Montverde, Fla.— The Montverde Academy softball team split two games on Friday in day one of the Montverde Academy Invitational Softball Tournament (MAIST). The Eagles won their first contest 8-5 over Inspiration Academy before losing later in the day to the Episcopal School of Jacksonville 7-6. The results leave MVA at 10-2 overall this season.
In the win over Inspiration Academy, the Eagles fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first, before scoring three runs in the bottom half to tie it. MVA took the lead for good in the third inning with three more runs, and the Eagles never trailed again.
Makayla Navarro led the way going 2-for-2 with two walks and scored three times. Meanwhile Danika Spinogatti, Yani Guzman and Jenna Meder had one hit each.
Faith Fournier picked up her sixth win of the year after going 5.0 innings and allowing five runs on seven hits, while striking out two. Emerson Gunkel pitched the final two innings and picked up the save, allowing no runs on one hit.
Against the Episcopal School, the Eagles broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the bottom of the third inning before scoring three more in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-1 lead. But the visiting team scored three runs in the top of the fifth to get back into the game, then scored three more in the top of the sixth to take the lead before holding on to win. The game was a shortened six inning game due to the tournament's two hour time limit.
Spinogatti went 1-for-2 with a double and three runs batted in. Guzman went 1-for-3 with a triple, a run and a run batted in.
Gunkel took the loss in relief after going 1.2 innings and allowing three (two unearned) runs. Fournier started the contest and pitched 4.1 innings and allowed four (three earned) runs on six hits.
MVA will face Fort Myers High School in the tournament's final game on Saturday at 6:30 pm.
Friday's MAIST Results
Game 1 MVA 8 Inspiration Academy 5
Game 2 Middleburg 2 Inspiration Academy 1
Game 3 Oakleaf 9 Episcopal School 0
Game 4 Fort Myers 11 Middleburg 3
Game 5 Episcopal School 7 MVA 6
Saturday's MAIST Schedule
Game 1 Oakleaf vs. Fort Myers, 11:00 am
Game 2 Inspiration Academy vs. Episcopal School, 1:30 pm
Game 3 Oakleaf vs. Middleburg, 4:00 pm
Game 4 MVA vs. Fort Myers, 6:30 pm