A home run from Lake Washington’s Jake Wikel was the difference-maker in Tuesday’s 3A KingCo tournament championship game, with the Kangs edging Mercer Island 1-0 at Bannerwood Park.

Lake Washington starter Paul Falco held Mercer Island (18-4) to three hits in a complete-game shutout performance.

“Offensively, we didn’t hit too many balls out [of the infield] or hit too many in the air,” Mercer Island coach Dominic Woody said. “Full credit to those guys. They got the one run they needed to win. Unfortunately for us, it was just one of those days. Our guys go out there and do a great job, but it’s hard to win when you don’t score any runs.”

Wikel’s solo shot came with two out in the top of the fourth. The Kangs (20-2) put runners in scoring position their previous two trips to the plate and later on in the inning, but otherwise were unable to advance their runners home.

“I expected a great game, so I expected a one- or two-run ballgame,” Lake Washington coach Derek Bingham said. “I don’t know that I expected 1-0. I’m just convinced, and we’ve told the kids all week, that these two teams could not be more even. We’ve played them eight times in the last two years and we’ve split it. I would be surprised and disappointed if we didn’t get them one more time, to be honest.”

Mercer Island will take on Juanita (8-14) in a loser-out contest at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bannerwood Park. The winner will move on to a Metro crossover game May 14 in Seattle.