Warsaw’s Carmen Albertson breaks from the box after a perfect bunt for a hit Monday night. The Tigers won 8-3 over host NorthWood in NLC action.

NAPPANEE – Warsaw softball coach Kevin Dishman wasn’t worried about his team’s offense Monday night.

It turned out, he didn’t need to be either.

The Tigers got going with the bats late to down NorthWood 8-3 in a Northern Lakes Conference matchup at the Callander Athletic Complex.

Warsaw scored all of its runs in the final two innings, including plating five in their final at-bat in the seventh after the Panthers had tied the game at 3-3.

Dishman saw his team play a very strong all-around game to move to 3-1 in league play with its third straight NLC win.

“My main concern tonight was us playing defense,” said Dishman. “That’s the key for us. Our goal is two errors or less. When we do that, we usually win. And tonight we did not have any errors.

“This is a nice road victory for us and it’s nice to have three wins in a row in the conference. I thought the girls played an excellent game tonight. Everyone was positive and everyone did their part for us. We’re a small team (only 10 players on the varsity roster) so we need everyone to do their part.”

The Tigers trailed 1-0 after five innings as they managed just two hits off NorthWood sophomore hurler Gracie Clark. Warsaw got rolling in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead. Sophomore Izzy Dittmar had the big hit in the frame with a two-run triple.  Junior Hailey Locke started the rally with a single to open the sixth and then junior Carmen Albertson reached on a great bunt for a hit and junior leadoff hitter Katie Anderson then put down a perfectly placed bunt for a sacrifice.

Alexis Klotz at first base for the Panthers.

The Tigers finished strong with a handful of tallies in the seventh. The quartet of Carmen Albertson, junior Katie Anderson, freshman Lindsey Bradley and senior Saylor Bradley all had RBI singles in the frame and Dittmar drove in another run with a groundout.

“I knew that our bats would come around because that’s our strong suit,” Dishman said after seeing his team collect nine hits in the final two innings. “I saw a lot of confidence from all of our girls in that seventh inning.

“We have a strong lineup and our girls enjoy hitting. They have worked hard at it. With the weather, we have spent more time in the gym in the cage hitting than anything.”

Warsaw’s Courtney Chookie collected the win in the circle. The junior allowed eight hits while striking out two, walking one and hitting one. She got excellent play from her entire defense, led by Dittmar at shortstop.

“Izzy was excellent at shortstop tonight,” noted Dishman, whose roster of 10 has just two seniors this Spring. “She worked hard on her defense at practice Saturday.”

Courtney Chookie got the win.

NorthWood took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single with two outs by Alexis Klotz, one of just two seniors for the Panthers.

The Panthers, who fall to 1-2 in NLC play, showed their mettle late. The hosts tied the game at 3-3 in the home half of the sixth on a two-out, two-run single by freshman Lili Lomeli.

“Our girls were aggressive and answered right back when I challenged them to respond in the sixth after we went down 3-1,” said NorthWood coach Mandy DeMien. “Warsaw was able to find the holes tonight and string some hits together.

“This conference is tough. You’re going to have wins and losses. Warsaw is a good team. We just need to make the little plays and string some hits together ourselves.

“I think the week off (last week due to weather postponements) killed our momentum. We just need to bounce back tomorrow night at Northridge.”

Dishman, whose team is 5-4 overall, has seen his team post conference wins over Wawasee (8-6), Plymouth (10-2)  and NorthWood since an 11-9 loss to Goshen to open NLC play last Wednesday.

“We’ve been fine since the Goshen game,” said Dishman. “I like this group.”

Eight different players had hits for the deep and talented Tiger lineup. Lindsey Bradley,  Saylor Bradley and Albertson each had two hits to lead the way.

Junior Amanda Jenkins led NorthWood with two hits, including a double. Lomeli and Klotz each also had two hits for the Panthers.

Sophomore pitcher Clark went all seven innings for the Panthers, allowing 11 hits with three strikeouts and one walk.

NorthWood won the junior varsity game 17-5. Kennedy Tennant had two hits, including a double, to lead Warsaw. The JV Tigers fall to 1-6.

Warsaw (5-4) plays at NLC foe Northridge Wednesday night. NorthWood (6-4) plays at Northridge Tuesday night.

Halle DeMien prepares to bunt for NorthWood.

Gracie Clark fires a pitch.