The Montverde Academy softball team pulled off a 5-2 victory against Winter Springs on Friday night during the second day of the 2025 Montverde Academy Invitational Softball Tournament (MAIST).

Winter Springs got the scoring started in the top of the second with a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead.

The Eagles quickly answered back when Miranda Murch crushed a home run of her own in the bottom half of the inning to tie the score.  The game remained tight until the bottom of the fourth, when Danika Spinogatti launched a solo home run to put the Eagles up 2-1.

In the top of the sixth, Winter Springs managed to push across a run with two outs, making it 2-2 before Neveah Williams finished off the sixth inning with a strikeout to close out the inning.  

Luna Taboas reached second base to start the rally. Several batters later, with the bases loaded, Elena Friedman, who had struggled at the plate earlier in the game, delivered a clutch two-run double to center field, bringing home Taboas and Colby Reish to give MVA a 4-2 lead. Brianna Kennedy, running for Murch, who had been intentionally walked, added another run, putting the Eagles ahead 5-2 heading into the final inning en route to victory

"It was such a great feeling, struggling, struggling, and struggling but knowing I can turn things around and do what needs to be done for my team," said Freidman.

Williams earned the win in relief after going 1.1 innings and striking out three. Starting pitcher Missy Odom, in her first start of the season, pitched 5.2 innings and allowed two runs while striking out 10.

MVA will play East Lake on Saturday, March 1 at 6:30 pm in the championship game in a rematch of last year's MAIST championship (which MVA won 2-1).