UPPER ST. CLAIR TWP — Both teams let great scoring chances slip through the cracks.

For Bethel Park, it turned out to be only a footnote. For Seneca Valley, it led to the end of its season.

The Raiders left 13 runners on base, including seven in scoring position, in Tuesday's 3-2 ten-inning loss to the Black Hawks in a WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinal playoff at Boyce-Mayview Park.

“We did everything to put ourselves in position to win,” said SV coach Eric Semega. “I think we were shot down (no base runners) in just two innings, but we couldn't get the big hit.”

Bethel Park (15-3) struggled in that area as well, but Cooper Shoemaker made all of the failed attempts irrelevant with his at-bat in the bottom of the 10th frame.

Against SV reliever Ethan Edkins, Eric Chalus and Kevin Kogler had back-to-back singles to begin the inning. Anthony Strangis walked to load the bases before Brandon Cole fouled out, bringing Shoemaker to the plate.

He lined a 2-1 pitch to left field, scoring Chalus from third base to end the game.

“I knew coming in here that this was going to be a one-run game,” said Bethel Park coach Tony Fisher. “I expected it.”

But Fisher didn't know how many jams his pitchers would have to escape.

Bethel Park starter Evan Bromley had to deal with heavy traffic on the basepaths during the majority of his first five innings, but somehow limited the Raiders to just two runs. He again encountered trouble in the sixth with the Raiders already leading 2-1.

Drew Robertson walked, Gabe Lawson reached on an error and Jon McCollough's would-be sacrifice bunt turned into a base hit to load the bases with no outs.

Bromley struck out Matt Stanger and was pulled for reaching 100 pitches. Kogler was brought in and induced Mark Trotta to hit into a 5-2-3 double play.

Though Seneca Valley tallied just five hits in the game, the Raiders were issued eight free passes and another batter reached base after being hit by a pitch. They were held scoreless over the final seven innings of the game, the last 4 2/3 innings by Kogler and winning pitcher Chalus.

“Some of our at-bats (with runners in scoring position) were better than others,” said Semega, “but our guys competed. They were all up there trying to do their best.”

Bethel Park used the momentum gained from shutting the door on the Raiders in the top of the sixth to score the tying run in the bottom of the inning.

Kogler doubled off of SV starter Cory Greiner and moved to third base on Strangis' single. Cole's single tied the game, but the Black Hawks stranded a runner at third after a strikeout and a double-play.

Bethel Park left eight runners on base, seven of them in the fourth through ninth. Greiner struck out eight and walked one in his seven innings.

“You hold a team like Bethel Park to just two runs (through nine innings), you're pitching pretty well,” said Semega. “You look at their numbers for the year, they've been killing the ball.

The Raiders (13-7) made the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in four years.

“A lot of our players this year struggled last year,” said Semega. “And we get back to the playoffs. I consider this season a success. It's just disappointing when your last game is a loss and you know you had a good chance to win.”

Cole went 4-for-5 for Bethel Park, including a solo home run that tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the second.

“He leads us in walks because nobody wants to pitch to him,” said Fisher. “He got pitches to hit today.”

One out when winning run scored

Seneca Valley 011 000 000 0 — 2 5 0

Bethel Park 010 001 000 1 — 3 13 2

W: Eric Chalus 2 IP (3K, 0BB). L: Ethan Edkins 2.1 IP (0K, 2BB).

Seneca Valley (13-7): Cameron Vozel 1B, Josh McLean 1B R RBI, Drew Robertson 2B, Jon McCullough 1B RBI, Conor Carney 1B

Bethel Park (15-3): Eric Chalus 1B R, Kevin Kogler 2-1B 2B, Brandon Cole 3-1B HR 2RBI, Cooper Shoemaker 1B RBI, David Kessler 2-1B