SLIPPERY ROCK — Brooks Schneider hasn’t put up the kind of numbers he would have hoped this season.

But with a second-half division title up for grabs this week, manager Andy Chalot is expecting him to come up big.

Schneider lined a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Slippery Rock Sliders a 3-1 Prospect League victory over the Richmond RiverRats Thursday at Jack Critchfield Park.

It was the second consecutive night Schneider came up with the big hit, having knocked in a run in a 7-5 victory over Lorain County (Ohio) Wednesday.

With the win, Slippery Rock (15-10) holds a two-game lead over the Butler BlueSox with two games to play.

“Brooks, with the way he’s been playing, he has struggled in games early, but he’s had some bigger at-bats late in the games,” Chalot said.

Schneider is batting just .179 this season (12-for-67) with seven RBIs and nine runs.

His two-run single came with the bases loaded off reliever Lee Tackett, who had entered the game after Richmond starter Alex Gordon limited Slippery Rock to one run and three hits over seven innings.

“I was thinking fastball and wanted to go the other way with it since he throws sidearm,” Schneider said.

Tackett recorded the first two outs of the innings before Radley Haddad singled, then Chris Vopinek was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch advanced both runners, then Mitch Elliott walked to load the bases before Schneider’s hit.

Slippery Rock tied the score in the sixth inning when Michael Durham was hit by a pitch to open the frame, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice, moved to third on Fred Ford’s single, then scored when Haddad’s slow roller was bobbled by shortstop T.J. Weir.

With two on, Gordon induced Vopinek to line out and Elliott to ground out to end the threat.

Both teams had opportunities early, but couldn’t deliver the big hit with runners in scoring position. Slippery Rock would strand nine runners on base, Richmond six, all coming in the first six frames.

The RiverRats (9-17) broke through in the fifth inning when Derek Coverstone doubled, moved to third on an infield single by Josh Denny, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Rob McPike.

That was the only run allowed by Sliders starter Josh Tinnon, who held Richmond to six hits over eight innings with two strikeouts and one walk.

“Josh is the man. He’s a stud,” said Schneider. “He pitched his (butt) off.”

Chase Byerly pitched a perfect ninth inning to record his 16th save and drop his ERA to 0.99.

The Sliders have enjoyed an amazing turnaround, having finished the first half in last place in the East Division with a 10-18 record, 6Z\x games behind the West Virginia Miners.

A win by the Sliders or one loss by the BlueSox in the next two games will give the Sliders the second-half title and a trip to West Virginia for a best-of-three East Division championship series.

“We really don’t talk about that,” Chalot said. “We just have to take care of our own business.

“Early in the season we lost a lot of close games. We were not getting hits in the clutch. Now, we’re winning so many games in the seventh, eighth or ninth inning, the guys are getting comfortable in those situations.”

Richmond 000 010 000 — 1 6 1Slippery Rock 000 001 02 — 3 5 1W: Josh Tinnon 8 IP (2K, 1BB).

L: Lee Tackett 1 IP (0K, 0BB).

Richmond (9-17): Rob McPike 2-1B, RBI; Montana Timmons 1B; TJ Weir 1B; Derek Coverstone 2B; Josh Denny 1B

Slippery Rock (15-10): Brooks Schneider 1B, 2 RBI; Chris Vopinek 1B, 2B; Fred Ford 1B; Radley Haddad 1B

Friday: Slippery Rock at Lorain County, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday: West Virginia at Slippery Rock, 7:05 p.m.