WEXFORD — After seeing a 2-0 lead become a 3-2 deficit in the first inning, Seneca Valley coach George Trew strolled out to the mound to talk to pitcher Emily Watson.

The message was simple — relax.

After giving up a two-out two-run homer to Taylor Johns, then a solo shot to Hunter DeShong, Watson limited Plum to just three hits the rest of the way in a 12-3 victory in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs Friday at North Allegheny High School.

It didn't hurt that the Raiders rapped out 18 hits and took advantage of five Mustangs errors.

“I told her, ‘We still got this,'” said Trew. “Just keep the ball low and she did. She got that one up on (Johns) and she crushed it.

“The difference in the game is we responded and that took some life out of them,” Trew added.

“We had heard some things about Watson) and practiced to her strategies,” said Plum coach Jim McGrath.

The visiting Raiders had opened the game on a leadoff bunt single by Alyssa DiMaria.

She advanced to second on a wild pitch and tried to take third, but a perfect throw by Plum catcher DeShong to third had DiMaria caught. In the rundown, she was tagged, but Melissa DeClair dropped the ball and DiMaria was safe at third.

“Alyssa's like that. She makes things go,” said Trew. “She did go through the stop sign, but she ended up safe.”

DiMaria would score on a throwing error after a grounder by Sarah Blagg, who eventually scored on a wild pitch.

The Raiders (11-5) took the lead for good in the second inning when Alyssa Miller smacked a two-run single. Another run plated on a wild pitch for a 5-3 lead.

From there, Watson settled down, allowing just three walks and three hits over the final six innings. She finished with nine strikeouts.

The Raiders tacked on an insurance run in the fifth inning after Megan Buletko, Davies and Erin Mullen each singled before Buletko scored on an error.

The following inning, the Raiders broke the game open, thanks to an RBI single by Julia Vandrak, a two-run double by Buletko and a three-run double by Kelsey Mislan.

Seneca Valley 230 016 0 — 12 18 1Plum 300 000 0 — 3 6 5W: Emily Watson 7 IP (9K, 3BB).

L: Taylor Johns 4.2 IP (3K, 2BB).

Seneca Valley (11-5): Alyssa DiMaria 2-1B; Sarah Blagg 1B; Julia Vandrak 3-1B, RBI; Megan Buletko 1B, 2B, 2 RBI; Emily Watson 2B; Lauren Davies 1B, 2B; Erin Mullen 2-1B; Kelsey Mislan 2-1B, 2B, 3 RBI; Alyssa Miller 3-1B, 2 RBI

Plum (12-6): Taylor Johns 2R-HR; Hunter DeShong HR

Monday: Second round-Seneca Valley vs. Hempfield at Woodland Hills, 4 p.m.