It hasn't been a great start to the season for the Butler BlueSox bullpen, which has blown two saves in as many games.

Unlike Thursday night, when Butler was able to win in 13 innings after D.J. Cannon gave up a two-run lead in the top of the ninth, the BlueSox couldn't rebound Friday.

Leading West Virginia 4-3, Seneca Valley graduate Derek Peluso came in to pitch the top of the ninth, but he walked Jeff McNeeley to open the frame.

The Miners' Jeremy Robinson followed with a single before Peluso got Mike Marietta to pop up while attempting a sacrifice bunt.

Andy Weaver's RBI single tied the game and Victor Ramos followed with a two-run double. Ramos was thrown out at third base on the play, but the Miners held their first lead of the night at 6-4.

Andrew Smith pitched a scoreless ninth to cap the first win in the Miners' inaugural season.

"They say the first win is always the hardest to get," said Miners manager Tim Epling. "There were a lot of contributing factors tonight, not just one or two players."

"It's just our second game of the season and there's no reason to be concerned," said Butler manager Jason Wuerfel. "You don't feel great about guys giving up runs, but for the first part of the season, we just want to put them in different situations and see what roles they fit into, what spots they earn."

The Miners (1-1) found themselves down 3-0 after five innings, but finally got to Butler starter Tim Giel in the sixth.

After a BlueSox throwing error extended the inning, West Virginia's Zach Tanner laced a two-out, two-run double to the right-field corner, cutting the deficit to one run.

Butler (1-1) responded with Logan Uxa's RBI double in the bottom of the sixth, but West Virginia got the run right back when Weaver's one-out single plated Robinson in the top of the seventh.

That tally made the score 4-3 and Geil was pulled in favor of right-hander Danny Fawcett, who entered with runners on first and second. Fawcett struck out Chris Holloway and Ramos to end the threat.

Giel surrendered three runs on six hits, striking out one and walking two in 6Z\c innings. He retired the Miners in order in the second and third, and didn't give up a hit until Ramos' single led off the fourth.

"He was working his fastball well on both sides of the plate," Wuerfel said. "He got a little tired there at the end and left a couple of pitches up. We're going to work with him to develop his secondary pitches this summer. He's going to be a solid starter for us."

West Virginia's Kevin Shackelford earned the win.

Butler's Kevan Smith drove in his team's first three runs on a sacrifice fly that scored Zach Duggan in the first inning and on a single that plated Uxa and Ryan Geibel in the fifth.

West Virginia 000 002 103 — 6 9 0Butler 100 021 000 — 4 7 1W: Kevin Shackelford 12/3 IP (1 K, 0 BB).

L: Derek Peluso 1 IP (1 K, 1 BB).

West Virginia (1-1): Chris Holloway R SB, Victor Ramos 1B 2B R 2 RBI, Zach Tanner 2B 2 RBI, Jeremy Robinson 3-1B 2R, Mike Marietta 1B, Andy Weaver 2-1B R 2 RBI

Butler (1-1): Zach Duggan R, Austin Wulf 2-1B, Kevan Smith 1B 3 RBI, Kody Campbell 1B, Adam Jury R, Tyler Sciacca 1B, Logan Uxa 2-2B R RBI, Ryan Geibel R

Saturday: Butler at Lorain County (Ohio)