JACKSON TWP - Boden Lenyk displayed some small ball, then provided a long ball.

The combination helped Butler edge Seneca Valley, 7-6, in eight innings Thursday in a WPIAL Section 1-6A baseball clash on the Raiders’ diamond. The win completed a three-game sweep for the section champion Golden Tornado (15-3, 10-2), which went 0-9 against SV the previous three years.

“We really wanted this one,” said Lenyk, Butler’s senior shortstop.

The game was tied at 5 entering the top of the sixth inning. Lenyk completed a 12-pitch at-bat with a walk to lead off that frame. After numerous throws over to first base, he was primed to run on a 3-2 pitch to Mavrik Clement.

“We were definitely running there,” Butler coach Josh Forbes said. “He (SV pitcher Kayden Cahall) had us picked off.”

As Lenyk broke for second, Cahall fired to first for a pickoff attempt. The throw sailed wide of the first baseman, however, and Lenyk was able to score all the way from first on the play.

“With two strikes on me, I was doing anything I could to get on base,” Lenyk said of the lengthy at-bat. “But, yeah, I was picked off.”

The Raiders (10-10, 5-7) were able to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. Mason Durst walked, Quinn Carney doubled to left and No. 9 hitter Jaxten Plunkard delivered a sacrifice fly. Plunkard had three RBIs in the game.

The score remained deadlocked after seven innings. Lenyk led off the eighth inning with a home run down the left field line, which stood up for the 7-6 triumph.

“I’m a golfer and I put a golf swing on that one. It just sailed out,” Lenyk said.

SV coach Eric Semega was bothered by Lenyk’s go-ahead run in the sixth more than his game-winning homer.

“That was an out that became a run,” Semega said. “That’s the play that sticks out the most in this game for me. We had the right call on the pick-off and they (Tornado) caught a break.

“That’s how it goes sometimes. When you’re riding momentum like they are, section title, having a great year, that stuff can happen for you.”

Jake Szebalskie, who pitched the final two innings in relief for the Tornado, got the victory. He struck out two and allowed an infield single in those two frames.

Szebalskie followed starter Blake Scott and Ryan Rattigan to the mound for Butler. Scott and Rattigan pitched three innings each.

“Jake did a good job getting ahead in the count,” Forbes said. “It’s so much easier to pitch when the count is in your favor. Our first two pitchers were having trouble with that tonight.”

Seneca Valley rallied from deficits of 2-0, 5-3 and 6-5 to knot the game three times before succumbing. The Raiders had a brief 3-2 lead in the third.

“We’d come back, they’d come back ... It was a good baseball game,” Semega said.

Lenyk scored three runs for Butler. Clement had a pair of doubles and two RBIs while Trent Best collected a double and two singles. Those three hitters at the top of the Tornado lineup combined to reach base nine times.

Rattigan added two singles and two RBIs for Butler.

The loss lands Seneca Valley in fourth place in Section 1-6A, losing a tiebreaker for third to Central Catholic. The Raiders are still in the WPIAL playoffs, which begin next month.

Danny Drennan had two doubles and two RBIs, Carney a double and two singles for the Raiders.

Butler plays at Taylor Allderdice on Tuesday before concluding the regular season with Senior Night on Wednesday against Indiana at Pullman Park. Seneca Valley is finished with regular-season play.

Butler 200 301 01 - 7 12 0

Seneca Valley 201 201 00 - 6 10 2

WP: Jake Szebalskie 2IP (2so, 0bb). LP: Kayden Cahall 4IP (1so,3bb).

Butler (15-3, 10-2): Boden Lenyk HR 3-R, Mavrik Clement 2-2B 2-RBIs, Trent Best 2B 2-1B RBI, Blake Scott 1B, Ryan Rattigan 2-1B 2-RBIs, Karsten Lenyk 1B, Jake Szebalskie 1B, Noah Cuffman 1B.

Seneca Valley (10-10, 5-7): Mason Fisher 1B, Danny Drennan 2-2B 2-R, Micah Olayer 1B RBI, Brandon Godleski RBI, Kayden Cahall 1B, Mason Durst 2-R, Quinn Carney 2B 2-1B, Jaxten Plunkard 1B 3-RBIs.

Tuesday: Butler at Taylor Allderdice