Softball Set to Head to UIC for Conference Play

NASHVILLE, Tenn-- Belmont University Softball went 2-2 the previous week with a midweek win over Western Kentucky University and a conference win against Evansville. The Bruins will take part in a conference series at the University of Illinois Chicago beginning Thursday, March 6. 

Belmont will face the UIC at Flames Field on Thursday and Friday March 6-7 at 5 p.m. CT. Saturday's game will take place at 12 p.m. CT. 

What's Bruin 

• Belmont claimed victory over the Lady Hilltoppers in a 2-0 win and a 6-5 win at Evansville, now holding a 18-12 record moving into the weekend
• Maya Johnson was named Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the week after an impressive weekend in the circle
• In one game Johnson pitched a program record of 22 strikeouts against the Purple Aces in her nine innings pitched in the first game of the series
• At 22 Johnson holds the most strikeouts in a single game this season in Division I
• Johnson earned a selected top performance from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. 
• The Bruins are 4-5 in MVC play with two wins over Southern Illinois and a win against Illinois State and Evansville 
• Belmont produced 7 hits from 6 athletes, Kathryn Flowers went 2-2 on the night with an RBI single at WKU 
• The Bruins took the series from the Salukis with Emily Cockrill's walk-off homerun in a 4-3 victory 
• Belmont defeated Southern Illinois in the second matchup of the weekend 8-5 where Kristen Green posted two home runs both for two RBI
• Belmont fell to the Racers 3-2 in a nine inning matchup, Maya Johnson posted 9 strikeouts, Emma Summers added two
• In the 4-1 win over Illinois State Maya Johnson earned her 100th strikeout of the season
• Johnson reached this accolade in just 15 appearances in the circle in 69 innings
• Johnson was named Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the week after her debut on Tuesday, February 14 
• The Bruins earned the sixth spot in the preseason poll announced by the Missouri Valley Conference office January 31 
• Belmont finished 33-17 last season finding themselves in the Championship matchup against Murray State

Scouting Report 

• The Flames are 0-32 on the season with 10 losses in conference play 
• Carly Jo Clarke  leads the Flames hitting with a .281 average, 18 hits, and 7 RBI 
• Head pitcher Christina Toniolo posts a 4.75 ERA in 24 appearanes and 15 starts 

Bruin Numbers 

• Belmont heads Division I in strikeouts in a single game at 24 
• Johnson is fifth in the country in strikeouts with 160 while leading the MVC
• Green heads the Bruins with a .356 batting average and a .533 slugging percentage 
• Emily Cockrill posts 35 hits on the season, with another game winning home run at Evansville
• Cockrill and Green each tally seven doubles
• Brenna Blume records five home runs on the season 

New Era

• Belmont is entering their first year in the MVC after over a decade in the Ohio Valley Conference
• Belmont joins UIC and Murray State as MVC newcomers. 
• The Bruins have been voted sixth in the MVC preseason poll, receiving one first place vote and 67 voting points from the league coaches
• Valparaiso was picked as the preseason favorite
• Belmont will compete against Indiana State, Murray State, Southern Illinois, UIC, Illinois State, Missouri State, Valparaiso, Evansville, Drake, and Northern Iowa in the MVC

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