Live Updates: Virginia Tech Softball vs Belmont, NCAA Regional Score

From our own Kaden Reinhard

Opening up the Tuscaloosa Region matchups will be between the No.2 Virginia Tech Hokies (41-11, 18-6 ACC) against the conference champs of the Missouri Valley, the No.3 Belmont Bruins (40-14, 20-7).

It will be a tough task for the Bruins to go against a power-four school in their first game of their first NCAA championship appearance.

Redshirt junior Maya Johnson has been a dominant part of Belmont's defense and success all season, showcasing her talent in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, in which she tossed back-to-back complete games to punch Belmont's ticket to the big stage.

Tech has a phenomenal ace in the circle as well, Emma Lemley, who, along with Johnson--are tied for the most no-hitters in softball this season, with four. Along with both being in the top three for active career strikeouts. Johnson is also the NCAA leader in strikeouts this season with 355.

While the Bruins heavily rely on Johnson to alleviate the pressure off the offense, Tech can enter any game prepared for a shootout with its offense if the pitching is down.

The Hokies are known for their offensive prowess, nationally ranking second in home runs per game and fifth in team slugging percentage. The attack at the plate will prove Johnson's role to be even more difficult, having yet to face a top-25 team this season--not pitching in Belmont's contest against the ranked Oregon Ducks.

Leading the team, both figuratively and literally by batting leadoff, Cori McMillan was the ACC Player of the Year and is currently a top-10 finalist for USA Softball's Player of the Year award.

McMillan at the plate slashed .452/.566/1.096 with 30 home runs while appearing in every game for Tech.

Top of the 1st

A scoreless inning for Belmont. Game is tied 0-0 heading to the bottom of the 1st

Bottom of the 1st

A Solo home run from Lynch gives the Hokies a 1-0 lead heading to the 2nd

Top of the 2nd

A scoreless 1-2-3 inning for Belmont. VT leads 1-0 heading to the bottom of the 2nd

Bottom of the 2nd

Hokies get a single, but no runs. They lead 1-0 heading to the 3rd

Top of the 3rd

Another scoreless 1-2-3 inning for Belmont. VT leads 1-0 heading to the bottom of the 3rd

Bottom of the 3rd

McMillan walked and then was brought home by an RBI single to make it 2-0 Hokies. An RBI triple from Yaeger made it 3-0 and then Aldridge blasted a 2-run home run to make it 5-0 in favor of Virginia Tech. That is the score heading to the 4th

Top of the 4th

UNF draws a walk, but gets no runs or hits. VT leads 5-0 heading to the bottom of the 4th