BUTLER TWP — Friends can go a long way — perhaps as far as California.

The Lyndora Lancers are hoping for as much as they prepare to play in the Palomino East Zone Tournament this weekend at Highfield Park.

The Lancers, 14-10 during the regular season and 21-13-1 overall, swept their way through the double-elimination Palomino regional last weekend for the first time in Ron Zawrotuk's 15 years as coach.

"These guys are all friends. It's as simple as that," Zawrotuk said in explaining the difference in this year's team. "These kids have played together, they get along well together and they've gone to the same high school."

The winner of the six-team East Zone event receives an all-expenses-paid trip to San Jose, Calif., and the Palomino World Series next weekend.

"These kids want to make that trip. They believe they can do it," Zawrotuk said.

All but two of the Lancers are from Butler. Utility player Josh Dailey is from Slippery Rock and Luke Szymanski of Ford City is an injury pickup from the Worthington-Kittanning Palomino program for the zone tournament.

Right fielder Ian Jewart injured his rotator cuff diving for a ball in the last regional game and is out for the year. Designated hitter Tony Fudoli will move to right field for the zone event and Szymanski will take over at DH.

Five Lyndora players, Joe Marak, Cody Montgomery, Vinnie and David Schmidt, C.J. Miller, joined the Lancers from the Butler Township Colt team that made the Eastern Regional World Series in North Carolina last summer.

"Those guys are used to winning and they definitely added something this year," veteran Lancers second baseman Eric King said.

King is in his third year with the Lancers. Last year's team finished below .500 and the team had gone two-and-out the past two years in regional play.

Lyndora defeated Springdale 5-2 in the first game of regional play last weekend when Matt Monnie pitched a complete game.

Marak pitched all nine innings of a 3-2 extra-inning win over Washington in the second game. Washington entered the tournament undefeated this season.

Hunter Lumley tossed all seven innings of a 5-4 win over OTN Youngstown, another team that entered the regional unbeaten, in the third game.

Vinnie Schmidt pitched five innings and Miller one in a 4-3 victory over Springdale in the regional title game. The game marked Miller's first action since being sidelined by a knee injury in mid-June.

"It feels good being able to get through this," King said. "We're a confident team right now. There's no reason why we can't keep winning."

Monnie, Marak, Miller, Lumley and Vinnie Schmidt handle the Lancers' pitching chores. Nick Bole is the catcher, Tim Geibel plays first base, King plays second, David Schmidt is the shortstop and Roman Bargo is at third.

Cody Montgomery, Tyler Wiest and Fudoli man the outfield from left to right.

Geibel, 19, was an outstanding pitcher-first baseman for Butler High in 2008. He moved on to Wheeling Jesuit University.

"He's coming off a bad shoulder," Zawrotuk said. "We gave him a place to play and he's been good for us."

Each Palomino team is allowed as many as three 19-year-olds on its squad.

Other teams in the East Zone Tournament include host North Allegheny, Cincinnati, Youngstown, Virginia Beach and a team from New York City.

The event is being held at Highfield because North Allegheny's field is undergoing some upgrades.