Brett Sullivan is a pitcher by trade.

That's why the Seton Hill University sophomore and Avon, Ohio, native was brought to Butler this summer to play for the BlueSox in the Prospect League.

A strange thing has happened to Sullivan on his way to the mound: He has taken a detour to the outfield and the plate.

“I never played the outfield before,” said Sullivan, who went 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBI to help the BlueSox topple West Virginia 8-2 at Pullman Park Thursday night. “It's been a real fun experience.”

Circumstances have thrust Sullivan into a much different role than he had during his collegiate season.

The BlueSox are still missing every-day players who are still battling with their college teams in the postseason. That has given guys like Sullivan, who led the Griffins with nine wins this spring, into unfamiliar roles.

“Later down the road when all these position players finally get here, it's going to be nice to have an extra bat to turn to if we need them,” said Butler manager Anthony Rebyanski.

Sullivan said he is no stranger to the bat. He participated in batting practice and felt good about his ability to produce as a position player in a pinch.

Through three games, Sullivan is 4-for-10 at the plate and has played well in right field. He made a sliding catch to rob Robert Tavon of a hit to lead off the fourth innings for West Virginia.

“I had confidence I could do it,” Sullivan said. “Maybe everyone else is surprised, but I'm not.”

Sullivan was just one of many Butler hitters who had a big day against Miners' starter Will Thomas and reliever David Hess.

Grove City graduate and Kent State University sophomore Alex Miklos had three singles and stole two bases. Catcher Russell Clark also had a multi-hit day as Butler took a 3-1 lead after three innings and busted the game open with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Butler graduate and Sullivan's teammate at Seton Hill, Cody Herald, had a one-out double to start the sixth-inning rally for the BlueSox.

Butler's two-run first innings was helped along by a Pullman Park oddity.

West Virginia third baseman Pat Kregeloh lost two infield choppers in the sunlight that streams onto the playing field through a gap between the general admission section and the stadium facade early in games.

The two hitters who reached on the odd plays, Miklos and Tyler Detmer, each came around to score.

“That's the first time I've ever seen that,” said West Virginia manager Tim Epling.

Sullivan gave Butler even more insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning with a two-run triple to make the score 8-2 against Hess, who threw extremely hard and struck out six in two innings.

Reid Noah picked up the win for Butler, pitching 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Butler starter Tyler Swarmer was one out away from perhaps getting the victory, going 4 2/3 innings. Noah replaced him with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth as Butler led 3-2 and got a groundout to escape.

“It's just good to see what's happening right now,” Rebyanski said. “We have guys in there now who aren't every-day players and we put up 12 hits against West Virginia. They're a good-pitching team.”

Notes: Grove City High graduate and Slippery Rock University redshirt freshman Jon Anderson is the scheduled starter against the Miners tonight. ... Taylor Schmidt swiped two more bases giving him five steals on the season. Butler has 10 stolen bases already in 2013.

West Virginia 100 100 000 — 2 4 1

Butler 201 003 02x — 8 12 2

W: Reid Noah 2.1IP (2K, 0BB). L: Will Thomas 6IP (3K, 1BB).

West Virginia (1-2): Dale Davis 2B 1B, Kenny May 1B RBI, Preston Troutman RBI, Pat Kregeloh 1B

Butler (2-1): Matt Berezo 1B, Alex Miklos 3-1B 2-SB, Tyler Detmer 1B 2-RBI, Cody Herald 2B, Taylor Schmidt 1B 2-SB, Russell Clark 2B 1B RBI, Brett Sullivan 2-1B 3B 3-RBI

Today: West Virginia at Butler, 7:05 p.m.