PHOTOS: West Orange tops Windermere softball in first meeting | Observer Preps

WINTER GARDEN — Familiar faces, a handful of whom once shared a dugout, were on opposite sides of the diamond March 27 as the West Orange High and Windermere High softball teams met for the first time.

While the game was tight early — West Orange led Windermere 3-1 through three innings — a grand slam by Lexie Blair opened things up, and the Warriors (10-5) never looked back en route to an 11-1 victory in six innings. 

Blair, who recently returned from an injury that kept her sidelined for the first seven games of the season, drove in seven total runs on the night.

“It’s great having Lexie back," West Orange coach Kelsey LaNeave said. "She’s definitely a piece we were missing in our lineup. She’s made a huge impact, literally, from the first game she was back."

On the mound, Landry Newgent and Riley Fromberg combined to limit Windermere to one run and just five hits.

Holly Heath got the start for Windermere (7-6-1), pitching five innings. 

The Wolverines scored its run in the top of the third inning, when Kristen Rifenberg was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Chrissy Fleming.

For LaNeave, who had coached a handful of the girls who are now at Windermere while they were at West Orange, it was an unusual game — though one the players had been looking forward to. 

“I definitely miss them, but they’re doing great things over there (at Windermere)," LaNeave said. “(Our girls) were super pumped — they’ve been talking about this game, basically, since the beginning of the season."