SLIPPERY ROCK — Pitching and power.

The Butler BlueSox packed plenty of both in producing an 8-0 win over Slippery Rock Saturday night at Critchfield Park.

The win marked only the second road triumph for the BlueSox this season. They followed that up with an 11-5 over the Sliders Sunday evening at the same venue.

“It should be no different,” Butler manager Anthony Rebyanski said of playing on the road. “We need to carry the same confidence, the same mindset we have when we're at home.

“Hopefully, this game will help in that regard.”

Right-hander Joey Hoelzel, a junior at Wright State University, certainly did his part Saturday. He worked six innings and permitted just three singles to get the victory. David Kucenic pitched two hitless innings and Tim Haley one to complete the shutout.

Hoelzel threw 105 pitches and has allowed only one earned run in 11 innings this year, despite allowing seven walks.

“Command is the one area he has to master,” Rebyanski said. “He's falling behind hitters early in the count and has had to extend himself. If he gets ahead of hitters, he could go seven or eight innings.”

Hoelzel was 6-6 this spring as part of the regular starting rotation at Wright State.

“I'm throwing the ball well,” he said. “My fastball had some sink and I got a lot of ground balls. The walks are bugging me, though. This really wasn't an issue in college.

“I have to throw strikes more consistently.”

The Sliders hit only two fly balls against Hoelzel and have now lost six games in a row. The BlueSox hit some balls in the air with authority — collecting four extra-base hits Saturday and again Sunday — and have won four straight.

Kyle Petty tripled to the gap in left-center in front of a towering two-run homer to left by Matt Albaugh in the fifth. Albaugh is hitting .390 on the year.

Elliott Caldwell and Eric Hess homered Sunday night, giving the BlueSox eight different players with home runs through 18 games. Caldwell had two hits and four RBIs Sunday, while Hess had three hits, including a double.

“We've got some pop. Guys are beginning to settle in at the plate. They're getting it,” Rebyanski said.

Butler's No. 7 through 9 hitters — Neal Jacobs, Justin Brozick and Gavin Meyer — combined for six hits in nine at-bats Saturday night. They added five more hits Sunday, two singles each by Jacobs and Meyer.

Sliders manager Shawn Pynn described himself as “not a very happy guy” following Saturday's loss.

His starting pitcher, Jesse Mowen, threw only 64 pitches through five innings, but was lifted regardless.

“They were hitting him and he started taking his frustrations out on the umpire,” Pynn said. “We've had some issues with on-field conduct from players and that is not acceptable behavior at all.

“I know guys are a little frustrated with this losing streak, but if you can't handle it here, you're never going to make it at the next level.”

The BlueSox banged out 14 hits Sunday, breaking the game open with a five-run seventh. Dave Yakupec worked five innings, allowing two earned runs for the win.

The Sliders have a .235 team batting average with only two regulars — Ryan Abernathy (.315) and Dan Hurlimann (.271) — hitting above .250. Pat Guinane and Radley Haddad both doubled and singled Sunday.

“You don' know when the next win is going to come and that can be hard,” Pynn said. “But we had to burn through our bullpen needlessly tonight (Saturday) and I've had to sit down a couple of other guys.”

The Sliders used four relief pitchers to cover the game's final four innings.

“We treat these guys like professionals and we expect them to act like professionals. Their conduct off the field has been fine. On the field is where we have to get it together,” Pynn said.

The BlueSox are 3-1 against the Sliders so far this season.

Butler BlueSox 010 322 000 — 8 10 0

Slippery Rock 000 000 000 — 0 3 1

W: Joey Hoelzel 6IP (4K, 2BB). L: Jesse Mowen 5IP (0K, 1BB).

Butler (10-8): Chris Rasky RBI, Kyle Petty 3B, Matt Albaugh HR 2-RBI 3-R, Eric Hess 2B RBI, Jason Radwan 2B RBI, Neal Jacobs 2-1B RBI, Justin Brozick 2-1B RBI, Gavin Meyer 2-1B

Slippery Rock (5-12): Trent Wooldridge 1B, Pat Gelwicks 1B, Mike Pocaro 1B

Tuesday: Butler at Lorain County, Richmond at Slippery Rock