Life at the top of the Prospect League's East Division doesn't figure to be easy.

Butler found that out Thursday when it lost a 2-0 pitcher's duel to West Virginia.

But on Friday night, the Sox pushed back.

Southpaw pitcher Josh LaPiana served up six shut-out innings and Butler's offense returned to form, totaling 14 hits in an 11-3 drubbing of the Miners at Kelly Automotive Park.

Butler (27-20) now leads Champion City by one game and West Virginia by two with 13 games remaining.

LaPiana allowed four straight hits before being pulled in the seventh frame. He was charged with three runs (one earned) on five hits. But his dominant effort over the first six frames helped Butler build an 11-0 lead.

He surrendered just one hit in that span.

“We scored two runs in the second inning and four more in the third, but against (West Virginia), that's not enough,” said Butler manager Cody Herald. “Josh did a great job of holding them down.”

West Virginia starter Chad Ramsey didn't make it through three innings.

Back-to-back doubles with two outs from Patrick Ferguson and Damian Maglione broke the ice in the second. Ben Carew followed with a run-scoring single.

Maglione doubled in another tally as part of Butler's four-run third inning and Ramsey was relieved by Dexwin Thompson.

Maglione has batted no higher than sixth in Butler's lineup this year. He was in the seventh spot Friday and produced three hits and four RBI. He added a two-run single in the fifth.

“We tell the guys that where they hit in the order has nothing to do with what we think they are capable of,” said Herald. “It's just where we think they fit in best in this lineup.”

Maglione did not have the start to the season he was hoping for, but has raised his average 19 points over the last 10 games and is now batting .255.

“At the start of the year, I was hitting some singles, but I really wasn't feeling my rhythm,” he said. “Cody worked with me on my leg kick, getting a smoother transfer.

“I'm looking for fastballs early in the count. I don't think pitchers believe I can get my hands through on them, but I do.”

Butler relievers Bryce Spak and Derek West combined to strike out five and walk two over the last three innings.

The Sox have a critical two-game series at Champion City this weekend. It is the last regular-season series between the teams.

“We just took a series (2-1) against a good West Virginia team,” said Herald. “We hope to go to Champion City and keep rolling.”

West Virginia 000 000 300 — 3 7 0 Butler 024 023 00x — 11 14 1

W: Josh LaPiana 6+ IP (9K, 2BB). L: Chad Ramsey 2.2 IP (1K, 1BB).

West Virginia (24-21): Eddy Gonzalez 1B RBI, Austin Norman 1B, Dan Ward 3B R, John Hagan 2-1B R RBI, Justin Mitchell 1B R, Cody Callaway 1B

Butler (27-20): Tanner Murphy 1B 2R, Pavin Parks 2-1B 2B R RBI, Calvin Scott 1B 2R RBI, James Meeker 1B R RBI, Kristian Webb 1B R, Patrick Ferguson 2B R RBI, Damian Maglione 1B 2-2B R 4RBI, Erek Bolton 2B R, Ben Carew 2-1B R 2RBI

Saturday: Butler at Champion City