JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley’s baseball team certainly did not make things easy on itself Tuesday afternoon.

A trio of SV pitchers issued nine walks and the Raiders’ bats produced just four hits, but they did a better job of damage control in claiming a crucial 7-5 section victory over Central Catholic at Raider Field.

The victory came a day after SV dropped a 5-3 decision to the Vikings and the teams are now tied for the final WPIAL playoff spot from the section with identical 4-4 records.

“We’re in a position where we probably have to win out (two games against Butler next week) to make the playoffs,” said Raiders’ coach Eric Semega.

That’s a tall task in itself, but the path to the postseason would be even more formidable if the Raiders hadn’t topped the Vikings (6-7).

While the game included a number of key sequences, two stood out.

Tyler Mack cleared the bases with a one-out triple in the bottom of the third inning, putting the Raiders up 7-2.

Leading 7-3 with two outs in the top of the sixth, SV center fielder Brock White made a diving catch on a ball headed for the left-center field gap. The effort saved two runs.

“He’s made eight or nine great catches for us this year,” said Semega. “If the ball is hit in the air in his direction, the expectation is that he’s going to catch it. That’s not fair to him, but he’s made huge plays for us all season. He won the game against (North Allegheny, 1-0, April 5) for us by making a catch just like today, with his body parallel to the ground.”

The Raiders (9-4 overall) endured one last scare in the top of the seventh. Still holding a four-run lead at the start of the frame, reliever Nick Merola allowed singles to Antonio Cordeiro and Mario Misiti and a two-run double to Cade Clister, who was thrown out at third base at the end of the play.

With a runner at first base, Alex Mortier was brought in to put an end to the rally and he did, stranding two runners.

“We just dug ourselves too big of a hole,” said Central coach John Rende. “We felt we should’ve scored more in that first inning.”

The opportunity was definitely there to do so.

SV starting pitcher Nate Malak, who has pitched like an ace for the majority of the season, began the game by walking Gavin Kelly, who took second and third base on an errant pick-off attempt. He scored on Brendan Koroly’s sacrifice fly.

The next four batters each reached safely — Cordeiro and Clister on free passes; Misiti and Nick Chirumbolo on singles, the latter driving in a second run.

But Malak rebounded by striking out the next two batters to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded.

“I’ll take the blame for part of that,” Semega said of Malak’s shaky beginning. “I wasn’t calling pitches for him and he wasn’t relying on his fastball. He settled down once he started pounding the zone.”

The Raiders got one run back in the second when Pat O’Toole scored on Mack’s base hit, but the latter’s biggest moment in the game came an inning later.

Central starter Tom Hanlon walked the bases loaded with none out to begin the third, allowed the tying run on TJ Border’s fielder’s choice, which did not result in an out, and walked in a third run. Hanlon was pulled in favor of Logan Creamer, but he too issued a walk with the bases loaded to give the Raiders a 4-2 edge.

That brought Mack, SV’s No. 9 hitter, to the plate and he sent a pitch over the head of center fielder Andrew Marcello.

Mack played left field in the game.

“He hasn’t started for us, but he got the opportunity today and boy, did he take advantage of it,” exclaimed Semega.

“The ball I hit was a high fastball,” Mack said. “To help the team in a big game like this, it feels amazing!”

Hanlon, a left-hander, and Creamer combined to walk nine batters in five innings.

“That’s not like us,” said Rende. “Throwing strikes and playing defense are usually our strengths.”

Central Catholic 200 100 2 — 5 7 1

Seneca Valley 016 000 x — 7 4 1

W: Nate Malak 4 IP (4K, 6BB). L: Tom Hanlon 2.1 IP (4K, 6BB).

Central Catholic: Brendan Koroly 2RBI, Mario Misiti 2-1B R, Cade Clister 1B 2B 2RBI, Ian Trott 2B

Seneca Valley: Nate Malak 2B, Pat O’Toole 1B 2R RBI, Tyler Mack 1B 3B 4RBI

Thursday: North Hills at Seneca Valley