SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — There are many ways to win a softball game.

Monday afternoon, Slippery Rock managed a victory despite almost getting no-hit.

The Rockets scored all three of their runs in an error-filled bottom of the second inning and defeated visiting Shenango 3-2.

Alexis Vogan led off the frame with a single — Slippery Rock's lone hit of the game — before the Wildcats committed six miscues that proved to be their undoing.

“We talk to the team in practice about keeping pressure on an opponent just by putting the ball in play and with baserunning,” said Rockets' coach Dan Hindman. “It doesn't always work out, but it did today.”

Vogan reached second base when her ground ball to the outfield was misplayed. She advanced to third and then scored on a pair of passed balls.

Marie Bosch later scored from third base on Tayler Moesta's ground out. Hope Schnell reached on another error and scored when Megan Mingione's grounder was misplayed.

“In our last couple of games (wins against Quigley Catholic and Western Beaver), I thought our defense played well,” said Shenango coach Amy Delaney. “But neither of those teams puts the ball in play like Slippery Rock does.”

The Wildcats' poor defense spoiled a superb pitching effort from junior Macy Rubin, who struck out eight and did not walk a batter over six innings.

“She's been starting since she was a freshman,” said Delaney. “She did a nice job of mixing up her pitches, but it just wasn't a good day for us defensively.”

Slippery Rock (3-0) has a rising star of its own in the circle in freshman Cheyenne Hindman. Once she was handed the lead, the Wildcats never did pull even.

Hindman scattered four hits in a complete game and stranded runners at second and third in the fourth inning and at third base in the sixth. She struck out seven and walked four in the victory.

She struck out the first two batters of the seventh before Bosch made a fine running catch on a ball off the bat of Alyssa White that appeared to be headed for the right-center field gap to end the game.

“She wasn't as sharp as she normally is,” Coach Hindman said of Cheyenne, “but she is usually strong enough to get through.”

Cheyenne Hindman surrendered an unearned run in the top of the first. Caitlyn Schnell singled, stole second and came home on a throwing error. Hindman walked two in the inning, but stranded a runner at second base.

Though this is Hindman's first spring of varsity high school play, she has logged many innings in summer ball the last few years. She responded to the rocky first frame by allowing just one run on three hits the rest of the way.

“Experience says it all,” Coach Hindman said. “Cheyenne has about 1,000 games under her belt. She's been down the road, knows the speed of the game and how things go sometimes.”

The Wildcats (2-2) closed to within one run in the top of the fifth when Shelby McCart walked, stole second and moved to third base on White's base hit. The former scored on a double-steal.

Shenango 100 010 0 — 2 4 7

Slippery Rock 030 000 x — 3 1 2

W: Cheyenne Hindman 7 IP (7K, 4BB). L: Macy Rubin 6 IP (8K, 0BB).

Shenango (2-2): Alyssa White 1B, Caitlyn Schnell 1B R, Kaylee Montanari 1B, Hanna Murphy 1B, Shelby McCart R

Slippery Rock (3-0): Alexis Vogan 1B R, Marie Bosch R, Tayler Moesta RBI, Hope Schnell R

Wednesday: Slippery Rock at Lakeview