SLIPPERY ROCK — The scoreboard read victory. Coach Paul Malley's face read defeat.

On the surface, the Slippery Rock High baseball team's 11-3 win over Oil City looked good.

The Rockets rapped out 11 hits, were patient at the plate, drawing eight walks, and pitcher Jesse Badgett was dominant at times, whiffing 10 in a complete-game effort on a warm Thursday afternoon.

But Malley, the Rockets' third-year coach, wasn't fooled.

"Overall, I'm not happy at all," Malley said after spending more than 15 minutes talking to his team after the game. "They're not showing me the energy and the fire to play right now."

That's particularly disconcerting to Malley because his team has more or less dug itself out of an early hole and is in contention for a region playoff spot.

The Rockets lost to Hickory 12-5 Wednesday, but returned Thursday to close out the first half of the region schedule with a quick start against Oil City, leading 4-1 after two innings.

A five-run fourth inning extended that advantage to 9-2, but Malley thought his team cruised a little too much.

"Granted, Oil City has a young team, but you still have to come out and beat a team," Malley said. "(The Rockets) just kind of went through the motions today.

"I just told my seniors, 'Hey, you have two weeks left. If you can't get up for these games, there's something wrong.'"

Slippery Rock (4-7, 3-3) made a few mental errors and wasn't as aggressive on the basepaths as Malley would have liked.

Oil City (1-9, 0-6), on the other hand, made its fair share of physical errors, committing six behind starter Matt Walentosky, who didn't help himself very much, either.

The right-hander walked six, hit a batter and committed a balk.

He failed to get an out in Slippery Rock's big fourth inning and was replaced by Lex Fogle.

Nick Cress went 2-for-3 with a double and scored three runs to pace Slippery Rock's offensive attack.

"We've been hitting the ball better," Malley said. "I'm happy about that."

Not all was gloom and doom after Thursday's game.

Malley has been pleased with his starting pitching, and he got another gem from Badgett.

"He threw strikes and made them earn it," Malley said. "We made, for the most part, all the plays behind him. It's a win. I'll look at it that way."

Oil City 011 001 0— 3 6 6Slippery Rock 220 511 x—11 11 1W: Jesse Badgett 7 IP (10 K, 2 BB).

L: Matt Walentosky 3 IP (1 K, 6 BB).

Oil City (1-9, 0-6): AdamCarter 2B; Andrew Angros 1B, 2B, RBI; Ben Koyak 1V,RBI; Lucas McVey 1B, RBI

Slippery Rock (4-7, 3-3): Jarod Agostino 1B, RBI; Badgett 1B, RBI; Nick Cress 2B, 1B, 3-R; Ryan Ferguson 1B, 2-RBI; Travis McDougall 2-1B, RBI; Derrick Orloski 2-1B, RBI; Dom Neely 1B, RBI; Josh Dailey 1B; Matt Shearer 1B

Monday: Slippery Rock at Titusville