SLIPPERY ROCK — Committing three errors. Walking six batters. Falling behind 4-0 early.

This wasn't the way to package a district championship win.

Slippery Rock High School coach Fred Pryor wasn't about to apologize.

“We'll take it,” he said of the Rockets' 9-4 District 10 Class 4A baseball title win over Hickory Thursday night at Critchfield Park. “We'll take a win any way we can get it.”

They've taken a lot of them lately.

Thursday marked Slippery Rock's 14th consecutive victory and first district crown since 2013. The Rockets will meet Hopewell in the first round of the PIAA playoffs Monday.

But they are savoring their championship first.

“This feels so good. I couldn't be playing ball with a better bunch of guys,” senior Gunner Becker said.

“We were tight at the start of the game. I'll admit that. But I never lost confidence we would come back. I don't think anybody did.”

Hickory (14-6) got to Slippery Rock starting pitcher Dylan Dingel for four runs in the second inning. Nate Marchand singled, stole second and scored on Tyler Mellott's single to left. Hayden Gallagher doubled and wound up scoring on a catcher's throwing error.

Josh Baum walked and wound up scoring on a passed ball. Branden Myers then singled home a fourth run.

“We fell apart that inning,” Pryor said. “The kids were jittery. They were nervous. These are high school kids. That stuff's gonna happen.”

Hickory succumbed to its own mistakes in the fourth inning, committing three errors, walking two batters and hitting two others in a nightmarish frame. When the dust cleared, Slippery Rock had a 6-4 lead.

Becker and Zach Van Dyke had RBI singles — the Rockets' only two hits in the inning.

“We knew coming in here we'd have to play a nearly flawless inning to beat them,” Hickory coach Mark Thompson said. “That didn't happen.”

The Hornets wound up committing a season-high seven errors on the night. Two more miscues handed the Rockets a run without a hit in the fifth. Zach Van Dyke produced a run-scoring triple to right in the sixth and scored on Derek Van Dyke's sacrifice fly.

“Good teams take advantage of your mistakes and Slippery Rock made us pay for every one of ours,” Thompson said. “We didn't play well, but we lost to a very good team.”

The Rockets (20-2) defeated Hickory for the third time this season, picking up 9-3 and 7-6 wins over the Hornets during the regular season.

“Once we broke through, we added a run here, a run there ... We put it away,” Becker said.

Ricky Mineo had a lot to do with that.

The junior right-hander replaced winning pitcher Dingel after the fourth inning and put up three hitless frames. He struck out six and allowed four walks.

“That's Ricky Mineo,” Pryor said. “He brings the heat. He's growing into a dominant pitcher. He's only scratching the surface right now.”

Mineo admitted he was amped up once he took the mound.

“I wanted this so bad. It was hard to stay under control out there,” Mineo said. “Once we got the lead, my job was to shut the door.

“I'm speechless right now. I'm without words. We knew we could win this.”

Slippery Rock won the game on only five hits. Zach Van Dyke had a triple and single, Becker a pair of singles.

“The consolation we have us that we're still going to states,” Thompson said. “The competition level will go up still higher. If we don't play better than this, we won't be there long.”

Hickory 040 000 0 — 4 6 7

Slippery Rock 000 612 x — 9 5 3

W: Dylan Dingel 4IP (5K, 2BB). L: Nate Hando 3IP (2K, 3BB).

Hickory (14-6): Branden Myers 2-1B RBI, Cameron Whalen 1B, Nate Marchand 1B, Tyler Mellott 1B RBI, Hauden Gallagher 2B,

Slippery Rock (20-2): Gunner Beckler 2-1B RBI, Danny Williams RBI, Ricky Mineo 1B, Zach Van Dyke 1B 3B 2-RBI, Derek Van Dyke RBI, Nick Stutz RBI

Monday: PIAA Class 4A playoffs-Slippery Rock vs. Hopewell, site and time TBA