SHALER TWP — When asked what was working for Connor Coward on the mound, Seneca Valley baseball coach Eric Semega summed it up simply and succinctly.

“Everything,” Semega said, smiling.

Coward, who didn't pitch last season because of a balky back, tossed a 1-hit shutout as the Raiders dispatched Bethel Park 2-0 in the WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals at Matulevic Field Wednesday afternoon.

“His locations. His pitches. His confidence. His ability to not get frustrated when he got behind on a batter, which wasn't too often,” Semega continued about Coward. “His confidence to throw an off-speed pitch behind in the count so they could not dig in on him. Coward did an unbelievable job today holding down a very good team.”

Coward, a junior right-hander, didn't know what to expect a season after a chronic back injury prevented him from logging a single inning.

But here he was with the ball in Seneca Valley's first playoff game as the Raiders began their quest for a third consecutive WPIAL title.

“Coach Semega talked to me a week ago and told me I was going to start (the first playoff game),” Coward said. “I started to prepare. I treated it like just another game. I didn't do anything different than what I would have done for a regular-season game. It was an honor, though.”

Coward was just happy to be pitching again this season.

He was able to play left field last season, but Coward missed having the ball — and the game — in his hand for every pitch.

“It was really good to finally get on the hill again,” Coward said. “To me, though, getting the win is the most important thing, whether I was pitching, playing left field or on the bench.”

Coward struck out seven and didn't walk a batter. The only hit he surrendered came on a clean single by David Lemley with one out in the third.

Only five balls left the infield against Coward.

Bethel Park left-hander Tyler Grashoff matched Coward pitch for pitch for two-plus innings.

Seneca Valley, though, got to Grashoff in the bottom of the third. Brad Gresock was hit by a pitch — twice, the first time was ruled a ball because the umpire ruled he leaned his knee into the offering — and Carson Kessler followed a batter later with a two-out single and moved to second on a throwing error.

That set the stage for Gianpaul Gonzalez, who singled sharply up the middle, scoring courtesy runner Johnny Brittner and Kessler, for the only runs the Raiders needed.

“Tyler did what he needed to do,” said Bethel Park coach Tony Fisher. “He kept us in the game. We played nearly perfect. We needed to play perfect.”

With a two-run lead, Coward was able to relax.

“I can pretty much tell if I can get the curveball falling down where I want it, and when I can locate inside, outside, up and down, it's going to be a pretty good day,” Coward said.

Coward was aided by a strong defensive effort.

Jason Martin made a diving catch on a sinking liner to right to end the second inning and Gonzalez made a pair of stellar plays at second base, including one in the seventh inning when he ranged far to his right to snag a hopper up the middle and threw across his body to nip David Lemley at first by a step for the second out.

“We made three big plays,” Semega said. “Gianpaul, that seventh-inning play — that's a big out. That's the second out and it changes the complexion of the game. ”

Bethel Park 000 000 0 — 0 1 1

Seneca Valley 002 000 0 — 2 7 0

W: Connor Coward 7IP (7K, 1BB). L: Tyler Grashoff 6IP (5K, 0BB).

Bethel Park (17-5): David Lemley 1B

Seneca Valley (17-3): Jon Dorogy 2B, Brad Gresock 1B, Carson Kessler 1B, Gianpaul Gonzalez 1B 2-RBI, Jason Martin 2-1B, Zach Spangler 1B

TBD: Seneca Valley vs. Pine-Richland at site and time TBD