JACKSON TWP - The Seneca Valley baseball team came to a crossroads.

The Raiders didn't reach it in the middle of a game or the middle of the season, but long before the first pitch of the 2004 campaign.

Thursday afternoon, the Raiders reminded everybody which path they had decided to take.

Seneca tallied eight hits and seven runs in the first two innings on its way to a 9-2 defeat of North Hills at Raider Field.

The win clinches at least a tie for the Section 5-AAA title for the Raiders.

"Most of these guys were around last year," Seneca coach Eric Semega said. "We ended up losing our last six games last season and it really left a bad taste in their mouths.

"But we could tell it would be different right from the first day of tryouts this spring," added Semega. "The guys said they wouldn't have their hard work end in disappointment again."

The Raiders still have one order of business in the regular season: to win the section outright.

They can do so with a win against Butler Wednesday or if North Allegheny loses one of its last two games against New Castle and North Hills.

Along with the potent offensive attack, the Raiders received solid pitching from senior Scott Carney.

The left-hander worked all seven innings, striking out two and not walking a batter. He surrendered the two runs on eight hits.

"Scott's pitched excellent for us all year," said Semega. "He just caught a couple bad breaks during the season. But today, he kept them off-balance."

When Carney took the mound in the top of the third inning, he was leading 7-1.

"I definitely like having a lead to work with," said Carney. "It's helps to settle me down out there."

The avalanche of offense began with Seneca trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first.

The Raiders had runners on first and third when Ben Follett slapped a two-out double to deep center, scoring Chris Tremblay.

Kevan Smith, Nick Hull and Tyler Neff followed with three consecutive singles, as the Raiders tallied three runs in the inning.

Hull sparked a four-run second inning with a single to left that plated Tremblay and Follett.

North Hills starter Steve Baranowski lasted just two innings, surrendering eight hits with one strikeout and two walks.

"When Steve is on, I'd pitch him against anybody," said North Hills coach Tim McDowell. "He can be pretty dominant, but he didn't have his best stuff today."

The Indians turned to reliever P.J. Castellano, who quieted Seneca's bats over the next three innings.

But Carney held North Hills scoreless through the fifth inning.

"I was hitting my spots today," said Carney. "Plus my defense helped me out with some good plays behind me."

After the visitors scored one run in the top of the sixth, the Raiders scored two more in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double by Dan Reale.

The Raiders had already clinched a playoff spot with their 10-2 win over New Castle Tuesday.

"Our guys worked hard for it," Semega said. "They deserve it and I'm very proud of them."

North Hills 100 001 0 - 2 8 0

Seneca Valley 340 002 x - 9 11 0

WP:

Scott Carney (7 IP) 2 strikeouts, 0 walks.

LP:

Steve Baranowski (2 IP) 1 strikeout, 2 walks

North Hills (4-10-1, 3-7):

Evan Euler 1B 3B R, Ed Gorsop 2-1B R, Brian Long 2-1B RBI, Chris Kappas 1B, Tony Talotta 1B RBI

Seneca Valley (15-3, 9-2):

Chris Tremblay 2-1B RBI 3R, Ben Follett 1B 2B 2RBI 2R, Nick Hull 2-1B 2RBI, Andy Wilmoth 1B R, Kevan Smith 1B RBI R, Tyler Neff 1B RBI, Dan Reale 2B 2RBI, John Sklarsky 2B, Ryan Roble R, Joe Sklarsky R

Monday:

Butler @ North Hills

Wednesday:

Seneca Valley @ Butler