BUTLERTWP — Seneca Valley picked the right day to have its best day.

Butler picked the wrong day to have its worst.

The Raiders banged out 12 hits overall and scored 12 runs in the final three innings to run away from Butler, 15-2, in a mutual section baseball season finale Wednesday at Highfield Park.

The win clinched Seneca Valley's third section championship in six years. Butler was eliminated from playoff contention with its loss and Fox Chapel's 11-3 win over Shaler Wednesday.

"I've been wondering when we were going to have a game like this, where everybody got into the hitting act from top to bottom,"Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega. "This was a good time to have a happen."

Had the Raiders lost, they would have missed the playoffs entirely had North Allegheny and Fox Chapel both won.

Besides getting 12 hits, Seneca Valley was assisted by eight walks and four Butler errors.

"You can't make mistakes like that against good teams,"Golden Tornado coach Dave Florie said. "They got the momentum and ran with it, like good teams do."

The game was tight early. Brad Cottage homered to left in the second inning to give the Tornado a 1-0 lead. Seneca Valley tied the game in the third when Kevin Rohm reached on an infield single, moved up two bases on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a wild pitch.

Butler manufactured a run of its own to regain the lead in its half of the third. Anthony Pinto led off with an infield single, moved to second on a wild pitch, was bunted to third by Darren Blakley and scored on Andy Onufrak's ground ball.

Then the Raiders' bats took control.

Zach Duggan led off the fourth with a single and Kevan Smith doubled off the right-field fence. Duggan scored on a ground ball and Smith scored on a sacrifice fly to shallow left.

That gave Seneca Valley a 3-2 lead with the team's ace pitcher, sophomore Cory Mazzoni, on the mound.

"I went to the mound three times today and told Cory he's pitched in so many games like this before,"Semega said. "He smiled at me and said everything was under control."

After Cottage's second-inning homer, Butler managed only two infield singles the rest of the way.

The Raiders broke the game open in the fifth when Duggan hit a two-out, two-run triple to center. Smith was intentionally walked and Brett Spagnola walked on four pitches to load the bases.

Mazzoni worked the count full, fouled off numerous pitches, then laced a two-run single to left, upping Seneca Valley's lead to 7-2.

An eight-run Raider seventh inning was highlighted by Smith's grand slam homer to right.

The 15 runs scored by Seneca Valley marked a season high. The Raiders' previous high was 11 against Kiski Area April 29.

Mazzoni collected two hits and five RBIin the game.

"He's been our No. 5 hitter for a while now and a very productive one,"Semega said. "When this season started, he wasn't in the lineup at all."

Seneca Valley snapped a two-game skid with the win. Butler has dropped three in a row and four of its last five.

"Had we lost 2-1 or 3-2 and played well, I'd be happy,"Florie said. "But this was our worst game all year. That's what's disappointing.

"But it doesn't take away from the strides we made this year."

Seneca Valley 001 240 8—15 12 0Butler 011 000 0—2 4 4WP: Cory Mazzoni (7 IP) 8 strikeouts, 4 walks. LP: Brian Warheit (4 X\c IP) 3 strikeouts, 4 walks

Seneca Valley (12-6, 9-3): Phil Double 1BRBI, Zach Duggan 3B 1B2-RBI3-R, Kevan Smith 2BHR4-RBI, Brett Spagnola 1BRBI, Cory Mazzoni 2B 1B5-RBI, Kevin Rohm 2-1BRBI2-R, Gabe Grinder 1B2-R, Shaine Patsilevas 1B

Butler (10-9, 7-5): Darren Blakley 2B, Andy Onufrak RBI, Brad Cottage HR1B, Anthony Pinto 1B

Today: Butler @New Castle