SHEFFIELD — The St. Edmond baseball team gave outgoing head coach Mike Szalat one final memory to take here on Tuesday night.

The Gaels put together a spirited effort one night after scoring a thrilling postseason win, but they ultimately came up short in a district semifinal versus West Fork, 11-8.

With the victory, the Warhawks (12-10 overall) advance to face Wapsie Valley (19-6) on Saturday in a 1A, District 4 final. The winner of that meets either Bishop Garrigan or Saint Ansgar for the right to go to state.

“(Tuesday) was the kind of baseball game you can be proud to be involved in and go out on,” said Szalat, who announced before the season this would be his last in a Gael dugout after 18 years with the program. “We gave ourselves a chance. Credit to them: they came out and won it (late).”

St. Edmond held an 8-5 lead going into the sixth inning when West Fork scored six runs to go up for good. The Warhawks registered five hits and took advantage of two walks and an error in the frame.

Maddox Shirbroun got the start, going five with nine strikeouts and no walks. The eighth-grader hit his pitch-count limit, though, and the Gaels went to junior Jack McElroy.

“That’s a decision I’d make every single time,” Szalat said. “Maddox pitched great and Jack came on. It’s what we wanted…(West Fork) just made plays at the plate and hit the ball.

“It’s not like we pitched poorly or struggled in the field; they just made the plays when they needed it.”

Kinnick Henning finished 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored for St. Edmond. McElroy recorded three hits, scored two runs, stole two bases and drove in a run.

Eighth-graders Julian Blanco and Blake Bartlett each scored twice, and Bartlett drove in two.

Shirbroun helped his own cause, going 2-for-4 with a double, four RBI and a stolen base offensively. Griffin Laufersweiler added an RBI and a steal.

The Gaels recorded 12 hits and drew seven walks in all.

“We hit the ball consistently and we had runners on,” Szalat said. “We probably left a few out there that we should have scored, but we did a nice job of staying smart at the plate. I thought several kids had great nights.

“Kinnick did great at the plate and also had a big catch in center. Maddox had a big night. We did everything we could.”

Along with losing Szalat, St. Edmond graduates seniors Landon Saathoff, Max Nguyen, Quintin Jaeschke and Kade Schlegel.