FOX CHAPEL — Seneca Valley played some first-inning give-and-take Wednesday afternoon.

The Raiders gave a little, then took a lot in using a four-run opening frame to set up an 8-2 win over Latrobe in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAAA baseball playoffs at Fox Chapel.

Latrobe (11-10) scored both of its runs in the top of the first. Zach Kokoska produced a two-out RBI single and later scored from third himself when a teammate extended a rundown between first and second.

“Responding the way we did in the bottom of the first was the key to this game,” SV coach Eric Semega said. “Neither team scored for a while after that.

“If their 2-0 lead lasts deep into the game, our guys probably start to feel it a little bit. We’ve won a lot of playoff games over the years, but kids still experience pressure. We’ve got guys playing in their first playoff game.”

Raider left-hander Troy Martin threw 31 pitches in the first inning, but only 98 for the game, 69 for strikes. He allowed only two hits over the final six innings.

“I just had to settle down,” Martin said. “The key for me today was being able to spot my fastball. It set up my curve and changeup.”

And set down the Wildcats.

“I thought Troy pitched pretty well in the first inning, too,” Semega said. “Their first batter (Jared Kollar) kept fouling off pitches and was up there forever. Then they had a couple of balls fall in.”

Kollar had an 11-pitch at bat before singling to left to begin the game.

But the Raiders made him work even harder on the mound in the bottom of the first.

SV batted around, forcing Kollar to throw 40 pitches. The Wildcats’ sophomore threw 107 pitches on the day and was lifted after the fifth inning.

Johnny Brittner reached on an infield single to open the frame for Seneca Valley and scored on a Mike Collins ground ball. Matt Wagner delivered a two-run double, Lane Palmer a two-out RBI single.

“Seneca Valley isn’t the defending (WPIAL) champion) and No. 3 seed for nothing,” Latrobe coach Matt Basciano said. “That team responded. Both pitchers settled down and we couldn’t get anything going.”

The Raiders (14-6) won their fourth game in a row and have claimed 13 of their last 15 contests.

Latrobe had seven .300 hitters in its lineup. Martin induced 13 ground-ball outs on the day.

“He kept the ball down all day. He was living down there and couldn’t get hurt,” Semega said.

After a three-run SV fourth opened up a 7-2 lead, Latrobe began the sixth inning with a single. Seth Holler — the Wildcats’ leading hitter with a .388 average — then scorched a liner toward left that third baseman Corbin Kessler made a diving catch on.

Kessler got to his feet and fired to first to double off the runner.

Threat averted.

“Outstanding play,” Martin said. “That snuffed a potential rally. I’m used to our defense helping me out. I got 10 straight outs on ground balls to third one game.”

Brittner scored three runs in the game for the Raiders. No. 2 hitter Kessler had two singles and two RBI, No. 5 hitter Wagner a double, single and three RBI.

Brittner and Kessler were not retired all day.

“We know if we get on base, our next three hitters are gonna knock us in,” Brittner said. “It’s up to us to set up innings.”

Seneca Valley may have set itself up for another playoff run. The Raiders will take on Central Catholic (9-7) — an 8-7 winner over Franklin Regional — in the quarterfinal round next week.

“I can’t find anything wrong with the way my team played baseball today,” Semega said. “We played well.”

Latrobe 200 000 0 — 2 5 3

Seneca Valley 400 301 x — 8 9 0

W: Troy Martin 7IP (2K, 1BB). L: Jared Kollar 5IP (3K, 2BB).

Latrobe (11-10): Jared Kollar 1B, Josh Verchuck 1B, Zach Kokoska 1B RBI, Mike Rodgers 1B, Cody Helfrich 2B

Seneca Valley (14-6): Johnny Brittner 2-1B 3-R, Corbin Kessler 2-1B 2-RBI, Mike Collins RBI, Vince Augustine 1B RBI, Matt Wagner 2B 1B 3-RBI, Lane Palmer 1B RBI, Zach Wilson 1B

Monday: Seneca Valley vs. Central Catholic, WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals, site and time TBA