Warsaw senior Sarah Shoemaker shares a laugh with Kim Shoemaker Friday night. Shoemaker organized the Wounded Warrior Project Game to honor and support local veterans. The host Tigers rallied to beat Concord 12-11 in the NLC contest.

WARSAW – Warsaw softball coach Kevin Dishman called it a “feel good” night for his team Friday.

The Tigers certainly had plenty to feel good about, both on and off the diamond.

Warsaw showed its competitive spirit and fight on the field to rally past Concord 12-11 in an eight-inning Northern Lakes Conference thriller.

The Tigers also did their part to honor local veterans as the contest was dubbed the Wounded Warrior Project Game, an idea spearheaded by Warsaw senior Sarah Shoemaker. Local veterans were introduced with the Tiger players in pre-game introductions and proceeds from events, including a silent auction and bake sale, went to help support the Wounded Warrior Project.

All in all, it was definitely a win-win night for the home team.

Warsaw won the back-and-forth league tilt when junior Lauren Shaffner smacked an RBI single down the left field line with one out in the home half of the eighth inning. Shaffner’s dramatic heroics capped a three-run final frame for the resilient Tigers. It also capped an outstanding night at the dish for Shaffner, who had three hits and three RBIs for the winners.

Warsaw, which improves to 3-10 overall and 3-3 in the NLC, responded from adversity several times in the NLC contest. The hosts saw leads of 5-0 and 7-2 evaporate and were also just one out from the win in the seventh inning when Concord’s Baylee Olinger-Royer blasted a pinch-hit solo homer to tie the game at 9-9. The Tigers also allowed two runs in the top of the eighth, the first coming as two of their outfielders collided to allow a fly ball to drop.

“That’s our kids,” said Dishman of the comeback spirit displayed by his relatively young team. “They are going to fight and not going to give up. They don’t roll over for anyone. Yes I thought that we would find a way to win it. Our girls live for that moment in that last inning and want that chance.

“It’s always good to win in the NLC. Our goal is to finish above .500 in the NLC. The thing is that these girls are coming together and working on what we need to work on. We’ve worked a lot on hitting and they are building good at-bats and putting the ball in play.

“It was a feel good night for us with the game designed to honor and help out local veterans and then getting the win too. Everyone did their part for us to win this game tonight and I’m pleased with that.”

Freshman Courney Chookie winds up for the Tigers.

Warsaw had plenty of heroes on a night that the team honored some true heroes in those men who had served our country.

The Tigers took a 5-0 lead in the first as Shaffner smoked a two-run single and sophomore Saylor Bradley clouted a three-run homer with two outs to right center field. Warsaw led 7-2 before Concord tallied six runs in the fifth inning, capped by a two-run, two-out single by Kiley Austin, to lead 8-7. The hosts answered with a pair in the home half of the fifth to take a 9-8 lead. Bradley drove in the go ahead run with a two-out RBI double.

Warsaw, which was coming off a 10-0 loss at Northridge Wednesday in which they had just three hits, saved its best for last in the eighth. Abby Glass drew a bases-loaded walk to cut the Concord lead to 11-10. Grace Johnson then reached on a Concord error to drive in the tying run, setting the stage for Shaffner’s walk-off winner.

Bradley had two hits and four RBI for The Tigers, who had 12 hits. Shoemaker, along with Johnson and Morgan Ashtari, each had two hits. Ashtari had a triple and Shoemaker a double. Johnson pitched the final two innings for the win. Freshman Courtney Chookie went the first six frames in the circle, allowing just three earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts.

Freshman Mayla Herman led Concord with three hits and two RBI. Hannah Boswell and Audrey D’Arcy each had two hits and two RBI for Concord, which drops to 5-6 overall and 4-2 in the NLC. The Minutemen were coming off of a 9-1 NLC win over Goshen Wednesday after losing 13-0 to powerhouse Penn Tuesday and 9-2 to league foe Elkhart Memorial on Monday.

Concord won the junior varsity game 17-2.

Warsaw hosts Huntington North and Concord plays at South Bend Clay on Saturday. Both teams return to NLC play Monday with Warsaw hosting Elkhart Memorial and Concord playing at Wawasee.