By Audrey Dodgen/Staff Writer

Senior Mike Hefta earned a win Tuesday in the Indians streak-ending 6-5 win over Western Heights.

The Indians have had 13 games decided by one run this season, 11 of them losses.

“Adversity builds character in your ball club,” head coach Mark Ward said.

“These guys are showing a lot of character to still be playing at this level after the kind of adversity they’ve faced.”

In each of the three games prior to their win over Western Heights, the Indians held a one-run lead in the seventh inning, only to see that lead slip away.

“That doesn’t happen to a team in a season, much less three games in a row to lose a lead like that,” Ward said.

The Indians opened the game with one run in the bottom of the first.

Joe Halley advanced home from second base on a double by fellow junior Clint Maune. Maune led the team in hitting with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate.

Western Heights took a commanding 4-1 lead in the third inning, but the Indians rallied in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-4 lead.

Dylan Hughey led off the inning with a solo home run.

Chandon Vieweg, batting second, fouled out. The first runner on base was Halley, who was hit by a pitch.

Maune singled, putting runners on the corners.

Halley scored on a misplayed throw and Lorenzo Robinson was walked. Caleb Koos hit a sacrifice fly to supply another run.

After a scoreless fourth, the Jets knotted the score five apiece in the fifth.

With one out and one run scored, Jay Weekley caught a line drive and stepped on first base to turn the double play and end the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, first baseman Weekley hit a solo home run which proved to be the game winner.

The Indians held the Jets in the sixth and seventh to end the game.

In the seventh inning, Hefta threw a one-out strike out, his 10th strikeout of the night, to remove the threat from Western Heights’ lead-off hitter.

Halley snagged a pop fly at shortstop to end the game.

Hefta pitched seven innings, giving up two hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters.

The Indians totaled seven hits and five strikeouts at the plate.

“I think the reason our hitting is improving so much is our schedule. For two weeks we didn’t play a team ranked lower than 10th in their class. In fact, only three of our losses have been to teams ranked lower than 10th all season,” Ward said.

“We’re seeing good arms game after game, and it’s improving our offense.”