Warsaw softball coach Jim Speicher talks to his team during its sectional semifinal game versus Concord Wednesday night (Photos by Jim Harris)

WARSAW – The third time playing Concord this softball season did not turn out to be the charm for Warsaw Wednesday night.

The Tigers, who split with Concord during the regular season, dropped an 11-5 final in semifinal action of the Class 4-A Warsaw Sectional.

Concord, which improves to 17-8, advances to play No. 2 Northridge (24-1) in the championship game Friday at 6:30 p.m. The winner of that game will then host the winner of the South Bend Adams Sectional in a one-game regional May 28.

Defending sectional champion Northridge, which lost in the semi state title game in 2012, blanked Elkhart Central 7-0 in the first semifinal contest Wednesday night. Junior pitcher Haley Nixon fired a two-hitter to improve to 23-1 in the circle for the Raiders.

Warsaw, which finishes at 9-19, simply could not dig out of a hole after spotting the Minutemen a 6-0 lead.

The Tigers, as they had done all season, were their own worst enemy. Warsaw committed five errors in the loss and Concord cashed in on the extra opportunities with key hits. The first eight runs of the game scored by the Minutemen were all unearned.

The first Concord batter of the game reached on an error. Senior Leslie Crawford made Warsaw pay for the extra out as the cleanup hitter blasted a two-run homer off an 0-2 pitch with two outs to get the Minutemen off to a 2-0 lead before Warsaw had even come to bat.

“It’s the same old story of our entire season,” said Warsaw coach Jim Speicher. “That first inning is the epitome of our year. We make some good pitches to start and then we boot a routine ground ball to start the game.”

Warsaw third baseman Kara Dishman prepares to fire a strike to first.

Warsaw had a chance to cut the lead in the home half of the third. The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs, but could not push across a run.

Concord stretched its lead to 6-0 with four runs in the fourth. Another Warsaw error opened the door for Crawford to deliver a two-run single and Maddie Jackowiak an RBI single, both with two outs, as the Minutemen sent nine hitters to the plate.

Warsaw got back in the game with three runs in the fifth to cut the Concord lead in half at 6-3. Junior Ashley Ousley smacked an RBI single and sophomore Karly Jones had an infield single that plated a run in the frame.

The Minutemen answered right back with a pair in the sixth to make it 8-3. Concord then made it 11-3 on a mammoth three-run homer by junior Jennifer Miller in the seventh.

The Tigers, who had lost 5-1 at Concord and won 8-5 at home in  conference play during the regular season, got a two-run blast by Jones in their final at-bat for the 11-5 final.

Junior Kaleigh Speicher lets fly with a pitch in sectional semifinal action Wednesday night in Warsaw.

“They hit the ball well and did what they had to do to win,” said Speicher of Concord. “They won because they played better fundamental softball than we did. They played better defense and they got the key hits.

“We had some opportunities to crawl back in the game and just didn’t come through with the hits when we needed to. I thought our pitchers, for the most part, threw okay tonight. Something like 53 percent of our runs this season were unearned and that’s frustrating as a pitcher.”

Sophomore Rae Ann Miller went the first 5 2/3 innings to get the pitching win for Concord. Junior Jennifer Miller got the final six outs for the winners.

Junior Kaleigh Speicher went the first three innings in the circle for Warsaw. Junior Whitney Sleeth relieved in the fourth and finished the contest for the Tigers.

Leadoff hitter Ousley and Jones each had two hits to lead Warsaw. Ousley, junior Kara Dishman and senior Ashton Warren each had a double for the Tigers, who had nine hits in the loss. Ousley, Sleeth, Kayla Snider, Jones and Warren each scored a run.

Dishman, a junior third baseman, had an outstanding over-the-shoulder catch of a pop out in the fourth inning for the Tigers.

Jackowiak, only a sophomore, led Concord with four hits to go with two RBI. Jennifer Miller, Crawford and senior Kennadie Lopez each had two hits for coach Dawn Austin’s squad. Jennifer Miller scored three runs, while freshman McKenzie Loge and Lopez each scored twice.

It was a frustrating season for a young and inexperienced Warsaw team. The Tigers struggled after losing All-State players and Division I college recruits Kelsey Dotson (Indiana) and Kendra Marshall (Valparaiso) from last year’s team that finished 19-10.

“We’re young and we have a lot of work to do,” said Speicher. “It’s back to building blocks for us. We have a long way to go. You name it and we need to work on it and get better at it for next year.”

The Tigers lose seniors Snider, Warren and Allison Himes. Snider was the starting catcher and Warren the starting right fielder Wednesday night.

Senior Kayla Snider takes a rip at a pitch for Warsaw Wednesday night against Concord.