SLIPPERY ROCK — Needing a victory, Jeff Messer handed the baseball to a senior.

And George Hebert knew what to do with it.

Slippery Rock University’s senior right-hander tossed a two-hit shutout Tuesday afternoon at Critchfield Park, defeating Lock Haven 5-0 in the second game of a doubleheader. The visiting Bald Eagles scored a 9-8 win in eight innings in the first game.

“We needed that second one,” Rock coach Messer said. “Winning that means we only have to split our series with Mercyhurst to get the No. 1 seed (in the PSAC West).”

SRU (26-14, 14-6) has a half-game lead over Mercyhurst (31-9, 13-6) heading into a twinbill there Friday. The two teams play a doubleheader at Critchfield Park at 4 p.m. Saturday to close the season.

Mercyhurst also has a makeup game to play against division foe California at some point.

The Rock is trying to win its first outright PSAC West regular season title since 2003. SRU shared the title with three other teams in 2005.

“George came up big for us,” Messer said. “We’ve been having trouble getting him past 70 pitches. He lost his fastball by the fourth inning, but his pitches really started moving.”

Hebert smiled at the thought.

“It was my cutter,” he said. “That pitch was there today. I started getting tired, so the pitch began sinking a little more. It was effective.”

No. 8 hitter Scott Zuback had both hits for Lock Haven (17-20, 7-13) — a wind-blown single to shallow left and a bad-hop single that eluded the first baseman.

Hebert entered the game with a 3-3 record and 4.83 ERA. He allowed only four baserunners and struck out five. He threw 106 pitches, 66 for strikes.

Matt Howard doubled, singled and had two RBI to lead a nine-hit SRU attack. Backup catcher Kevin Jovanovich drilled his first home run of the season.

“I took a no-hitter into the seventh inning last year and gave up a home run with two outs,” Hebert said. “I’ll take this one. I got the shutout and we got the win — a big win.”

Rock starter Joby Lapkowicz didn’t record an out in the second inning before departing the first game. He allowed seven runs on seven hits, including a two-run homer and three-run blast to Matt McCamley.

SRU trailed 7-1 after two frames before clawing back into the game. Relief pitcher John Kovalik allowed one run in five innings of work and The Rock scored four times in the seventh to tie the game.

With bases loaded and one out, with a chance to win it. Matt Accardi popped to second on the first pitch. Carter Haponski flew out to center to force the extra frame.

Accardi had been picked off first to short-circuit a Rock rally in the sixth inning.

“It was just bad baseball ... mistakes at the wrong time,” Messer said.

McCamley delivered a run-scoring single on an 0-2 pitch from freshman closer Ryan Oglesby to plate the eventual winning run in the eighth for Lock Haven.

“Bad pitch. I left it out over the plate. That was a bad mistake,” Oglesby, a North Allegheny graduate, said.

Derek DiRuscia had pair of doubles and two RBI while Mitchell Monas singled and doubled in Game 1 for The Rock.

Leadoff hitter Cody Young scored three runs and McCamley had six RBI for Lock Haven.

SRU shut out Lock Haven three times in their four-game series.

“Young is their catalyst and we let him hurt us in this first game,” Messer said. “We should have won both games here, but we’ll take this. We know what we have to do.”