Time was starting to run out on the Seneca Valley baseball team's season Monday.

The Raiders had a runner thrown out at home, one at third and had mustered just three singles through five innings against Upper St. Clair starter Mike Wilcox.

A sacrifice fly by Jack Graham following a Kyle Gorniak one-out triple tied the game, then Sam Fragale's RBI single with one out in the seventh inning gave the host Raiders a 2-1 victory in WPIAL Class AAAA playoff action at Pullman Park.

“You can tell a lot about a team on how they respond to adversity,” said Raiders' coach Eric Semega. “Even after the sixth inning, these guys felt like they were going to win the game.

“All I said to them was ‘I don't care about the outcome but just make sure you make it your best at-bat,” Semega added.

Down to their final five outs, Gorniak laced a triple to straightaway center field, then Graham lofted a fly ball to right fielder Erik Woistman, whose throw was too late to beat Gorniak.

In the seventh, Ben Murray grounded out against Wilcox, but Christian Durbin singled, then Jon Dorogy walked and both runners advanced on a wild pitch.

Brad Gresock drew a walk to load the bases before Fragale delivered a hit through a drawn-in infield.

Wilcox and Raiders' hurler Zach DeTillio were locked in a pitcher's duel as both teams were limited to no runs on just two hits over the first four innings.

In the fourth, Upper St. Clair had runners at first and second and one out but couldn't push a run home.

In the bottom of the inning, the Raiders appeared to score when Gorniak, who had singled, attempted to steal second when Graham's grounder to USC third baseman Jack Elliot was thrown away at first. Gorniak came home to score but was sent back to third base as the ball was ruled out of play.

The Raiders, with runners on second and third and one out, could not score from there.

Austin Bream's grounder to third base led to a force out at home, then Justin Stanger flew out to end the inning.

In the fifth, the Raiders' Durbin singled and stole second and Dorogy walked.

On a pitch to Gresock, Panthers' catcher Alex Bell fired the ball to second and Durbin broke for third and was tagged out.

“We've been aggressive all year long,” said Semega. “They know they made a mistake. You can't harp on it. Our thinking is if you made a mistake, don't make it twice. They believe in themselves.”

Upper St. Clair took the lead in the fifth inning when Zack Tobias opened with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch.

After DeTillio struck out Shane McMurtry, an error by Fragale at shortstop put runners at first and third. Wilcox then smacked a sacrifice fly in front of the left field wall to plate Tobias.

Then, the Raiders began their comeback.

“I don't know if there's anything else we could have done differently,” said Panthers' coach Jerry Malarkey. “We had opportunities and we made some great defensive plays to keep Seneca Valley from scoring.”

Upper St. Clair stranded at least one runner in each inning — nine in all — but DeTillio never seemed to be in trouble.

“He's battled all year and he hasn't pitched in the past two weeks,” said Semega. “He does all the bullpen work.

“Wow. He pitched a great game and even if things went south a little, he didn't falter.”

Upper St. Clair 000 010 0 — 1 3 1Seneca Valley 000 001 1 — 2 7 2W: Zach DeTillio 7 IP (6K, 4BB).

L: Mike Wilcox 6.1 IP (3K, 3BB).

Upper St. Clair (11-7): Troy Schoeppner 1B; Mike Wilcox RBI; Zack Tobias 2-1B

Seneca Valley (14-3-1): Sam Fragale 1B, RBI; Kyle Gorniak 1B, 3B; Jack Graham RBI; Austin Bream 1B; Ben Murray 1B; Christian Durbin 2-1B

Next: Semifinals-Seneca Valley vs. Bethel Park, site and time to be determined