GROVE CITY - Slippery Rock High baseball coach Cory Hake shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

"We're trying to find answers," he said.

There were no answers on the Grove City baseball field for the Rockets Thursday. Only frustration could be found.

The first seven Grove City batters reached base and scored, and the Eagles put up eight more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to earn a 16-1 rout.

"We're 10 games into this thing and we can either work to get better or throw in the towel," Hake said.

The towel, in effect, was thrown in when Grove City's Jim Jaskowak walked with the bases loaded to plate the Eagles' 16th run, ending the game in the bottom of the fourth inning due to the mercy rule.

Slippery Rock committed seven errors and walked in three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. In all, the Rockets issued six free passes - five in the final frame.

"That's one thing we talk about," said Grove City coach Pat Forese about his hitters learning to be patient at the plate. "When you are patient, good things happen. They're learning."

Brandon Jones hit a three-run home run in the first inning for the Eagles and now has two in his last three games since moving into the cleanup spot.

Forese has shuffled the bottom two-thirds of his order all season looking for the right combination.

"Just to see different guys in different spots," Forese said. "Brandon Jones is not your typical cleanup hitter - he's only about 140 pounds - but he makes good contact and he gets it in the air."

The top three in the lineup - Jesse Alfreno, Beau Fisher and Billy Herman - have stayed the same all season and for good reason. The trio went 4-for-8 with four RBI and five runs scored against Slippery Rock.

Andy Geibel cruised to the win on the mound. He gave up just one unearned run, but the damage in the third inning could have been much worse.

Slippery Rock loaded the bases with one out against Geibel when Bill Messer hit a deep fly ball to center field. Alfreno caught it near the wall, fired to the cutoff man who gunned down the runner trying to advance from first to second.

"Messer hits it another five feet and it's 8-4," Hake said. "That's what you try to focus on."

Slippery Rock has made a habit this season of falling behind big, but rallying late before falling short.

"There is some fight in these guys," Hake said.

For Grove City, winning has been the only option lately.

Since losing two games on a trip to Florida against top-notch competition, the Eagles are 5-0.

Slippery Rock 001 0xx x - 1 2 7

Grove City 701 8xx x -16 10 1

WP:

Andy Geibel (4 IP) 1 strikeout, 1 walk.

LP:

Ryan Hays (3 IP) 2 strikeouts, 2 walks

Slippery Rock (1-9):

Josh Cress 1B; Bill Messer RBI; Sean Ray 1B

Grove City (6-2):

Jesse Alfreno 2-1B, 2-RBI; Billy Herman 2-2B, 2-RBI; Brandon Jones HR, 3-RBI; Derek Maybee 1B, RBI; Dan Keil 2B, 1B, 2-RBI; Geibel 2B, 2-RBI; Clay Mincey RBI; Dan Sonntag 1B, RBI; Jim Jaskowak RBI

Monday:

Grove City at Commodore Perry; Slippery Rock at Meadville