WARSAW – A fast start carried the Warsaw softball team to a conference win Monday evening.

The hosts Tigers scored five times in the first frame en route to topping Elkhart Memorial 8-6 in a Northern Lakes Conference contest at WCHS.

Senior Kaleigh Speicher went the distance in the circle for the winners. The right-hander allowed nine hits, but walked just one and notched seven strikeouts.

Warsaw, which had snapped a five-game losing streak Saturday with a win at Elkhart Central, scored two runs in the third frame and one more in the sixth inning.

The Tigers won the contest despite committing nine errors.

Speicher also had another strong performance at the plate with two hits, including a double.

Karly Jones and Taylor Sleeth each drove in a pair of runs for the Tigers. Kalie Keener also had an RBI.

Alexa Swearengin led Memorial with three hits. Kim Lucas and Gabby Warner each had two hits, including a double, for the Crimson Chargers.

Gretchen Hurtle took the pitching loss for Memorial.

Warsaw improves to 5-9 overall and goes to 4-3 in NLC action.

Memorial won the junior varsity game by a 21-11 final.

Warsaw will play at Wawasee and Memorial hosts Plymouth in conference games on Wednesday.