When it comes to baseball, Seneca Valley and Mars aren't accustomed to losing.

Both lost last year — and plan to do something about it.

"The ball just didn't bounce our way last year,"said sixth-year Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega. "Things never came together for us."

The Raiders finished 8-11, but return fourth-year catcher Kevan Smith and speedy center fielder Zach Duggan in an effort to turn things around.

Smith has hit near .500 every year and is considered a prospect in June's amateur baseball draft. He already has signed a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh.

"He'll get his shot in baseball if he wants it,"Semega said. "Kevan anchors us offensively and defensively. We have a good mix of veteran kids and younger players.

"Our team chemistry is unbelievable. Everyone supports each other. We're just lacking game experience in some areas, that's all."

Mars is coming off an 8-12 season that eighth-year coach Andy Bednar believes is an aberration.

"Mars' tradition is to be in the playoffs,"Bednar said. "We have two solid pitchers back who should keep us in every game."

Those pitchers are juniors Chip Hasek (3-3, 3.40 earned run average) and D.J. Cannon (1-4, 3.90).

The Planets also return solid hitting in Ryan Lynch (.450 batting average), Cannon (.320) and Zach Zollner (.300).

"We have to play solid defense,"Bednar said. "If we do that, we'll be hard to beat."

Here is a look at area baseball teams this spring:

A-CValley

Coach:Chad Funfer, first year

Assistants:David Etzel, Scott DiTullio

Last year:2-11

They're gone:Andy Smith (CF-P), Trevor Miller (2B-C)

They're back:John Kaufman 1B(senior) .295, Shawn Courson CF (junior) .310, Mark Hart LF(senior), Jesse Mangel P (sophomore), John Sallee P(junior), John Stumpner SS(sophomore), Casey McBride 3B (junior), Ryan Austin C(sophomore)

Funfer says:"Our goals are to win a few more games. We didn't win any two years ago and won two last year, so we're getting better. We've got some pitching this year and have six kids back who played a lot as freshmen."Butler

Coach:Dave Florie, first year

Assistants:Frank Pinto, George Bradley, Chris Rock

Last year:Won four games in posting 13th consecutive losing season

They're gone:N/A

They're back:Brian Warheit P

Florie says:"I can't give names yet because we've got 19 players and I haven't seen enough of who can do what. We'll use our scrimmages and first few non-section games to sort all of that out. We'll work hard every day and hustle. I know the kids are anxious to get on the field."Freeport

Coach:Chris Graczyk, sixth year

Assistant:Josh Riggle

Last year:10-11, lost in first round of WPIALplayoffs

They're gone:Kory Micholas SS, Mike Barch P, Nate Kurtz P, Jake Lassinger C

They're back:Jarred Malcolm 1B-DH(senior), Tyler Hill 2B (junior), Sean Mientus 3B(senior), Tom Ferrante OF(senior), J.P. Samay INF-P(junior), Cory Massart SS(junior)

Graczyk says:"This is a younger team without much varsity experience. We have a lot of guys fighting for positions, but our goal as always is to win the section and play our best, whether we're 12-0 or 0-12."Grove City

Coach:Pat Forese, 19th year

Last year:18-5, District 10 champion

They're gone:Billy Herman (Slippery Rock University), Jim Jaskowak (Baldwin-Wallace), Derek Maybee

They're back:Jesse Alfreno CF(senior) .500, Beau Fisher SS(senior) .400, Dan Keil 1B(junior), Bob Revesz P(junior), Andy Geibel P(senior) 11-2 past two years, Brandon Jones LF(senior), Dan Sonntag RF(senior)

Forese says:"Alfreno and Fisher were co-MVPs of our league last year, so that's a good place to start. They are excellent leaders and our strength overall is pitching and defense. Geibel, Revesz and Keil give us good arms to start and Alfreno will be our closer."Karns City

Coach:Rocky Brown, second year

Assistant:Tom Stewart

Last year:13-4, lost in first round of District 9 playoffs

They're gone:Tyler Callihan SS, Josh Behrens 3B, Matt Ealy P-SS, Nathan Knox 1B, Ryan Earley LF, Kyle Texter CF

They're back:Matt Allen C (senior) .478, Coty McGregor P(senior) 5-0 .15 ERA, Mike Lopresti (INF-OF)senior, Jeremy Bowser P(senior), Saxon Parker P(sophomore), Trevor Williams P(junior), Cameron Turner P(sophomore)

Brown says:"We rely on tradition with such a young team, but we also rely on working hard, which created that tradition. We relied on pitching and defense last year and we'll do it again."Knoch

Coach: Curt Schnur, seventh year

Assistant:Steve Hall

Last year: 11-10, lost in first round of WPIALplayoffs

They're gone:John Lefevre, Bob Kruth

They're back:Justin Demek C(senior), Kevin Bacon OF-P (senior), Austin Leffler 1B(junior) .425 4 HR, Dan Pickard (INF-P)junior, Justin Thompson OF-P(junior), Eric Christensen OF-P(sophomore)

Schnur says:"I feel pretty good about this team. We're solid offensively and defensively. Our pitching is inexperienced, but it's deep with Bacon, Pickard and Jordan Shoop. Our goals are to compete in our section, get to the playoffs and make a run in the playoffs."Mars

Coach: Andy Bednar, eighth year

Assistants:Brian Hobaugh, Jeff Kline

Last year:8-12

They're gone:Dan Pierre, Mark Lucas, Adam Fleming, Calvin Brooks

They're back:Ryan Lynch CF-2B(senior) .450, Chip Hasek P (junior) 3-3 3.40 ERA, D.J. Cannon P (junior) 1-4 3.90 ERA .320, Zach Zollner 3B(junior) .300, Chris Jaicks INF(senior) .270, Adam Spithaler OF(senior) .250

Bednar says:"We lost three of our last four games last year after being in position to make the playoffs. We have to finish strong and use good defense and timely hitting to stay in games.Moniteau

Coach:Ross Martin, first year

Last year:Lost District 9 championship game

They're gone:Mike Benson, Nathan Markle

They're back:Cruz Eshenbaugh P(junior), Cory Campbell 1B (senior), Ryan Eberlein P(senior), Travis Shaffer CF(junior), Garth Kohlmeyer C(senior)

Martin says:"Eshenbaugh and Eberlein are our top two pitchers and should keep us in games. These kids want to get back to the championship game and win it. We want our defense to be something we can hang our hat on because we have a lot of good, quality arms."Seneca Valley

Coach:Eric Semega, sixth year

Last year:8-11

They're gone:Nobody

They're back:Kevan Smith C(senior) .500, Zach Duggan CF (senior), Derek Andrekovich 1B(senior), Cory Mazzoni P(sophomore), Shayne Patsilevas SS(sophomore), Mike Eonta 2B(sophomore), Jim Burry LF(junior), Dave Monteleone P(senior)

Semega says:"Last year, we didn't have the opportunity to prove ourselves with a young pitching staff. This year, pitching, hitting, fielding — we're solid with all three. We're lacking game experience, but things will come along. I'm looking for a 100 percent turnaround."Slippery Rock

Coach:Paul Malley, first year

Last year:5-14-1

They're gone:Tom DeCola P-OF, Gary Wray C

They're back:Billy Messer SS(senior), Sean Ray 3B(senior), Josh Cress OF(senior), Ryan Hays CF-P(senior), Billy Stoughton 1B(senior), David Hewitt OF(senior), Brandon Ray -P(junior), Mark White 2B-P(junior), Adam Brydon RF-P(junior)

Malley says:"Our fielding and hitting will be our strengths early. We have a lot of pitching arms, but we need to sort them out. We have a lot of players who have been starters for three years now and we're hoping that experience pays dividends."Union

Coach:Alan Carmichael, fifth year

Assistant:Jeff Miller

Last year:Lost in second round of District 9 playoffs

They're gone:Cody Mortimer, Nate Carmichael, Devin Davis, Adam Milanovich

They're back:Kyle Hilliard P(senior), Billy Burns CF (senior), Chad Carmichael LF (senior), Brett Moore 1B-RF(junior), Casey Kriebel C(sophomore), Chase Srewart 3B(junior), Nate Boltz 2B(junior)

Carmichael says:"The strength is in our pitching staff. This is the largest number of potential pitchers I've had, including two kids who transferred into our district in (sophomore)A.J. Etheridge and Anthony Hunsberger. We'll have a left-hander on our staff for the first time in years."