When things were at their bleakest, Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega posed a question to pitcher Tyler Budisky.

He apparently liked what he heard.

Budisky blanked Butler over the final three innings Thursday while the Raiders bats erupted for six runs in the fifth inning and seven more in the seventh to come away with a 14-6 section victory at Pullman Park.

With the loss, the Golden Tornado need Pine-Richland to beat Shaler today to earn a WPIAL Quad A playoff berth.

Butler had scored five runs in the third inning off Budisky and added another in the fourth inning.

"Tyler's a junior and I wanted to get him some confidence," said Semega. "I asked him if he wanted the ball and he said yes. That's what I wanted to hear."

An RBI single by SV's Jake Double in the first inning had staked Budisky to a 1-0 lead before Butler plated five runs in the third.

An RBI double by the Tornado's John Crummy was followed by a two-run single by Ryan Fennell. One out later, Colin Williamson doubled, then a throwing error to first on a ground ball by Mike Hartman allowed two runs to score.

A sacrifice fly by Ryan Fennell in the fourth gave Butler its five-run advantage.

That was before the Raiders' bats finally came to life in the fifth inning.

After opening the inning with a strikeout, Butler pitcher Zac Sessa had retired 10 consecutive batters before the Raiders' Sam Fragale and Blake Henderson had back-to-back singles.

After Pete Vicente was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Double slapped a two-run single and Budisky had a two-run double.

With two outs and Butler's C.J. Miller pitching, Jeremy Gorniak had an run-scoring triple and Jack Grahm an RBI single for a 7-6 Raiders lead.

"They did solve (Sessa), to their credit," said Butler coach Dave Florie. "They got some momentum and we never recovered."

Butler did have a runner at third and two outs in the fifth inning but couldn't score, then had another chance to tie in the sixth inning.

With one out, Tyler Slepski doubled down the left-field line and Crummy was intentionally walked.

Ryan Fennell hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Fragale, who fired to second baseman Grahm, then threw a bit off line to first but Justin Stanger made a diving catch while keeping his foot on the bag to finalize the inning-ending double play.

In the seventh inning, the Raiders blew the game open. Pinch-hitter Carter Bondo had an RBI triple. One out later, Fragale had an RBI single, then Henderson tallied a two-run single. After Butler committed a two-run error, an RBI single by Double closed out the scoring.

It was a tough season for the Raiders, who will miss the playoffs. But they also missed teammate Sam Bucci, a pitcher who was killed in an automobile accident in January.

"This game could have gone like the other 15 this year," Semega said. "We wanted something to look back on the season, some good time. Maybe this was the one."

Seneca Valley 100 060 7 — 14 13 2Butler 005 100 0 — 6 11 1W: Tyler Budisky 7 IP (5K, 3BB).

L: C.J. Miller 2Z\c IP (2K, 3BB).

Seneca Valley (6-10, 4-8): Blake Henderson 3-1B, 2 RBI; Jake Double 3-1B, 4 RBI; Tyler Budisky 2B, 2 RBI; Kyle Gorniak 3B, RBI; Jack Grahm 1B, RBI; Sam Fragale 3-1B, RBI; Carter Bondo 3B, RBI

Butler (12-7, 6-6): Mickey Fennell 2-1B; Tyler Slepski 2B; John Crummy 1B, 2B, RBI; Ryan Fennell 1B, 3 RBI; Colin Williamson 2-1B, 2B; Mike Hartman 2-1B, RBI

Wednesday: Seneca Valley vs. Central Catholic