B, Ryan Lynn 1B, Jacob Keene 1B, Colby Anderson 1B RBI, Isaiah Lucas 3B RBI

Saturday: McDowell vs. Butler, 4 p.m., Highfield Park

Monday: Seneca Valley at Plum