Russell Clark knew by the second pitch of the game that Jon Anderson was going to have a good night.

The Butler catcher, who has caught all but one of Anderson’s eight starts this season for the Butler BlueSox, could tell by the zip of his fastball and the bite of his slider.

“His fastball velocity was there,” Clark said. “It was really good and his slider was really good tonight. Sometimes you can’t tell before the game because sometimes guys look real great in the bullpen, but not in the game. He was great in the game.”

Anderson not only was great, he was nearly unhittable.

The right-hander from Grove City High and Slippery Rock University had a no-hitter through six innings before giving up his only hit with one out in the seventh as Butler edged West Virginia 2-1 at Pullman Park Sunday evening.

Anderson was chased in the eighth when he walked two and hit a batter to load the bases, but Reid Noah and Tyler Ferguson closed the door for the BlueSox, who are creeping up on the Miners for the East Division lead.

The win put Butler just two games back of West Virginia.

“He’s doing what he’s been doing,” said Butler manager Anthony Rebyanski of Anderson. “He battles. His biggest key is working ahead in the count. They are a very good offensive lineup and to keep those guys with no hits through (six and a third), you have to tip your cap to Jon.”

Anderson improved to 5-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.05. Noah replaced him and gave up a bloop hit that scored Josh Galvan to cut the BlueSox lead in half.

Noah, though, got out of the inning with no further damage and Ferguson shut the door in the ninth for his second save.

The left-hander struck out the first two batters of the frame and then got a dribbler to first baseman Alex Jurich to end the game.

“Reid came in in a tough situation,” Clark said. “He just kept his composure. And Fergie came out and did the job.”

Anderson was 5-1 with a 3.82 ERA at The Rock this spring. He’s been dominant against the hitters in the Prospect League this season.

“I’m just learning how to pitch, hitting spots and changing speeds,” Anderson said. “I feel good right now. Hopefully I can keep it going.”

Clark has been impressed with Anderson’s command this season.

“It’s really easy when they hit their spots,” Clark said.

Anderson gave Clark a lot of credit for his success, particularly in the area of calming him down before and during his outings.

“He’s a goof,” Anderson said. “He’s always making me crack up.”

“I just try to get out there and calm him down and make him laugh,” Clark said.

The battery has been working just fine for the BlueSox, who got Anderson a run in the bottom of the fourth thanks to the sun.

Matt Peters blooped a two-out double that West Virginia shortstop Evan Potter and left fielder Kaeo Aliviado both lost in the bright sunshine that bathed left field. Peters then scored on a solid single off the glove of Miner third baseman Kenny May.

Butler added an unearned run off West Virginia starter Rolando Celis in the bottom of the sixth for a 2-0 lead.

That was plenty for Anderson, who retired 11 in a row to start the game and had five 1-2-3 innings.

“There’s a lot of good players in this league,” Anderson said. “I just wanted to go out and prove I could compete here and I feel like I have done that so far.”

Notes: Butler has now won eight of its last nine games at Pullman Park, including a 14-inning win Saturday won by a walk-off home run by Jurich. ... Matt Peters extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a triple in the bottom of the eighth inning. ... Rebyanski said he expected Butler graduate Cody Herald to be available today. Herald suffered seven fractures in his cheek when he fouled a pitch off his face June 14.

West Virginia 000 000 010 — 1 2 2

Butler 000 101 00x — 2 7 0

W: Jon Anderson 7.1IP (6K, 4BB). L: Rolando Celis 7IP (6K, 1BB).

West Virginia (27-16): Pat Kregeloh 1B RBI, Cameron Balough 1B

Butler (25-18): Dylan Wolsonovich 1B, Ryan Fitzgerald 1B, Matt Peters 3B, Tyler Detmer 2B, Alex Miklos 1B RBI, Alex Jurich 1B RBI, Josh Forbes 1B

Today: West Virginia at Butler