Beloit Snappers pitcher Lou Trivino, a former Slippery Rock University product, works through his delivery during a game earlier this season. Trivino's had an up-and-down season for the Oakland A's Class-A affiliate, going 4-8 with a 5.72 ERA.

BELIOT, Wis. — Lou Trivino threw a changeup inside and below the knees.

The 1-1 pitch looked innocent enough. Then Burlington’s Chad Hinshaw belted it over the right-field fence.

Trivino, a pitcher for the Oakland A’s Class-A affiliate Beloit Snappers, realized April 5 on his first start that this level was different than rookie ball.

“It was a pitch that shouldn’t have been hit out,” said Trivino, a former Slippery Rock University pitcher. “At Slippery Rock, I had a pretty good ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio. This season in Beloit humbles you because you can’t blow it by everyone.”

It was a sign of what has been an up-and-down season. Trivino is 4-8 with a 5.72 ERA.

Since July started, Trivino has felt more comfortable. In his July 14 start, Trivino allowed two earned runs in six innings of work and picked up a no-decision.

“I’ve been telling myself to be a little more loose,” Trivino said. “When things start to go bad instead of trying to throw the ball harder, get loose and try to hit a spot. It’s been working pretty well. I’ve hit both sides of the plate and have thrown quality strikes.”

Trivino is one of three former SRU players — along with Matt Adams who plays with the St. Louis Cardinals and Will Kengor who is in rookie ball with a Detroit Tigers affiliate — playing professional baseball.

“It’s awesome. I wasn’t fortunate to play with Matt Adams, only had pleasure of speaking with him three or four times,” Trivino said. “Everyone’s sick and tired of telling me that he’s from Slippery Rock. It’s exciting Slippery Rock has three quality guys. Hopefully Will and I can join him.”

Overthrowing hasn’t been the crux of Trivino’s problem. In spring training his fastball was between 93 and 96 miles per hour. During the season, he’s been between 89 and 94.

Being punished for leaving the ball over the plate is the issue.

Three starts ago, Trivino got ahead with two changeups and threw a sinker in toward the knees of a batter. That pitch ended up going over the center-field fence.

“The past four or five games, it’s been the fifth inning for me,” Trivino said. “That’s when I start getting a little out of whack and out of my gameplan. If my changeups been working well, I try to make it better. ”

The move to Beloit was following a solid first season in rookie ball. Trivino went 3-4 with a 3.92 ERA last season with the Vermont Lake Monsters of the New York-Penn League.

That’s left him encouraged. Trivino feels he can pitch better. Now, his challenge is proving it.

“I definitely don’t want people to think it’s all he’s got,” Trivino said. “I know for a fact it isn’t. I want to prove to whoever writes me off that I can do better than what I’m showing.”