Trailing 5-3 heading into the sixth inning at the new Columbia City ball diamond Saturday, the Heritage Patriots exploded for eight runs in their biggest inning of the season in the top of the sixth, going on to win 11-8.
The game would have had a much different look, but when it looked like Thomson Keppel had gotten the third out of the bottom of the fourth with a strikeout, Lukus Schmitt reached on a dropped third strike. Instead of being done with the inning, Keppel had to keep going. He walked two batters and gave up two hits and had to be relieved by Caleb Abbott.
Trailing 5-3, the top of the sixth started with hits by Noah Redmon and Keppel, who worked with Abbott to make up for that fourth inning, tying it at 5-5.
The Patriots kept hitting the ball hard on the ground and kept reaching base, batting around and building an 11-5 lead.
Columbia City mounted a late effort to get back into the game in the bottom of the seventh with three runs, but Brady Richman came on after Ethan Patrick emptied the bases with a double. He threw just six pitches to record the save.
The Patriots will host Churubusco Monday.
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