Seneca Valley baseball’s Ryan Piekutoski mashes, drives in 8th-inning game-winner against Butler
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Seneca Valley's Ryan Piekutoski (12) bats in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Jake Szebalskie (20) throws to first base from second base in a baseball game against Seneca Valley at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Mason Fisher (3) tags Butler out at second base in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Danny Drennan (9) keeps his hand on first base in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Regan Peth (11) runs to first base in a baseball game against Seneca Valley at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Ryan Rebholz (11) throws to first base in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Boden Lenyk (1) slides into home base in a baseball game against Seneca Valley at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Brandon Godleski (2) gets a fist bump after making it to first base in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley cheers on its teammates from the dugout in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Danny Drennan (9) and Micah Olayer (26) celebrate taking the lead in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Ryan Rebholz (11) bats in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Regan Peth (11) bats in a baseball game against Seneca Valley at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Butler's Nolan Stefaniak (14) cheers on his teammates in a baseball game against Seneca Valley at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Danny Drennan (9) is tagged out at first baseball in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Seneca Valley's Nathan Lemke (22) cheers on his teammates in a baseball game against Butler at Pullman Park on Monday, April 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Ryan Piekutoski had been close to doing some serious damage his first four at-bats.
He finished the job in his final plate appearance.
Piekutoski smashed a 0-1 pitch in the top of the eighth for a double to the left-field fence, driving in Danny Drennan to break a 1-1 tie. He came around to score two batters later on Micah Olayer’s single to left, opening up the flood gates in a 7-1 Seneca Valley win over Butler in Monday’s WPIAL Section 1-6A series opener at Pullman Park.
“We knew he was heavy with fastballs, so honestly I was looking fastball, got the pitch I wanted and hit it well,” Piekutoski said.
After driving in the go-ahead run, Piekutoski comes around to score on Olayer's single here to make it 3-1 Seneca Valley T8. Rebholz then helps his own cause with a single to right, 4-1.
— Jake Merda Adams (@jakemerdaadams.bsky.social) Apr 28, 2025 at 7:16 PM
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Piekutoski finished the night a nearly perfect 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles. His only run and RBI proved the difference. Raiders coach Eric Semega said he’s 7-for-9 in his last two games and entered the day batting around .430.
“He’s a guy that can be an impact player, and today he made an impact,” Semega said.
“Sometimes you just get in those zones, and I feel like I’m in that right now,” Piekutoski said. “No matter what you’re pitching, I’m on it.”
The top of the Raiders’ order — Mason Fisher, Drennan and Piekutoski — went 9-for-14 with three runs and three RBIs.
The win pushed the Raiders (9-6, 6-4) into a tie with the Golden Tornado (10-5, 6-4) for second in the section behind North Allegheny. Both teams are already in the WPIAL playoffs, which begin in a few weeks. Game 2 of the series is Tuesday at Seneca Valley.
SV starting pitcher Ryan Rebholz battled through 7.2 innings, scattering eight hits while striking out seven. His only blemish came in the second when Owen Boring hit a shot to the shortstop, who bobbled the ball and allowed Boden Lenyk to score from second.
“I think we can be a little more competitive offensively with some of our at-bats,” Butler coach Josh Forbes said. “I thought we gave away a lot of at-bats early, a lot of first-pitch swings, and without damage being done on those swings.”
Counterpart Trent Best made his first start of the season for an injury-depleted Tornado rotation and kept his team in the game through six innings of eight-hit, five-strikeout ball.
“When you’re digging deep into your rotation and putting up … five zeroes, one-run ballgame, you gotta like that a lot,” Forbes said.
Reliever Tanner Pry was tagged for all six runs in the eighth.
Before the Raiders and Tornado play Game 2 of the series Tuesday evening at SV’s Raider Field, Seneca Valley will hold a moment of pregame recognition for mental health around 3:30 p.m.
Called “Shoulder Check,” the Raiders would like to bring awareness to what people can do to check in on friends and love ones by providing a shoulder check, to show “someone they’re not alone,” according to the Seneca Valley Baseball Boosters’ announcement.
Seneca Valley 100 000 06 — 7 15 1
Butler 010 000 00 — 1 8 1
WP: Ryan Rebholz 7.2IP (7k, 1bb). LP: Tanner Pry 2IP (3k, 1bb).
Seneca Valley: Mason Fisher 2-1B RBI, Danny Drennan 3-1B 2-R RBI, Ryan Piekutoski 2-1B 2-2B R RBI, Wes Conville 1B, Micah Olayer 1B 2B R RBI, Ryan Rebholz 1B RBI, Brandon Godleski 1B R RBI, Owen Voelp 1B
Butler: Boden Lenyk 1B 2B, Trent Best 2-1B, Preston Richter 1B, Nash Cuffman 1B, Jake Szbalskie 1B, Karsten Lenyk 1B R, Owen Boring 2B RBI.
Tuesday: Butler at Seneca Valley
