SLIPPERY ROCK — Chase Stevens doesn't look imposing.

Barely 5-feet-10, the Springfield (Ill.) right-hander looks more like a middle infielder than a flame-throwing pitcher.

But looks — and Stevens' array of pitches — can be deceiving.

Stevens tossed seven shutout innings against Slippery Rock, giving up four hits and striking out 10 in his latest dominating performance, as the Sliders — the Springfield variety — beat the Sliders of Slippery Rock 7-1 at Critchfield Park Friday night.

What makes Stevens, 5-0 with a 0.93 ERA, so good?

"He's got the heart of a lion," said Springfield manager Curt Ford. "He comes to play, comes to win. It's very simple."

Slippery Rock (7-11) discovered nothing was simple about hitting Stevens, who gave up one hit through five innings. The only trouble he found was in the seventh inning, when he gave up a single to Matt Baer and a double to Matt Fenster.

But he struck out Brady Stewart for his 10th and final K of the night.

Stevens has fanned 38 batters in 29 innings so far this season. He's given up only three runs, and all three came in one start June 10 against Nashville (Tenn.).

"He throws pretty hard and he throws a lot of strikes," said Slippery Rock manager Andy Chalot. "He never gets himself in trouble. He's the type of guy who is tough to bunch a couple of hits against."

While Slippery Rock batters couldn't solve Stevens, the SR pitchers had just as much difficulty solving Trevor Willis.

The No. 7 hitter in the Springfield lineup, Willis hit a three-run homer in the second inning, drove in another run with a single in the fifth and hit a mammoth two-run shot in the seventh to finish with six RBI.

That was plenty with Stevens on the hill.

Springfield (11-6) battered four Slippery Rock pitchers, banging out 16 hits.

Slippery Rock starting pitcher Vince Molesky got the loss, giving up 11 hits in five innings.

Slippery Rock finally got on the board in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Baer that plated Brian Davila.

After the loss, Chalot said it's a matter of getting back to work.

"They just swung the bats well," he said. "They just hit better than us, pitched better than us and played better defense than us. The best thing we can do is erase this one and get back at it tomorrow."

Notes: Ford played six seasons in Major League Baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals. His former teammate with the Cardinals, Jack Clark, is vice president of baseball operations for Springfield.

Springfield 030 011 200 — 7 16 0Slippery Rock 000 000 001 — 1 6 1W: Chase Stevens 7 IP (10 K, 1 BB).

L: Vince Molesky 5 IP (4 K, 3 BB).

Springfield (11-6): Trevor Willis 2-HR 1B 6-RBI, Nick Judkins 4-1B, Clay Cuno 2-1B, Josh Camalick 3-1B

Slippery Rock (7-11): Matt Fenster 2B, Matt Baer 1B RBI