Warsaw’s Ashley Ousley watches a pitch Monday in sectional play. The Tigers lost 8-1 to Concord.

ELKHART – The outcome may have been the same, but the effort was much better Monday for the Warsaw softball team.

The Tigers saw their season come to an end with an 8-1 loss to Concord in the semifinal bye game of the Class 4-A Elkhart Central Sectional.

Warsaw, which lost twice to the Minutemen during the regular season, just could not get a key hit to cash in on offensive opportunities.

The Tigers finish the season 8-19. Concord, now 20-8, advances to the championship game Friday at 6 p.m.

Elkhart Central outlasted Elkhart Memorial 3-2 in 10 innings in the opener Monday. A two-out RBI double by Shaytia Messick was the game winner for the hosts in the first contest.

Northridge, ranked No. 5 and the two-time defending sectional champions, then got a no-hitter from star senior hurler Haley Nixon to blank Goshen 10-0 in six innings. Nixon, who is bound for Indiana Wesleyan University, struck out 13 in improving to 22-2. A dropped third strike to start the sixth inning was the only thing to keep Nixon from her third perfect game this season.

Central (11-14)  will meet the Raiders (24-2) Wednesday at 6 p.m. in a semifinal matchup.

Rae Ann Miller winds up for Concord Monday.

Concord split versus Northridge, the Northern Lakes Conference champions, during the regular season.

Concord pitchers RaeAnn Miller and Kiley Austin combined on a three-hitter.  The two combined on a one-hitter May 19 as Concord beat the Tigers 12-1.

Miller, who improved to 14-4 in the circle, was wild enough to keep the Tigers from doing damage despite several scoring chances. The right-hander gave up three hits, while striking out 12 and walking eight over the first six innings. Sophomore Austin retired Warsaw 1-2-3 in the final inning with one strikeout.

“She made pitches and got strikeouts when she needed them,” said Warsaw coach Jim Speicher of Miller, who had 10 strikeouts in four innings versus the Tigers a week ago. “I thought we were patient and had some good at bats. We just had too many strikeouts.

“They beat us today.  They earned it. I feel better about this game than the other ones against them. We had some chances early. We just couldn’t get a key hit.”

Taylor Stiver prepares to take a cut for the Tigers.

Warsaw had runners on second and third in the top of the first inning, but could not score. A great diving catch of a sinking liner off the bat of Kara Dishman by Concord center fielder Jade Iavagnillio saved two runs and ended the inning.

The Minutemen wasted no time in taking the lead. Concord took advantage of a mishandled bunt in the home half of the first to plate two runs. Jenny Miller smacked an RBI triple and Rae Ann Miller produced a sacrifice fly.

Concord made it 3-0 in the third on an RBI single by Jenny Miller. The Minutemen then scored five times in the fourth. Austin and Olivia Hess cracked back-to-back RBI doubles and McKenzie Loge followed with an RBI triple to highlight the frame.

Warsaw got its lone run in the sixth. Senior leadoff hitter Ashley Ousley crushed a two-out double. Shen then went to third and later scored on a pair of wild pitches.

Lauren Shaffner digs in at the dish.

“If we punch a hit in there early in the game then we are competing with them,” said Speicher, who saw his team leave 11 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the fourth inning. “We just never found a way to get that hit we needed.”

Ousley had a double, while Whitney Sleeth had a bunt single and Sidney Hernandez a single for the Tigers.

Ousley, who will play at IUPUI next season, had a couple of outstanding running catches in centerfield for the Tigers.

Senior Sleeth pitched the first 3 2/3 innings for Warsaw. Freshman Abby Glass then relieved and retired all seven Concord batters she faced for the Tigers.

Warsaw loses five seniors in Sleeth, Ousley, Dishman, Kaleigh Speicher and Alexa Glass.

Sidney Hernandez fouls off a pitch for the Tigers versus Concord Monday in sectional action at Elkhart Central.