Softball Travels to Southern Illinois for Weekend Series

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont University Softball team (22–8, 9–2) will travel to Carbondale, Illinois, for it's second away conference series at Southern Illinois this weekend. The Bruins will face the Salukis in a doubleheader Saturday, March 28 starting at 2 p.m. CT, followed by a single game Sunday, March 29 at 1 p.m. CT at Charlotte West Stadium. 

Belmont enters the weekend coming off a series sweep over Bradley, highlighted by two shutouts, and a split in its midweek doubleheader against Murray State.

All games will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats available on belmontbruins.com.
 

What's Bruin

• Belmont enters the weekend 22–8 overall after splitting a midweek doubleheader against Murray State.
• 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 15–1 with 218 strikeouts across 105 innings pitched and recently surpassed 1,000 career strikeouts, becoming the 101st NCAA Division I player to reach the milestone and the only active player currently at that mark.
• Johnson currently leads the NCAA in total strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings, strikeout-to-walk ratio, and ERA.
• Johnson earned Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week honors for six consecutive weeks.
• She has also been named D1 Softball Pitcher of the Week twice and NFCA Pitcher of the Week four times this season, becoming the first Division I 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. 3.
• 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.
• 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.

Against The Field

• Belmont holds a 4–7 all-time record against Southern Illinois. The Bruins won the most recent matchup against the Salukis in May 2025.

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