CRANBERRY TWP— The Seneca Valley baseball team has been very good the past couple of years.

Almost too good, as far as Derek Peluso is concerned.

Peluso is one of 15 seniors on a Raiders squad that won 39 of 44 games the past two seasons, including a state championship in 2007.

Unfortunately, 15 seniors can't be on the field all the time. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Peluso was a pitcher on the staff behind Division I college-bound hurlers Cory Mazzoni and Kyle Helisek.

"I think I threw eight innings this year,"Peluso said. "It was a numbers game. I'm not complaining. Our team obviously did very well."

And Peluso will have a chance to pitch very well in college when he plays at Point Park University in Pittsburgh.

"I heard nothing but good things about Derek,"Point Park coach Al Liberi said. "Sid Bream told me there was a kid at Seneca Valley who was under the radar, who was worth checking out."

Bream, the former Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves first baseman, has a son, Tyler, playing third base for the Raiders.

Further word of recommendation came from Mark Saghy, coach of the Rivercats summer baseball team, who often refers qualified high school players to college coaches in this region.

Peluso pitched for the Seneca Valley Palomino team the past two years and led the squad in wins both seasons. He's won about 20 games in Palomino ball and pitched well against Saghy's Rivercats.

"I like to use my fastball inside,"Peluso said. "I usually throw in the mid 80s or so. It was frustrating not being able to pitch in high school. But (Mazzoni and Helisek) are excellent pitchers."

Peluso did have other college options. Clarion, Davis &Elkins and Westminster all had interest, but he opted for the Pioneers.

"They've got a history of being a very good baseball school and they offered me some (scholarship)money," Peluso said.

Point Park has appeared in 10 NAIAWorld Series since 1974, averaging 30 wins a season during that stretch. The program has had 11 players selected in professional baseball's amateur draft.

The Pioneers were 8-20 this season, despite hitting .350 as a team and carrying a fielding percentage of .958.

"We started seven underclassmen this year and we're starving for pitching," Liberi said. "That's why Derek has a very good chance of stepping in and helping us right away.

"I like him as an outfielder, too. He may play outfield four games and pitch every fifth one."

Peluso hit .350 as an outfielder in Palomino play last year.

"Most of the pitchers I get were the No. 1 guys on their high school teams,"Liberi said. "But every now and then, you find a kid just as talented who didn't play much in high school for one reason or another.

"Derek definitely falls into that category."

Peluso will be coached by former Pirates pitcher Chris Peters, who recently joined Point Park's staff as its pitching coach.

Peluso, who also played football in high school, plans to major in information technology.