SLIPPERY ROCK — The start was ominous. The end may be glorious.

Slippery Rock High School's softball team began this season with four straight losses, a rash of injuries and downright cold weather.

“It wasn't good,” coach Dan Hindman said. “We started off 0-4. The weather was terrible.

“We began the season at Myrtle Beach and lost to two big schools, one from North Carolina, one from New York. In the long run, I think those games helped us.”

And how.

The Rockets are riding a 16-game winning streak into Monday's 2 p.m. District 10 championship game against Warren at Penn State Behrend.

Slippery Rock defeated Harbor Creek in a district playoff game Wednesday, then faced rival Grove City — a team it lost to early in the year — for the Region 5 title on Thursday.

The Rockets won that game, 11-1, in five innings.

“A lot of things factored into our season going the way it has,” Hindman said. “Getting girls back from injuries has been the biggest thing.

“The weather warmed up and Chey pitches a lot better when it's warm.”

Cheyenne Hindman, the coach's daughter, leads the team in hitting with a .540 batting average. She's belted four home runs as well.

“And she's been pretty good in the (pitching) circle,” Coach Hindman said.

Pitcher Hindman has received plenty of help.

She has hit four home runs. Center fielder Hannah Wilson has belted four as well. Shortstop Brynn Horner has hit three. Third baseman Macy McCall has drilled five home runs.

Those four — along with right fielder Madelyn Senge — are the senior starters on the team. McCall did not play softball last season.

Headed to Wright State University to continue her career on the diamond, McCall returned to the Rockets this year.

“You can't even measure the impact Macy has had this season,” Coach Hindman said. “And Brynn Horner has come up with a number of clutch hits for us — three big ones against Grove City in our last game.”

Cheyenne Hindman had committed to play softball at Eastern Michigan next year — but that school cut softball from its athletic budget in March.

“Cheyenne will play somewhere next year,” Coach Hindman said. “She's weighing some offers and options right now in terms of being a college student along with playing ball.

“Her situation has been a bit of a distraction, but we've all fought through it. Everyone has handled that well.”

Junior starters for the Rockets are catcher Julianna Hutchison and second baseman Ayslyn Duffy. Sophomore starters are first baseman Julia Hart and left fielder Taylor Balint.

Slippery Rock has won four straight Region 5 championships and has reached the District 10 final for the first time.

Before taking on Warren Monday afternoon, the team has a busy schedule. The Rockets will plant flowers on the grave-sites of veterans in Harrisville Saturday morning. They will then participate in the Prospect Volunteer Fire Department Parade at 11 a.m. that day.

The team was to participate in the Harrisville parade Monday, but its game time will prohibit that.

“We have not played Warren before, but we respect the fact they are the team coming out of the other side of the bracket,” Coach Hindman said. “We respect every team we play.”