SLIPPERY ROCK — Colin McKee could only turn and watch.

The Butler graduate and Mercyhurst University junior right-hander had just coughed up a mammoth two-run homer to Slippery Rock’s Alex Bell in the fourth inning last week at Critchfield Park. The homer cut the Lakers’ lead to 3-2.

“All that did was wake him up,” SRU coach Jeff Messer said of McKee.

Indeed it did.

McKee struck out 10 of the next 11 batters and retired all 12 hitters he faced after Bell’s blast. He wound up with 13 strikeouts, no walks and a 5-2 victory, allowing but three hits.

In other words, a typical Colin McKee outing.

“What’s been working for him?,” Mercyhurst coach Joe Spano repeated a question. “Everything. Colin is the type of pitcher who can be fooling around with some new pitch on the side and use it in a game the next day.

“His repertoire keeps growing. And he keeps getting better.”

And better and better and better.

McKee worked out of the bullpen for the Lakers his freshman year. He compiled a 3.54 earned run average with 27 strikeouts in 20.1 innings pitched that season.

As a starter last spring, he was 7-2 with a PSAC-leading 1.78 ERA, 98 strikeouts and 26 walks in 70.2 innings pitched. Opposing hitters managed but a .173 batting average against him.

So far this spring, McKee is 4-1 with a 1.05 ERA, 72 strikeouts and nine walks in 43 innings. Hitters are batting .143 against him.

“I feel like I can use any pitch at anytime,” McKee said. “I’ll throw a breaking pitch on a three-ball count. You have to have confidence in your stuff.”

At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, McKee is not alone when it comes to having confidence in his abilities. Major league scouts have been showing up on days he takes the mound and he hasn’t been letting them down.

Baseball’s amateur draft is in June and McKee — whose fastball is clocked regularly in the low 90s — is on everybody’s radar.

“I haven’t signed with a summer team,” McKee admitted. “I’m hoping I get drafted. But first things first. I have PSAC opponents to take care of each weekend.”

In his first two PSAC starts, McKee struck out 25 hitters and walked one against Seton Hill and Slippery Rock, two of the top hitting teams in the league.

He fanned SRU catcher Tyler Walters — a .500 hitter entering the game — twice in three at-bats. Walters had struck out only four times in 72 at bats before facing McKee.

“That guy is the best in the conference,” Walters declared. “He gets you to swing at dirt. He has my number, I know that.”

Spano said he will be surprised if McKee isn’t drafted. The pitcher has 198 strikeouts and just 43 walks in 134 career collegiate innings.

“I don’t know who wouldn’t want to draft him — and pretty high,” Spano said. “Besides his pitching, he’s an outstanding student and a great teammate. He’s a very likeable kid.”

Spano coached Danny Altavilla, a Mercyhurst pitcher drafted in 2014 who is now in Class AA with the Seattle Mariners.

“Danny pitched more side-to-side whereas Colin is a downhill pitcher because of his size,” Spano said. “Colin definitely has similar ability. And both of those guys are bulldogs on the mound.”

When McKee’s fastball isn’t at its peak, he still gets people out.

“My breaking pitches got me through today,” he said of the Slippery Rock game. “Once I adjusted to the mound and settled in, I was OK.

“You want to be able to set hitters up and finish them off.”

McKee has been doing plenty of that, using a slider, curve and change-up to go with a fastball he can spot on either corner.

After that Bell home run, Slippery Rock didn’t stand a chance — despite its .300 team batting average.

“When you give up a home run like that, the great ones grit their teeth and shut it down right there,” Messer said. “Colin definitely has what it takes.”