Butler finally took advantage of some breaks — not that Connor Ollio needed any.

The Golden Tornado junior right-hander tossed a one-hitter and struck out 13 as Butler shut out Seneca Valley, 4-0, in a key Section 1-6A baseball game at Kelly Automotive Park.

“Connor was just on his game tonight. Everything was working for him,” Butler coach Todd Erdos said. “He was getting stronger as the game went on. The adrenalin was really kicking in.”

The Tornado (7-4, 2-3) won their fourth straight game and climbed back into the WPIAL playoff race. The loss snapped a three-game win streak for the Raiders (6-6, 1-4).

“He (Ollio) is a great pitcher,” Seneca Valley coach Eric Semerga said. “We knew this was going to be a tough one coming in here. That kid is hard enough to hit anytime. Put him under the lights and he's that much tougher.”

Those lights would burn the Raiders defensively as well.

Butler took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning. Jacob Keene had led off the third with a single, moved up two bases on an errant pickoff attempt and scored on Justin Stewart's sacrifice fly to center.

Seneca Valley right-hander D.J. Alway struck out the first two batters in the fifth, then got Adam Hohn to hit a towering fly ball to left field.

Left fielder Brett Steinle never saw the ball — losing it in the lights — and it landed a few feet from him for a double. Dallas Hays walked and Cade Negley drilled a two-run double down the left field line. Ollio followed with a run-scoring double over Steinle's head.

“I felt confident all night, but seeing those three runs score jacked my confidence way up there,” Ollio said.

He struck out the side in the sixth and seventh innings to wrap up the win. Ollio threw nine of 10 pitches for strikes in the seventh.

“My slider was cutting well tonight,” Ollio said. “All I wanted to do tonight was pitch well for my team. We needed this game.”

Seneca Valley managed only three baserunners all night. Anthony Cinicola drew a one-out walk in the fourth, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Ollio struck out Mike Collins and Steinle to end the inning.

Mark Trotta led off the fifth with the Raiders' lone hit — a clean liner to center — moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on Justin Dattoli's sacrifice bunt. Joey Kozlina then hit a blooper to left.

As Tornado left fielder Alec Bayer made a lunging catch, Trotta took off for the plate. Bayer threw the ball to third and Trotta was ruled to be doubled off the bag to end the inning.

Semega was still arguing with the umpires well after Butler's fielders returned to the dugout.

“It wasn't whether he left early or tagged up that bugged me. It was the umpires' explanation,” Semega said. “They said the outfielder juggled the ball before securing it and my guy left the bag before the catch was actually made.

“When you tag up, you can leave once the ball touches the guy's glove. I don't even think he juggled the ball at all. But whether we get that call or not, it was going to be tough for us to score tonight.”

The Raiders' loss spoiled a solid start by Alway. He struck out nine in five innings while throwing 94 pitches.

“Their kid was hitting the inside and outside corners, moving the ball up and down ... His fastball was deceptive,” Erdos said. “We had a hard time getting to him.

“But we took advantage of the breaks we got to score some runs this time. That's something we hadn't been doing.”

Friday's game marked the midway point of the section season for both teams.

“We're in a hole, but if we keep playing the way we have these past four games, I think we'll be OK,” Semega said. “D.J. was outstanding tonight. I'll take an outing like he had tonight any time.”

Seneca Valley 000 000 0 — 0 1 2

Butler 001 030 x — 4 6 0

W: Connor Ollio 7IP (13K, 2BB). L: D.J. Alway 5IP (9K, 2BB).

Seneca Valley (6-6, 1-4): Mark Trotta 1B

Butler (7-4, 2-3): Adam Hohn 2B, Cade Negley 2B 2-RBI, Connor Ollio 1B 2B RBI, Jacob Keene 2-1B, Justin Stewart RBI