BUTLER - Seneca Valley seemed rested and ready for its WPIAL Class AAA first-round baseball playoff game against Plum Thursday.

The Raiders staked themselves to a 3-0 first-inning lead and made it stand as they held off the Mustangs 3-2 at Pullman Park.

With the win, Seneca Valley (18-3) will face Peters Township (14-6) in a quarterfinal match-up at 4 p.m. today at Shaler.

Thursday's game was originally scheduled for Monday, but rainouts pushed the game to Thursday and the site changed from North Allegheny.

"We stumbled a little in the middle part of the game," said Raiders coach Eric Semega. "We played a solid game. They had only one hit."

Seneca Valley pitcher Ryan Page surrendered just one safety, a two-out single to A.J. Bonetto in the sixth inning.

"Ryno did a great job," Semega added.

The Raiders took advantage of a pair of Plum errors in the first inning, while the Mustangs took advantage of two errors in the fourth inning to climb back into the game.

Andrew Wilmoth opened the Raiders' first inning with a single and Adam Ranalli's sacrifice bunt was thrown away to put runners at first and second.

Chris Tremblay followed with an RBI double. After Ben Follett struck out, Kevan Smith's grounder to second baseman Justin Ayala went through his legs and allowed Ranalli and Tremblay to score.

Mustangs' pitcher Eric McGough was able to get out of the inning without further damage.

The Raiders almost added to their lead in the third inning when Tremblay led off with a chopper over third baseman Steve DiTomasso's head for a single.

On a hit-and-run, Tremblay got a huge jump, but Follett hit a hard liner to center field. Matt Pellis made the catch and doubled off Tremblay at first.

"Ben hit the ball hard and Chris got a great jump, but you can't ask for more than that," said Semega.

Smith and Jason Davis followed with back-to-back singles, but Smith was picked off with Dan Reale at the plate.

"Give (Plum) credit. They didn't quit the whole game," Semega added.

That the Raiders were turned away seemed to inspire the Mustangs as they jumped right back into the game.

Consecutive errors by second baseman John Sklarsky opened the fourth inning. Page then struck out Jason Schmiedel, but both runners advanced on the third strike.

With Pellis at bat, Page threw a wild pitch on ball four and Kelly Fisher came in to score.

Pellis tried to steal as courtesy runner Billy Spina broke for the plate. Spina was safe, but Pellis was caught in a rundown and made the second out.

Page struck out Matt Kachunik to end the inning.

The Raiders left runners at third base in the fifth and sixth innings, but Page retired nine of the final 10 batters, allowing only Bonetto's hit.

"Seneca Valley got exactly what they expected," said Plum coach Tom McCarthy. "We were a pre-season top 5 team and some things didn't go our way.

"When we played Seneca Valley in an exhibition game earlier this year, a few of their players said they'd see us down the road.

"You had two of the top pitchers in the WPIAL out there," he added.

McGough's performance was overshadowed with the loss. He struck out five and walked none, scattering seven hits along the way.

Page finished with four strikeouts and two walks.

"I knew going in this was going to be a close game," said McCarthy. "One run here or there. When you get in a game like this, you just hope you have that one run."

The Raiders will have little time getting ready for the Indians. That's just fine with Semega. Thursday's game was a good test for his squad.

"It was a close game and we had to play seven innings," said Semega. "That has to prepare you well. It's a pressure situation and I think our kids handled it well."

Notes:

North Allegheny scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a 5-4 victory over Shaler in the preceding game. That sends the Tigers to the semifinals, waiting for the winner of Friday's Seneca Valley-Peters Township game. The semifinals will be played either Monday or Tuesday.

Plum 000 200 0 - 2 1 2

Seneca Valley 300 000 0 - 3 7 2

WP:

Ryan Page (7 IP) 4 strikeouts, 2 walks.

LP:

Eric McGough (6 IP) 5 strikeouts, 0 walks

Plum (12-10):

Kelly Fisher R; A.J. Bonetto 1B, R, Matt Pellis BB; Steve Beckett BB, SB

Seneca Valley (18-3):

Andrew Wilmoth 2-1B, R; Adam Ranalli R; Chris Tremblay 1B, 2B, RBI, R; Kevan Smith 1B; Jason Davis 1B, 2B; John Sklarsky 1B

Today:

Seneca Valley vs. Peters Township at Shaler, 4 p.m.