Third baseman Zelous Wheeler’s three-run homer to right-center capped a five-run first inning Friday night, which catapulted West Virginia to a 10-0 victory and evened its best-of-three playoff series at one game apiece.
The Power responded with four more tallies in the second and their rout of host Lake County was on. The decision forced a game three tonight in Ohio in the South Atlantic League’s Northern Division series.
Left fielder Lee Haydel clubbed a solo homer in the sixth to help provide West Virginia’s pitching staff a big cushion.
But right-handed starter Evan Anundsen didn’t need much, working seven shutout innings of two-hit ball, striking out six while walking only one. Mike Ramlow and Robert Wooten each tossed 1-2-3 innings to finish off the masterpiece, Wooten striking out two.
Right fielder Caleb Gindl led the 14-hit attack with a 3-for-4 effort, while Wheeler, Haydel, center fielder Logan Schafer and shortstop Matt Cline each contributed two hits, while first baseman Steffan Wilson knocked in two runs and joined Schafer, Gindl and Haydel with two runs scored.