South Bend Riley’s Bryce Wieczorek heads home after a three-run homer against Wawasee at the Wawasee Baseball Invite Saturday morning. (Photos by Mike Deak)

SYRACUSE – After walking off in game one of the Wawasee Baseball Invite, Heritage made the extra opportunity stand up. The Patriots shut out a potent South Bend Riley offense with a 2-0 win in the championship Saturday afternoon at Warrior Field.

Wawasee’s Jamie Slabaugh tries to turn a double play as Riley’s Trevor Backstorm unearth’s the bag.

Heritage had Billy Lomow knock in Justin Hockemeyer in the bottom of the seventh with the game-winner to give the Patriots a 7-6 win over Lowell. Playing more heartstopping baseball, the Patriots tacked a run on the board in the sixth and another in the seventh against Riley in the final. The Patriots left 10 runners on base, but held the Wildcats to just two hits.

Riley made the final by defeating Wawasee, 7-3, in the other morning semi-final.

The Wildcats got an RBI double from Bryce Wieczorek and base knock from Ty Richard to take a 2-0 lead in the second inning. An inning later, Wieczorek mashed a three-run homer to left, putting the visitors up 6-0.

Rieder Hunley got two back for Wawasee on a seeing-eye single in the fourth and a double from Rylan Kuhn brought Hunley home in the sixth to slice the lead in half to 6-3.

But as it had Friday night against NorthWood, Wawasee left ducks on the pond without tending to the occupancy. The Warriors left the bags full in the third and put two on in the seventh, unable to pressure Riley further. Wawasee left 11 runners on base, one of the bugaboos of the offense of late.

Rieder Hunley smacks a two-run single for Wawasee.

“It’s tough for us right now, but we are trying to battle out of it,” said Wawasee head coach Brent Doty after the Riley loss. “Sometimes, these hits are going to get through, sometimes they don’t.

“We are executing for the most part. Bunts, steals, situational base running. We’ve made some mistakes lately, but those are easy things to clean up. We’ll get there.”

Hunley took the loss, working 3.2 innings and was on the hook for six runs. The senior southpaw walked five and struck out five. Wildcat starter Jordan Henderson worked into the fifth, getting the win after allowing four hits and two runs.

Lowell beat Wawasee 5-2 in the consolation game. Jacob Garcia worked six innings on the hill, allowing eight hits, five runs and four strikeouts.

Lucas Garza had a double and an RBI for the Warriors, and Harrison Shortill and Kuhn each scored a run.

Ryan Missal led the Red Devils with a double, homer and three runs driven in. Johnathan Cory had two hits and two runs scored.

Wawasee (3-8-1) will visit Northridge Monday for its next contest in the Northern Lakes Conference.

Heritage Patriots, 2016 Wawasee Baseball Invitational champions