NATRONA HEIGHTS — The last time the Mars baseball team won a WPIAL playoff game, Dave Anderson was an infant.

Eighteen years later, Anderson took the ball in one of the biggest games in school history and responded with nine strikeouts and six shutout innings Monday as the Planets downed Indiana 6-2 in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs at Highlands High School.

“I was nervous the whole game,” said Mars coach Andy Bednar. “The kids kept building on the lead and David did a great job today.”

History didn't faze the right-hander, who took a jovial approach with him to the mound and to the plate.

He cleaned home plate with his hand during one at-bat and chased after foul balls that were well out of play.

“You have to enjoy what you do,” Anderson said.

He certainly enjoyed it.

Indiana hitters didn't.

Anderson attacked the strike zone with a moving fastball. While he did walk four, he scattered three hits over his six innings of work.

“They've been talking about (the 18-year playoff drought) all year,” Anderson said. “Coach Bednar has given me the ball in big games all year. I know he has faith and confidence in me. That gives me more confidence in myself.

“We've had a lot of disappointing losses in the playoffs in the past,” Anderson said. “It was good to come out on top.”

Leadoff hitter Brandon Wetherholt set the tone, leading off the bottom of the first with a double and scoring on the pickle play when Jack Anderson, who also had a key RBI double in the game, ran himself intentionally into a rundown between first and second while Wetherholt scored for the first run of the game against Indiana ace Zach Schultz.

It was the first of three runs Wetherholt scored in the game for Mars (13-5).

Dylan Rotz doubled and walked with the bases loaded for an RBI. Eli Brooks also came up with a clutch RBI single as Mars took a 4-0 lead on Indiana after three.

Schultz, who came into the game with an ERA under 1.00, was not sharp, giving up four runs — three earned — on six hits in four innings.

The run support helped Dave Anderson relax and get into a rhythm on the hill.

“Our offense is phenomenal,” Dave Anderson said. “It's great to get out there knowing they're going to give you some runs. All you have to do is go out and throw strikes.”

Indiana (9-9) scored two runs in the top of the seventh against Rotz.

Mars will play Hopewell, the second-place team out of Section 1-AAA Wednesday at a site and time to be determined.

“This is a special group that we have,” Bednar said. “One of the things that we do really well is we hit from top to bottom. And it showed today. I think we have a chance to go deep in the playoffs with the pitching we have.”

And Dave Anderson is the linchpin of that staff.

“All year I've been having it in my head, 'Let's go to states,'” Anderson said. “'Let's prove people wrong.'”

Indiana 000 000 2 — 2 6 3

Mars 112 101 x — 6 8 4

W: Dave Anderson 6IP (9K, 4BB). L: Zach Schultz 4IP (7K, 3BB).

Indiana (9-9): Thomas Budash 1B, Schultz 1B, Cole Shaffer 1B, Trajan Jones 1B, Cameron Allmeninger 1B RBI, Chase Kromer 1B

Mars (13-5): Brandon Wetherholt 2B 3-R, Zarek Simkovich 1B, Jack Anderson 1B 2B RBI, Dave Anderson 1B 2-RBI, Dylan Rotz 2B RBI, Anthony Michalski 1B, Eli Brooks 1B RBI

Wednesday: Mars vs. Hopewell in WPIAL Class AAA second round, site and time TBD