SLIPPERY ROCK — It's been a season of highs and lows for the Slippery Rock Sliders.

On Friday night, the Prospect League baseball team closed out its home schedule with a 4-2 win over Butler.

Andrew Morris pitched six solid innings, giving up two runs on three hits.

Marcus Breeden led the Sliders' offense with three hits and an RBI as Slippery Rock (22-30) snapped a nine-game losing streak in front of 675 fans at Jack Critchfield Park.

"We played pretty well defensively tonight, which hasn't been the case for much of the season," said Slippery Rock manager Chase Rowe. "The ups and downs of games got to us over the last few weeks, but we were fortunate enough to get a win tonight in our last home game in front of a nice crowd."

Morris left the game with a 3-2 lead after six innings and the Sliders received solid outings from relievers Josh Marchinoski, Nate King and Cory Mazzoni, who all pitched one inning.

Marchinoski set the BlueSox down in order in the seventh and Mazzoni earned a save with a pair of strikeouts in the ninth inning.

"Slippery Rock has some really good pitchers," said Butler manager Jason Wuerfel in reference to his team's total of three base hits — all singles. "Good pitchers are not going to give you that many good pitches to hit. Tonight, when we did get a good pitch, we grounded out or popped it up."

Three of Slippery Rock's four runs came in the bottom of the fourth off Butler starter and eventual losing pitcher Jim Podgorney.

Matt Howard hustled to turn a would-be sacrifice bunt into a single, with the late throw to first base sailing into foul territory, allowing Charlie Kelly and Shane Eyler to score the game's first two runs.

Later in the inning, Breeden doubled in Howard for a 3-0 lead.

Butler committed three errors in the game.

"We've had some problems in the field the entire year," said Wuerfel. "We've made some great plays to keep us in games, but then we'll turn around and not make a routine play."

Butler (27-26) pulled to within 3-2 in the fifth when Morris began to have trouble with his control.

His third walk of the inning — with the bases loaded and the BlueSox's Jacke Healey at the plate — forced home Aaron Ordy and Eric Hymel later scored on a wild pitch.

Morris had retired the first eight batters he faced and didn't give up a hit until Brian Billigen's bunt single with two outs in the fourth inning.

His outing ended with nine strikeouts and five walks.

Slippery Rock added an insurance run in the seventh when Eyler tripled off Butler reliever Andrew Dinardo and scored on a wild pitch with two outs.

The win clinches the season series. The Sliders are 8-5 against Butler entering this weekend's season finale at Pullman Park at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Slippery Rock went 10-17 at home.

"Obviously, we would have liked to finish closer to the top (in the standings) than we did," said Sliders majority owner Mike Bencic. "We had some injuries late in the season that hurt us. But, overall, I thought the season went very well."

Though Slippery Rock will end the season with the league's second-lowest home attendance average (239), the Sliders received more support in the second half of the season.

Bencic already is eager for next year.

"2010 begins next week, that's the way we're looking at it," he said. "We'll be working on promoting the team."

Butler 000 020 000 — 2 3 3Slippery Rock 000 300 10x — 4 9 1W: Andrew Morris (6 IP) 9 K, 5 BB.

L: Jim Podgorney (3 IP) 1 K, 1 BB.

Butler (27-26): Brian Billigen 1B, Brian Youchak 1B, Jacke Healey RBI, Aaron Ordy R, Eric Hymel 1B R

Slippery Rock (22-30): Derek Carr 1B, Derek Diruscia 1B, Charlie Kelly 1B R, Shane Eyler 2B 2R, Matt Howard 1B R, Marcus Breeden 2-1B 2B RBI, Rich Raraigh 1B