CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Columbus (Ga.) short-circuited the West Virginia Power Saturday night, earning a 2-1 victory to avoid a four-game South Atlantic League sweep in front of a paid crowd of 3,849 at Appalachian Power Park.

The Northern Division-leading Power (21-8), which had won 11 of its last 13 games entering play Saturday, had outscored Columbus 34-12 in winning the first three games of the series.

The Power only managed six hits and stranded eight runners, including six in scoring position. West Virginia left runners on the corners in the fourth and in the fifth, the first two batters reached safely but no one scored. The Power had the bases loaded in the eighth with two outs when Zelous Wheeler struck out and the game ended with the tying run on second.

Columbus starter Jason Ragan (7-7) earned the win, allowing one earned run on four hits in five innings. Two relievers combined for four innings of two-hit ball.

West Virginia third baseman Matt Cline went 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot in the batting order and was the only player with multiple hits. Power catcher Uly Snijders drove in a run and Logan Schafer tripled. Steffan Wilson went 0-for-3 and saw his 12-game hitting streak come to an end, but walked to extend his on-base streak to 18 games.

Power starter Dan Merklinger (3-7) turned in a decent effort, surrendering two runs on seven hits in four innings. He did, however, give up four walks and a home run. Reed Dickert and Corey Frerichs followed with five shutout innings of relief.

Columbus (17-10) grabbed the lead at 1-0 in the top of the first on Ian Paxton's one-out, run-scoring single. The Catfish went ahead 2-0 in the third on Reid Fronk's one-out, solo round-tripper to right field.

The Power cut its deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the third as Schafer led off with a triple and came home on Snijders' groundout to shortstop.

West Virginia will begin a four-game home series with the Rome (Ga.) Braves at 6:05 today. The Power will start left-hander Evan Frederickson (0-0, 5.40 ERA), a supplemental first-round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in June's amateur draft.

The Northern Division-leading Power (21-8), which had won 11 of its last 13 games entering play Saturday, had outscored Columbus 34-12 in winning the first three games of the series.

The Power only managed six hits and stranded eight runners, including six in scoring position. West Virginia left runners on the corners in the fourth and in the fifth, the first two batters reached safely but no one scored. The Power had the bases loaded in the eighth with two outs when Zelous Wheeler struck out and the game ended with the tying run on second.

Columbus starter Jason Ragan (7-7) earned the win, allowing one earned run on four hits in five innings. Two relievers combined for four innings of two-hit ball.

West Virginia third baseman Matt Cline went 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot in the batting order and was the only player with multiple hits. Power catcher Uly Snijders drove in a run and Logan Schafer tripled. Steffan Wilson went 0-for-3 and saw his 12-game hitting streak come to an end, but walked to extend his on-base streak to 18 games.

Power starter Dan Merklinger (3-7) turned in a decent effort, surrendering two runs on seven hits in four innings. He did, however, give up four walks and a home run. Reed Dickert and Corey Frerichs followed with five shutout innings of relief.

Columbus (17-10) grabbed the lead at 1-0 in the top of the first on Ian Paxton's one-out, run-scoring single. The Catfish went ahead 2-0 in the third on Reid Fronk's one-out, solo round-tripper to right field.

The Power cut its deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the third as Schafer led off with a triple and came home on Snijders' groundout to shortstop.

West Virginia will begin a four-game home series with the Rome (Ga.) Braves at 6:05 today. The Power will start left-hander Evan Frederickson (0-0, 5.40 ERA), a supplemental first-round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in June's amateur draft.