Mike Palano struck out eight and didn't walk a batter in seven stellar innings as Cranberry Township evened its best-of-three Eagle County League baseball first-round playoff series with a 4-2 win over Natrona Heights Tuesday.

The win forces a deciding Game 3 at 6 p.m. today at Highlands HighSchool.

BillClinefelter singled twice and drove in two runs for Cranberry, which lost toNatrona Heights in the Eagle County playoffs last season.

Natrona Heights 000 011 0—2 7 1Cranberry 012 001 x—4 7 1WP: Mike Palano (7 IP) 8 strikeouts, 0 walks.

LP: O'Donnell (6 IP) 4 strikeouts, 3 walks

Natrona Heights: PhilCoffin 2-1B, RBI; Ken Bissell 2B; Fred Federici 1B, 2B, RBI

Cranberry: BillClinefelter 2-1B, 2-RBI; Justin Papania 2B; Greg Samson 2B; Bill Stehle 1B, 2B