In a game defined by grit and dominance in the circle, Montverde Academy softball earned a hard-fought 3-1 victory in 10 innings at Tampa Catholic on Tuesday evening.
Missy Odom went the distance in the circle, tossing all 10 innings while allowing just one unearned run on four hits. Nearly untouchable, she struck out an incredible 20 batters in the win.
Odom also delivered at the plate, finishing 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Kanora Diederichs added a key contribution, going 1-for-4 with a double and scoring twice, while Mylah Cardona also crossed the plate for the Eagles' third run.
Tampa Catholic struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on an unearned run. MVA responded in the top of the fifth when Odom reached on an infield single, allowing Diederichs to score and even the game at 1-1.
The game remained deadlocked until the top of the 10th inning. Odom came through again, ripping a double to bring home Diederichs for her second run of the game and give MVA a 2-1 lead. Moments later, Cardona added an insurance run, scoring from third on a wild pitch.
With the win, Montverde Academy improves to 14-3 on the season, and the Eagles return to action on Wednesday with a road game at Baker County, scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. first pitch.
