CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Belmont University Softball team (24–9, 11–3) captured the series finale against Southern Illinois University Sunday, earning a 3–1 win to take the series. The victory marks Belmont's second-ever road win in Carbondale and its fourth Missouri Valley Conference series win of the season.
"We've played some really close games against SIU over the last few years, and being able to take a series from them at their place is a really great step for our program as we continue to grow," said head coach Laura Matthews. "We didn't play well to start, but it was really great to see the middle of our order step up in the seventh inning. Maya threw really well. Some of our best players showed up in a big moment—from Rylee [Spindler] to Madi [Dolecki]. It was a really great effort."
VS Southern Illinois – Game 3 (3–1)
Belmont entered the finale determined to secure the series, but faced early challenges as the Salukis scored first in the opening inning. The Bruins continued to make contact through the middle innings but were unable to find timely hits, while SIU's defense limited scoring opportunities.
In the circle, Maya Johnson kept Belmont within striking distance, matching the Salukis inning-for-inning and settling in after the early run.
Defensively, the Bruins began to shift momentum in the fourth inning with a key double play turned by Rylee Spindler, Nicole Hughes, and Madison Dolecki, confirmed after a challenge. Spindler continued to shine in the field in the fifth, recording another assist to Hughes for an out at first to halt SIU's momentum.
The breakthrough came in the seventh.
Rylee Spindler opened the inning with a double to right field, and pinch runner Addison Swink moved to third on a groundout by Hughes. With two outs, Madison Dolecki delivered the decisive two-run home run to left field, giving Belmont its first lead of the game.
The Bruins kept the pressure on, as Maddy Balsiger singled and later scored on an RBI bunt single from Lauren Luciani, capping a three-run inning on five hits.
Belmont's pitching and defense shut the door in the bottom half, retiring the side in order to secure the 3–1 victory.
Johnson improved to 17–1 on the season, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out eight. She continues to rank first among the NCAA leaders in strikeouts, ERA, and strikeouts per seven innings.
Up Next
Belmont returns home to E.S. Rose Park to host Drake University, weather permitting, on April 3 for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. CT, followed by a single game Saturday at 1 p.m. CT. Streaming will be available on ESPN+ with live stats on GoBelmontBruins.com.
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