JACKSONTWP — Big game against a big rival?Start a sophomore pitcher with a winless record, of course.

That strategy paid dividends for Seneca Valley baseball coach Eric Semega at Raider Field Wednesday afternoon.

The Raiders' Cory Mazzoni pitched a four-hit shutout and contributed a triple, a single and four RBIto lead his team to a 9-0 victory over North Allegheny.

Mazzoni entered the game with an 0-2 record.

"But that's not indicative of how he's been pitching,"Semega said. "He's shut down the opposition for 14 straight innings now. The breaks just haven't gone his way."

They went his way Wednesday.

The sophomore right-hander was staked to a 3-0 lead in the first inning as the Raiders loaded the bases on an infield hit, a hit batsman and a walk. A wild pitch plated one run, a single to right by Derek Peluso plated another and an infield error allowed the third run to score.

Seneca Valley's Zach Duggan stole home in the second inning and Mazzoni's own RBIsingle gave him a 5-0 advantage.

In the meantime, he retired the Tigers in order during the first two frames, throwing only 17 pitches.

"That quick start made me feel good right away,"Mazzoni said. "It felt like things were going to go our way."

Things went even better as the game wore on.

North Allegheny batters grounded into double plays in the third, fourth and fifth innings, killing potential rallies each time. The Tigers had two runners on base with outs in the third and fifth, and two on with one out in the fourth.

"All three of those balls were hit hard and they were close plays at first base,"North Allegheny coach Tim Banner said. "But, hey, they turned them. Seneca Valley just kicked our butt today."

Mazzoni threw 100 pitches in the contest, 61 for strikes. North Allegheny starter Chris Watson threw 36 pitches in the first inning alone.

"When a pitcher is consistently pounding the zone for strikes, the defense stays alert and in the game behind him,"Semega said. "That's what happened tonight."

The Raiders wrapped the game up in the sixth. Kevin Rohm walked to open the frame and advanced to third on an errant pick-off attempt. Phil Double's single to right scored him.

Kevan Smith was hit by a pitch and Brett Spagnola walked to load the bases with two outs. Mazzoni drilled a bases-clearing triple into the left-center field gap — the lone extra-base hit of the game.

"He (NApitcher Geoff Lang) hung a curve and I was able to stay back on it,"Mazzoni said.

North Allegheny committed four errors, walked four batters and hit two others in a defeat that hindered its WPIALplayoff chances.

"A critical game like this and we played with absolutely no emotion whatsoever,"Banner said. "It's ridiculous. Someone has to show some leadership on this team."

While the Tigers slipped to 3-3 in section play, the Raiders improved to 5-2 — and erased the memory of consecutive 3-2 section defeats.

Seneca Valley had eight hits in the game.

"For the first time in a long time we had some clutch hits,"Semega said. "This game was big in that it gives us some breathing room in the standings if we should falter at all down the road.

"More importantly, we went out and competed hard against a quality team. We got our confidence back today."

N. Allegheny 000 000 0—0 4 4Seneca Valley 320 004 x—9 8 2WP: Cory Mazzoni (7 IP) 5 strikeouts, 1 walk. LP: Chris Watson (5 IP) 3 strikeouts, 2 walks

North Allegheny (5-4, 3-3): Marek Lapinski 1B, Geoff Lang 1B, Ian Overbaugh 1B, Shawn Simon 1B

Seneca Valley (8-4, 5-2): Phil Double 1BRBI, Zach Duggan 2-1B 2-R, Kevan Smith 1B3-R, Brett Spagnola 2-R, Cory Mazzoni 1B 3B 4-RBI, Derek Peluso 1BRBI, Dan Jergel 1B

Saturday: Seneca Valley atKiski Area