Zac LaNeve has had a front-row seat for the excellent pitching Butler has received already this season.

Finally, the BlueSox hitters joined the fun.

“It was nice to knock the ball around a little,” said LaNeve, the Butler shortstop and Gibsonia native who plays his college ball at Penn State University.

The BlueSox scored three runs in the first inning and led West Virginia 7-0 after five innings on the way to a 7-2 win over the Miners in Prospect League action at Kelly Automotive Park Friday night. Butler (2-1) pitchers came into the game with only three runs scored against them in the first two games.

The BlueSox offense, though, had only scored three runs itself.

Until Friday.

LaNeve went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI to lead the nine-hit attack.

“We scored three in the first inning and that would have been good enough,” LaNeve said. “That’s how good our pitching has been. And it was fun to do it in front of this big crowd tonight. It was awesome.”

The 1,164 fans in attendance got to see another solid outing by a Butler starting pitcher.

Left-hander Adam Bleday struck out seven and scattered four hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.

He was extremely efficient early as West Virginia (0-2) managed just one baserunner in the first five innings.

A trio of relievers, Dave Yakopec, Tyler Swarmer and Alex Martin, closed out the game for the BlueSox.

“(Bleday) just ran out of gas I think,” said Butler manager Anthony Rebyanski of the Titusville native and freshman at the University of Virginia. “It’s been awhile since he’s thrown that long. He’s a good arm. He’s going to be very, very effective for us.

“He’s just a lefty who throws strikes,” Rebyanski added. “I’ve said it many, many times: lefties just win.”

Bleday didn’t have to be as sharp as he turned out to be because the offense awakened, chasing West Virginia starter Cody Pope after a disastrous 4 1/3 innings.

Butler got to Pope for seven runs on eight hits. Pope also hit three batters and uncorked three wild pitches in the first inning that led to two of the three BlueSox runs in the frame.

Butler’s bats did the rest of the damage.

Leadoff hitter Stephen Sada had a pair of doubles and Forrest Perron had a two-run triple in the fourth inning.

“The first two games, I know it’s a new season and guys are getting used to the pitching and the new scenery and all that stuff,” Rebyanski said. “But today we worked a lot off the tee, a lot in the cage on driving the ball. The guys are gonna get it. We have a lot of guys still missing and I think when everyone comes together and starts clicking, we’re going to be OK.”

West Virginia 000 000 110 — 2 6 0

Butler 301 210 00x — 7 9 0

W: Adam Bleday 6.1IP (7K, 0BB). L: Cody Pope 4.1IP (3K, 1BB).

West Virginia (0-2): Gavin Culler 1B, Alex McKeon 1B 2B, Paul Trenhaile 1B, Rob Youngblood RBI, Ryan Perkins 2B, Eric Schanzebacher 1B

Butler (2-1): Stephen Sada 2-2B 2-R, Forrest Perron 3B 2-RBI, Anthony Smith 2-R, Zac LaNeve 2-1B 3B 2-RBI, Ryan Uhl 1B, Mick Fennel 2B, Russell Clark RBI, Danny Urban 1B

Saturday: Butler at Lorain, 7:05 p.m.

Sunday: Butler at Lorain, 1:05 p.m.