Softball Opens MVC Road Play at Bradley

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont University Softball team hits the road for its first Missouri Valley Conference road series of the season, traveling to Peoria, Illinois, to face the Bradley Braves. The series begins with a doubleheader Friday, followed by a single game Saturday. 

First pitch on Friday, March 20, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT at OSF Healthcare Field at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex. All games will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats available on BelmontBruins.com. 

What's Bruin 

• Belmont enters the weekend at 18–7 overall and is coming off a 3–0 series sweep over Evansville, including two shutouts. 
• The Bruins recently faced No. 1 Tennessee, holding the Lady Vols to a 1–0 game — their smallest margin of victory during the 2026 season. 
• Belmont has already secured two ranked SEC wins this season, defeating No. 15 Georgia and No. 18 Mississippi State — marking the first ranked SEC victories in program history. 
• Maya Johnson continues to lead Belmont in the circle. The redshirt senior is 12–1 with 178 strikeouts across 84 innings pitched and recently surpassed 900 career strikeouts. She currently leads the NCAA in both total strikeouts and strikeouts per seven innings. 
• Johnson was named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week for the sixth consecutive week on March 17. 
• She has also earned D1 Softball Pitcher of the Week honors twice and NFCA Pitcher of the Week recognition four times this season, becoming the first D1 athlete to receive the award four times in a single season. 
• Johnson was named a preseason Second Team All-American by D1 Softball and Softball America and was tabbed the preseason No. 1 Mid-Major Player by D1 Softball. 
• Belmont returns five All-MVC honorees from last season, including Johnson (First Team, Pitcher of the Year), Rylee Spindler (First Team, Freshman of the Year), Nicole Hughes and Maddy Balsiger (Second Team), and Brenna Blume (All-Defensive Team). 
• The Bruins were picked first in the 2026 MVC Preseason Poll and have appeared in D1 Softball's Mid-Major Top 25 for six consecutive weeks, most recently ranking No. 7. Johnson and Hughes were named Preseason First Team All-MVC selections, while Spindler, Balsiger, and Blume earned honorable mention honors. 
• Sophomore Rylee Spindler made an immediate impact this season, launching a first-inning two-run home run that accounted for the only hit in Belmont's win over No. 15 Georgia. 
• Sophomore Madison Dolecki delivered the game-winning RBI in Belmont's win over No. 18 Mississippi State, accounting for the Bruins' lone hit in the victory. 
• Freshman Lizzie Ozim was ranked the No. 10 overall hitter in the 64 Analytics Week Five rankings, released March 17. 
• Belmont is coming off a historic 2025 campaign, finishing 41–16 overall and 20–7 in MVC play while capturing the MVC Tournament Championship for the first time in program history. 
• The Bruins are led by head coach Laura Matthews, now in her sixth season at the helm. 

Belmont holds an 8–4 all-time record against Bradley and won the most recent matchup in May 2025. 

Follow Belmont Softball on social media — @BelmontSoftball on Twitter, @belmontsoftball on Instagram, and Belmont Bruins Softball on Facebook — for complete coverage. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official Belmont Bruins app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.