SLIPPERY ROCK — It took 26 outs before something positive happened for the Slippery Rock Sliders.

Derek Diruscia hit a two-run home run over the Jack Critchfield Park scoreboard.

By then it was much too little, much too late for the Sliders in an 11-2 Prospect League loss to North Coast (Ohio) Tuesday night.

"Derek Diruscia has been swinging a pretty good bat for us," said Slippery Rock manager Chase Rowe.

Other than Diruscia's blast, the game was an ugly one for Slippery Rock.

The Sliders failed to cover first base on bunts and infield nubbers four times, leading to four hits.

Slippery Rock outfielders also missed cutoff men, allowing Knights runners to move up a base.

"We missed about five cutoff men," Rowe said. "And we couldn't deal with the bunt. We couldn't cover first.

"We just came off a road trip and these are young kids," Rowe added. "We've been traveling around a lot the last week and they have a tough time with that. Hopefully, we can come back better (today)."

North Coast led 2-0 after three innings, then broke the game open with six runs in the top of the fifth inning to chase Slippery Rock starter John Thomas.

It was 11-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning and North Coast left-hander Rusty Shellhorn had a perfect game going. He set down 18 Slippery Rock hitters in a row, striking out 10 of them.

But the Sliders' Derek Carr led off the seventh with a drag bunt for a single.

That didn't sit too well with Shellhorn or his teammates.

"Obviously, we were very unhappy," Shellhorn said. "It's kind of an unwritten rule. I don't really know how to put it. I don't want to call it bush league, but it is something we are going to remember. I'm sure (Carr) knows it, too."

Rowe said he didn'tt call a bunt. Carr did it on his own.

"These guys are competitive kids," Rowe said. "They have a lot of pride. They don't want to get no-hit. I certainly would never call that in that situation. But we talk to them and tell them never to take anything for granted."

Shellhorn worked seven innings, giving up the one hit and striking out 12. He left in part because of a bruise on his shin after taking a line-drive off of it in the sixth.

Shellhorn, who pitched as a freshman in the spring for Washington State University and is a native of Spokane, Wash., didn't pitch much for WSU because of an ankle injury.

He said he knew he had a gem going.

"Of course I did," he said. "You know every hit, every walk, every strikeout, everything that happens when you are out there.

"I've been getting better every time out."

Notes: Catcher Matt Kirkwood of New Castle joined the Sliders Tuesday and went hitless in three at-bats . ... Kirkwood was in the lineup for Tyler Plumpton, who left the team. ... The Sliders will play at North Coast today at 7:05 p.m. The two teams have been scheduled to play in Lorain, Ohio, twice, but both games were rained out.

North Coast 101 060 300 — 11 14 1Slippery Rock 000 000 002 — 2 2 3W: Rusty Shellhorn (7 IP) 12 K, 0 BB.

L: John Thomas (4X\c IP) 4 K, 2 BB.

North Coast (9-9): Evan Melendez 2B, 2-1B, 2-RBI; John Spatola 3-1B, 2-RBI; Kevin Roundtree 1B, 2-RBI; Kirk Singer 1B, 2-RBI; Doug Holmes 3-1B, RBI

Slippery Rock (10-11): Derek Carr 1B; Derek Diruscia HR, 2-RBI