SLIPPERY ROCK — Andrew Morris grabbed a baseball, scribbled his name on it with a pen and handed it back to a young Slippery Rock Sliders.

If you listen to Sliders manager Chase Rowe, that baseball will be worth something someday.

A baseball in Morris' right hand was worth a lot against Richmond (Ind.) Tuesday night.

A native of Alabama, Morris speaks softly in a deep southern drawl. His pitches, though, are anything but quiet.

With two dominating pitches — a curveball and splitter — Morris shook off a shaky start to record seven shutout innings in a 3-1 win over the River Rats.

"My mechanics were kind of rough," Morris said. "I was trying to go too fast for my own body. Later in the game, I started smoothing it out and everything was going where I needed it to."

Morris walked three batters and threw 26 pitches in the first inning, but wiggled out of the jam when he got Richmond's Tim Pitro to fly out to center.

Morris' pitch count was up to 76 at the end of four innings and was over 100 by the time he exited after seven innings. He gave up three hits, struck out seven and walked four

Morris is 2-0 with a 1.39 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 innings.

"He definitely didn't have his best stuff tonight," Rowe said. "But, like all good pitchers do, he definitely fought through it and battled."

Despite the mounting pitch count, Morris got stronger with each inning and with each dipping splitter.

He didn't give up a hit after the third inning.

"He's going to be a professional pitcher someday. No doubt," Rowe said. "He has a curveball and a splitter, and each one falls different ways. Both are legit. When his breaking ball is on, that alone is a great pitch. But when that splitter is working with it, he's tough to hit."

Slippery Rock's offense, which has averaged 10 hits per game, got 10 hits again.

But the Sliders left 13 runners on base — seven in scoring position — against three Richmond pitchers.

"We have to do a better job of getting the runs across," Rowe said. "I'm not really worried about it as long as we keep putting hits on the board."

Charlie Kelly went 3-for-5 and No. 9 hitter Kenny Stoneback kept his hot start going with a 2-for-4 night.

Stoneback doubled in the third inning and scored on Kelly's RBI single.

"He has been carrying us offensively," Rowe said of Stoneback, who is second in the Prospect League with a .467 average. "When you are coming out of the nine hole, that is great."

Rowe vows to be aggressive on the bases. Case in point: Kelly stole two bases and leadoff hitter Matt Howard started the game with a bunt single and stole second before being thrown out at third on another steal attempt.

"We are going to run all year long," Rowe said. "We have three, four guys who can steal bags."

The key to the quick start for Slippery Rock (4-1), though, is a pitching staff that has been dominant.

J.T. Thomas relieved Morris in the eighth and gave up an unearned run in two-thirds of an inning before yielding to closer Mike Devine, who got the final four outs for his third save of the year.

Devine mixes a sharp slider with a 94-mph fastball.

Even Morris, who has his own array of filthy stuff, is in awe of Devine.

"If we are up by one run or more in the late innings, I have a feeling we are going to be in pretty good shape," Morris said. "Our closer is extremely good. With him, if we are up one or two runs, game over."

Richmond 000 000 010 — 1 4 1Slippery Rock 001 000 11x — 3 10 1W: Andrew Morris (7 IP) 7 K, 4 BB.

L: Freddie Cabrera (6 IP) 4 K, 2 BB.

Richmond (2-3): Caleb King 1B; Garrett Stephens 1B, 3B, R; Cam Strang 1B

Slippery Rock (4-1): Matt Howard 1B; Nick Spisak 1B, RBI; Jacob Petkac 1B, 2-HBP; Marcus Breeden 1B; Charlie Kelly 3-1B, RBI; Tyler Plumpton 1B; Kenny Stoneback 2B, 1B

Tonight: Richmond (Ind.) at Slippery Rock, 7:05