SLIPPERY ROCK - Sean Ray has been a steady contributor for the Slippery Rock High School baseball team with his bat, glove and legs all season.

Against Erie Central, he added his arm to his repertoire.

Ray, who seldom was used as a pitcher in the early part of the season, turned in a complete-game effort for Slippery Rock, striking out 11 and walking none on the way to a 5-4 home win Friday.

He also added a single, two RBI and scored from second on a suicide squeeze bunt play that gave the Rockets some momentum.

"It was the Sean Ray show," said Slippery Rock coach Cory Hake.

Ray had a great day despite his unfamiliarity with pitching from the stretch.

Still, he worked out of several jams and overcame a 3-0 deficit to get the win.

"He sucked it up on the mound for us," Hake said. "I went out there a couple of times and gave him a chance to come out of the game, but he didn't want to. He wanted to fight and wanted to finish."

With a one-run lead in the top of the seventh inning, Ray hit Erie Central leadoff hitter Scott Johannesmeyer with a pitch.

Johannesmeyer stole second and third. That turned out to be a blessing for Ray, who was able to return to the windup and his comfort zone.

"I told him before the inning that if anyone got on, I'd come and get him," Hake said. "But when he hit the leadoff batter, I didn't want to take him out."

It worked out for Ray and the Rockets anyway. The junior right-hander got a strikeout, a shallow fly out to left field and then a pop up to third to end the game.

It was only the second complete game of the season for Slippery Rock (4-12).

But this isn't the same Rockets team that started the season 1-9. They have gone 3-3 since a 17-2 loss to Grove City in late April and have another shot at the Eagles Monday night at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park.

The three losses in the last six games have come by a combined nine runs.

"We toggled our lineup at that point," Hake said. "The middle of our lineup is hitting the ball well right now."

And all of the team is running - and manufacturing runs.

Trailing 3-2 in the fourth inning with Ray on second and Billy Messer on third, Ryan Hays put down a perfect bunt on a suicide squeeze play that plated Messer easily.

Erie Central pitcher Brian Bergell, who had a no-hitter through the first three innings, fielded the bunt and flipped the baseball to second baseman Corey Ornsbee, who was covering first, too late to get Hays.

Meanwhile, Ray rounded third and streaked toward home, beating the throw from Ornsbee for a 4-3 Slippery Rock lead.

"Ryan Hays put down a great bunt," Hake said. "And Sean was coming just as hard toward third as Billy was toward the plate. There was no stopping (Ray)."

That's been the philosophy for the Rockets of late: put pressure on the opponent with aggressiveness.

That all-out philosophy helped Slippery Rock score five runs on just five hits - all singles - against Erie Central.

The Rockets did benefit from four errors, including three in the four-run fourth inning, and some questionable decisions from the Erie East outfielders when throwing the ball back into the infield, allowing Slippery Rock runners to move up a base with ease.

"When we've scored runs this season, we've scored them in bunches," Hake said. "When we're struggling at the plate, it seems all nine are struggling. But when we come out of it, a bunch of guys come out of it."

Slippery Rock closes its season next week with Grove City Monday night and then a doubleheader with Meadville at SRU Tuesday at 4 p.m.

"We definitely have a tough job ahead of us next week," Hake said. "But we have shown marked improvement since the first half of the season."

Erie Central 111 010 0 - 4 7 4

Slippery Rock 000 410 0 - 5 5 1

WP:

Sean Ray (7 IP) 11 strikeouts, 0 walks.

LP:

Brian Bergell (5 IP) 3 strikeouts, 1 walk

Erie Central:

Scott Johannesmeyer 1B; Anthony Wilber 2B, RBI; Jordan Fracassi 1B, RBI; Roman Zielinski 1B, RBI; Anthony White 2-2B; Brian Sonntag 1B

Slippery Rock (4-12):

Josh Cress 1B; Billy Messer 1B; Ray 1B, 2-RBI; Ryan Hays 1B, RBI; Gary Wray 1B, RBI

Monday:

Grove City at Slippery Rock at Critchfield Park, 6:30 p.m.