JACKSON TWP — First-pitch strike, multi-pitch success.

That was the story for Seneca Valley senior right-hander Matt Smith as he tossed a three-hitter in leading his team to a 10-1 baseball victory over Butler Friday at Raider Field.

“From the first pitch of this game, Matt was in command,” SV coach Eric Semega said. “He was the difference in this game.

“That first pitch was a curve that he threw for a strike, great location. When he's pitching like he did today, the rest of the team just feeds off it.”

Smith struck out nine and threw 92 pitches — 63 for strikes — in his complete-game effort. Butler had five baserunners all day, never more than one in an inning.

“Coach told me to throw a curve on the first pitch to set up my fastball,” Smith said. “I felt like I had command today and I was able to hit the corners.”

Smith was staked to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Jon Dorogy singled and stole second. With one out, he scored when Sam Fragale's fly ball to deep left was mishandled for a two-base error.

Jason Martin concluded the damage with a two-out, two-run double to right.

“Seeing us score those early runs was huge,” Smith said. “(Butler pitcher) Mick Fennell has hardly allowed anything this season. Getting a lead early made me feel more comfortable.”

All three of the Raiders' first-inning runs were unearned.

“You can't give a quality team extra outs and that's what we did today,” Butler coach Todd Erdos said. “They make you pay for it.”

A Golden Tornado throwing error on Smith's sacrifice bunt attempt set up a four-run fourth inning for SV that broke the game open. No. 8 hitter Carson Kressler had a run-scoring single, No. 9 hitter Zach Bredl an RBI double in that frame.

“Bunching hits together is something we needed to do today,” Semega said. “Scoring three runs off the bat gave us a boost and probably set them (Butler) on their heels a little bit.”

Four consecutive hits after two outs produced the Raiders' final three runs in the sixth inning.

The Golden Tornado's lone run crossed the plate in the third. Matt Baranchak singled, stole second, moved to third on a deep fly to left and scored on Colin Williamson's ground out to shortstop.

“Their pitcher did a good job mixing up his pitches. He kept us guessing at the plate,” Erdos said. “But our hitters are still pressing too much.

Fennell pitched five innings for Butler, throwing 46 of his 63 pitches for strikes.

“Mick pitched well. He left a few pitches up in the zone that hurt him, that's all,” Erdos said.

The win keeps Seneca Valley (9-2, 5-1) in first place in Section 1-AAAA in what remains a five-team scramble for three WPIAL playoff spots.

“Four teams could have been tied at 4-2 at the end of today,” Semega said. “It didn't work out that way, but the standings are still in a scramble.

“There's still plenty of work to do in the second half of the schedule.”

Butler (8-3, 3-3) has even more work to do after going 1-3 against their stiffest competition in the section thus far.

“We've dug ourselves a hole,” Erdos admitted. “We're gonna have to come up with some big wins in the second half.”

Butler 001 000 0 — 1 3 2Seneca Valley 300 403 x — 10 10 0W: Matt Smith 7IP (9K, 2BB).

L: Mick Fennell 5IP (3K, 1BB).

Butler (8-3, 3-3): Dante Dorcy 1B, Matt Baranchak 1B, Cory Wheeler 1B, Colin Williamson RBI

Seneca Valley (9-2, 5-1): Jon Dorogy 3B 1B 2-R RBI, Brad Gresock 1B RBI, Sam Fragale 2B 2-R RBI, Austin Bream 2B 1B RBI, Zach Spangler 2-R, Jason Martin 2B 1B 2-RBI, Carson Kessler 1B RBI, Zach Creedon 2B RBI

Monday: Butler at North Hills, Fox Chapel at Seneca Valley@$: