JACKSON TWP — One by one, the Seneca Valley softball team sent hitters to the plate.

They dug into the batter's box, squeezed the handle of their aluminum bats and took mighty swings.

Ping. Ping. Ping.

By the time the onslaught was over, the Raiders had collected 12 hits — five for extra bases — and scored eight runs in an 8-2 home win over Pine-Richland Tuesday.

It was enough to awe even Pine-Richland coach Jeff Seybert.

"They hit the tar out of the ball," Seybert said.

The Raiders' Megan McCormick hit the ball as if it had wronged her in some way.

The senior, who is headed to Indiana (Pa.) University next season, went 3-for-3 with a three-run home run in the first inning and two doubles, raising her season average to above .500.

Her homer screamed over the fence in right-center field and gave the Raiders a 5-2 lead.

"She's smacking it hard," said Seneca Valley coachGeorge Trew. "She really is. She's seeing the ball well. She's not alone."

She certainly isn't.

Courtney Grootegoed doubled home two runs in the first inning and Jackie Mangola had an RBI double.

Seneca Valley(9-1, 7-1) has been no stranger to scoring runs this season. The Raiders have now crossed the plate 81 times in 10 games.

"Everyone up and down the order have been hitting," Trew said. "Everyone is contributing and that's a nice thing."

It wasn't so nice for Pine-Richland.

Kayla Dishler managed just two strikeouts for the Rams, although she settled down after the five-run Seneca Valley first inning.

Seybert was more dismayed about his team's approach to playing the Raiders.

"They always have a strong lineup," Seybert said. "You know that when you play them.

"I have a young lineup. The girls were nervous. They were nervous the last time we played them. That's something you have to get over."

The run support was plenty for Grootegoed, who cruised through seven innings on the way to a four-hitter. She struck out a seven, walked two and the Rams' two runs were unearned.

After a 4-3 loss to North Hills, the Raiders have won five straight.

"It may have been a little bit of a spark for us," Trew said about the defeat. "We didn't play our best game that day; we may have been a little bit flat. I think it kind of woke us up and we've been hitting the ball well since then."

Pine-Richland 200 000 0—2 4 0Seneca Valley 501 200 x—8 12 1W: Courtney Grootegoed 7 IP (7 K, 2 BB).

L: Kayla Dishler 6 IP (2 K, 0 BB).

Pine-Richland (5-7, 3-4): Kristin Killeen 1B; Deanna Kelly 1B; Renee Clark 2-1B

Seneca Valley (9-1, 7-1): Dana Hughes 2-1B; Alyssa DiMaria 2-1B; Jackie Mangola 2B, RBI; MeganMcCormick HR, 2-2B; Kelsey Gray 1B;Lauren Hunt 1B, 2B

Thursday: Seneca Valley at North Allegheny