SLIPPERY ROCK — The Slippery Rock High baseball team has been shooting itself in the foot.

Monday afternoon, the bullets came in the form of nine men left on base and four fielding errors.

The result was a 4-2 home loss to Hickory, a defeat that didn't sit well with Rockets coach Paul Malley.

"We told our players before the game that they had to do the little things," he said. "And they're just not doing them right now.

"Nobody's really beaten us," Malley added. "We're beating ourselves."

The Rockets' missed opportunities continued into the last inning, when the team had two runners on base with two outs.

But Hickory reliever Jim Neil induced Adam Brydon to pop out to shallow left field to end the game.

Slippery Rock (4-3, 1-3) stranded a runner on second base in six of the seven innings. It left a man on second and third in the bottom of the sixth.

But the lack of timely hitting also was a thorn in Hickory's side for much of the game.

The Hornets, who collected 11 hits in the contest, left eight runners on base, six of them in scoring position.

"We had a lot of hits, but we couldn't get the big one," said Hickory coach Gary Hinkson.

Even Hickory's third and fourth runs were due to Slippery Rock miscues.

The game was tied at 2-all in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, Cam Konop legged out an infield single. Rockets shortstop Mark White tried to make the play, but his throw to first base was too high, allowing Jeremy Weaver to score from third base with the eventual winning run.

The Hornets (5-1, 3-0) added insurance two batters later when courtesy runner Jordan Benes scored on a wild pitch.

Rockets starter Brandon Ray pitched well in defeat. Despite giving up the 11 hits, he surrendered four runs, only two earned, in 5 We innings. He struck out three and walked two.

"Brandon pitched well again for us," said Malley. "But we made the errors behind him.

"Our fielding hasn't been much of an issue," he added. "But sometimes when the game gets tight, we have a tendency to get tight and don't do the right things."

Slippery Rock had taken a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Nick Cress scored on a wild pitch.

Hickory retaliated in the next half inning when Keith Yager doubled home Garen Ream.

The Hornets received four innings from starter Ross Voisey, who gave up two runs on four hits. The junior struck out three and walked three before being relieved by Neil, the eventual winning pitcher.

"Ross was pitching from behind (in the count) the whole time," said Hinkson. "But he gutted it out. We'll take the win."

The Rockets' first run of the game came in the bottom of the first inning on Sean Ray's double that plated Bill Messer to tie the game at one.

Hickory 100 012 0—4 11 3Slippery Rock 100 100 0—2 6 4WP: Jim Neil (3 IP) 3 strikeouts, 2 walks.

LP: Brandon Ray (5 We IP) 3 strikeouts, 2 walks

Hickory (5-1, 3-0): Garen Ream 2-1B 2R, Keith Yager 1B 2B RBI, Nick Backo 1B 2B RBI

Slippery Rock (4-3, 1-3): Ryan Hayes 1B, Bill Messer R, Sean Ray 1B 2B RBI SB, Brandon Ray 1B, Josh Cress 2-1B, Nick Cress R

Today: Slippery Rock at Commodore Perry