SLIPPERY ROCK — Joe Barnhart was given the baseball in the biggest game in the history of the Slippery Rock High baseball program.

To Barnhart, a junior right-hander, it was no big deal.

“I just wanted to get us through to the next game,” Barnhart said, shrugging. “I was just really pleased to be able to do that.”

Barnhart was masterful on the mound for the Rockets, tossing a two-hitter, and also delivered a bases-loaded single through a drawn-in infield for the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead the Rockets to a 2-1 win over rival Grove City on a frigid Friday night at Jack Critchfield Park.

The win sends Slippery Rock to the District 10 Class AAA title game against Warren, who upset No. 1 seed Cathedral Prep, at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Critchfield Park.

All three games between Slippery Rock and Grove City this season were decided by one run. The Rockets won two of them.

Barnhart had a no-hitter through five innings and didn't have his first three-ball count on a Grove City hitter until the sixth inning.

Not bad for the Rockets' No. 2 pitcher — er, make that No. 1-A.

Cody Stephenson, who pitched Slippery Rock to its first-ever playoff win with a 1-0 victory Tuesday over Harbor Creek, is the ace.

Barnhart isn't too far behind

“With these two guys, you know what you're going to get,” said Slippery Rock coach Nathan McCollough. “You know you're going to be in the game and, as long as you manufacture one, two, three runs, you have a chance to win every night.”

Stephenson had some simple advice for Barnhart before the game.

“I just told him to go out there and deal,” Stephenson said.

Barnhart did just that.

Slippery Rock (13-7) got him a run in the bottom of the fifth inning by finally stringing a few hits together against Grove City pitcher Ryan Grace, who also was in top form.

Josh Bowser slashed a one-out single and Barnhart followed with another hit before freshman Jackson Kerchis launched an RBI double just over the head of Eagles' center fielder Jared Sample to score Bowser.

Grace escaped further damage, however.

Barnhart ran into his only trouble of the game in the sixth inning.

Austin Wilson led off the frame with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a double by Matt Gordon.

Grove City (15-7) loaded the bases with one out against Barnhart, but he managed to slip out of the jam thanks to a strange play.

Dustin Maine hit a shallow fly ball to left field that was dropped by Taylor Buhler, who recovered and threw out Ben Lucas at the plate for a very unusual 7-2 force-out.

Barnhart induced a pop-out a batter later to end the threat.

“I thought (Buhler) was going to panic,” McCollough said. “But he knew exactly what he needed to do and made a very sharp throw.”

Stephenson knew what he needed to do when he stepped to the plate to lead off the bottom of the seventh.

Stephenson launched a ball over the head of Sample in center and raced into third with a triple.

“It's what we were looking for from a senior, a leader who has been in this drought for so long,” McCollough said. “I think I could see the anger that came out, the desire to beat this team. I don't think he's hit a ball that far all year. When he got to third, I got the feeling he wanted to keep going and score the winning run right there.”

He didn't have to wait long to do just that.

Grove City coach Pat Forese opted to intentionally walk the next two hitters to load the bases. The Eagles pulled their infield and outfield in hoping to wiggle out of the jam.

Barnhart, though, had other ideas.

“When (Grace) got in front of me, I was thinking soft away,” Barnhart said. “I just wanted to slap it into right field.”

That's just what he did as the Slippery Rock bench and the school's fans in the stands erupted.

“I can't put into words what this means to these guys,” McCollough said.

For Grove City, it wasn't just an end to the season, it was an end of an era.

After 26 years and 350 victories, Forese is retiring. The coach embraced his family, tears in their eyes, after the game.

“I'm ready,” Forese said. “I knew the last game was going to end in a loss, unless we won the state title. It's been a great run. I've had a ton of great assistant coaches. Jim Anderson and Bill Limberg have done a great job, a fantastic job. I've had tons of other great assistant coaches, too, over the years. That's what makes a good program. Not just one guy.”

Grove City 000 001 0 — 1 2 0

Slippery Rock 000 010 1 — 2 7 1

No outs when winning run scored

W: Joe Barnhart 7IP (7K, 3BB). L: Ryan Grace 6IP (3K, 2BB).

Grove City (15-7): Matt Gordon 2B RBI, Austin Wilson 1B

Slippery Rock (13-7): Cody Stephenson 3B, Josh Bowser 2-1B, Barnhart 2-1B RBI, Jackson Kerchis 2B RBI

Monday: Slippery Rock vs. Warren, District 10 Class AAA championship game at Critchfield Park, 1:30 p.m.