JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley was hitting the ball hard all game.

But it was two bunts that led the Raiders' baseball team to a 4-2 home win over North Hills on a blustery Wednesday afternoon.

With the game knotted at two and Austin Bream standing at first following a sharp single to lead off the bottom of the sixth, No. 5 and 6 hitters Zach Spangler and Jason Martin laid down perfect sacrifice bunts that turned into bunt hits to load the bases.

Matt Smith followed with a two-run single and then stepped out onto the mound in the top of the seventh inning to finish off his complete-game victory.

“The thing I'm most impressed with today is those guys gave us an opportunity to win by sacrificing an at-bat and, more importantly, executing and getting the job done,” said Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega. “That could be the first time we've sacrificed all season. It was nice to see our No. 5 and 6 guy to be able to sacrifice.

“That was the difference in the game — the only difference.”

Both bunts were perfectly placed. But on both, North Hills (1-5, 1-2) made mistakes.

On the first bunt, pitcher Jake Euler scrambled for the ball and bobbled it slightly before throwing late to first. On the second bunt, no one was covering first base.

“We just didn't do the fundamental bunt coverages we practice all the time,” said North Hills coach Nate Buttenfield. “That's unfortunate. But we feel we have a strong team and we still believe in them. Seneca has a strong team, but we feel we can play with anyone.”

Both starting pitchers got off to shaky starts.

Smith gave up two runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI double by Sam Quatrini and a run-scoring single by Mark Hollis.

The Raiders (6-1, 2-0) nearly got out of the inning unscathed, but couldn't turn a double play that would have ended the inning before Quantrini's double.

In the bottom of the first inning, Euler was stung by three errors that led to two runs.

Bream drove in the first run with an RBI single and Spangler followed with his own hit that brought home a run.

“To come right back in the first inning, that was nice. That was good,” Semega said. “We battled all game long.”

Once both pitchers warmed up, they put zeros on the scoreboard.

Smith was particularly sharp in the middle and late innings, striking out six and not walking a batter in his seven innings.

He fanned two in the top of the seventh around a flyout to center.

“He threw very well, even in the first inning,” Semega said of Smith. “He battled all day long today. He deserved what he got today, which was a win.”

Euler also pitched well until the sixth inning when Seneca Valley chased him with four straight singles — inlcuding the two bunt basehits.

“Euler threw a great game. We have a lot of confidence in him,” Buttenfield said. “The errors came back to bite us again, especially in the first inning.”

Seneca Valley, though, hit Euler hard throughout the game. Most of the liners were at somebody, however.

Still, the Raiders had 11 hits, three off the bat of No. 7 hitter Carson Kessler, two singles from Bream and a double from Sam Fragale.

“You know what, if we hit the ball like that every game, I will not complain,” Semega said. “We know we're going to hit.”

North Hills 200 000 0 — 2 8 4Seneca Valley 200 002 x — 4 11 0W: Matt Smith 7IP (6K, 0BB).

L: Jake Euler 5IP (2K, 1BB).

North Hills (1-5, 1-2): Anthony Rizzitano 1B, James Molnar 1B, T.J. Winkler 1B, Sam Quatrini 2-2B RBI, Mark Hollis 1B RBI, Cameron Lawson 1B, Kevin Koch 1B

Seneca Valley (6-1, 2-0): Jon Dorogy 1B, Sam Fragale 2B, Austin Bream 2-1B RBI, Zach Spangler 2-1B RBI, Jason Martin 1B, Smith 1B 2-RBI, Carson Kessler 3-1B

Friday: Seneca Valley at Pine-Richland