By Byron Beers/Staff Writer

Closing out the regular season portion of its schedule, El Reno got just what it was looking for in more ways than one Monday against Western Heights.

The Indians sent out their seniors in top form on senior night at Hub Reed Complex, and more importantly earned a much-needed confidence builder as they routed the Jets 12-4 in Suburban Conference action.
They also got back an important part of their lineup with the return of senior Joe Halley. Halley was on the shelf for the past few weeks after suffering a knee injury against Guthrie on April 9.

Without the leadership and productivity of Halley, head coach Jason Looper’s club had dropped five of its last six games heading into the contest and was in search of a spark going into Class 5A regional play Tuesday at Chickasha.

All of the pieces seemed to fit for the Tribe, which improved its overall mark to 12-17 and conference record to 5-9. They were lifted by a solid outing from senior starting pitcher Chandon Vieweg — his most productive pitching performance of the season, and also received timely hitting, scoring four runs each during the third, fourth and fifth innings.

Vieweg went the distance to record his first of the season. In five innings, the right-hander allowed two earned runs on eight hits. He collected four strikeouts and issued a pair of walks.

Halley was limited in his role to prevent further injury going into the postseason, but did come through with an RBI single in the third to put the Indians on the scoreboard when at the time they were trailing 3-0.

Each senior found a way to contribute in some way. First baseman Jay Weekley was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with three singles and three runs batted in. Right fielder Trendon Johnson had a double and scored two runs, and Logan Proctor reached base on a walk in his only plate appearance.

El Reno shook off a slow start as Western Heights scored once in the second and added two more runs during the third off Vieweg.

The Indians scored four times in the home-half of the third to overcome the three-run deficit and never trailed again.

Jarrod Cole, Tyler Palmer, Halley and Weekley each had hits in the inning. Weekley evened the contest when he dropped in a single to right, and Palmer put the Tribe on top for good when he lined a base hit to center that scored Caleb Koos.

In the fourth, Vieweg brought home a run with a bases-loaded walk, Weekley drove in a run with an infield single, Palmer delivered his second run-scoring single with a hit to left and Koos plated Cole with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Indians continued their torrid hitting pace during the fifth where they added four more runs, including what would be a game-ending RBI single by Weekley that found its way through the middle of the infield and scored Daulton Repp.

Repp started the scoring with a single to left with the bases full and knocked in both Hunter Epperson and Cole. Vieweg then followed with a single to center that drove in Johnson.

Joining Weekley with multi-hits were Cole and Palmer. Cole had two hits and scored three runs, while Palmer had a pair of RBI singles.