Belmont Softball Star Maya Johnson Records Perfect Game in Season Debut

It's just the third perfect game in program history.

Belmont pitcher Maya Johnson recorded a perfect game to open the 2026 season on Friday. | Belmont Athletics

Belmont pitcher Maya Johnson became a bona fide superstar last season and added to her legacy with another performance for the record books in a 9-0 win over Missouri State on Friday at the Red and Black Showcase in Athens, Ga.

The lefty opened the 2026 season with her second career perfect game and just the third one in program history.

Johnson struck out 15 and forced four groundouts and two flyouts. She only needed 83 pitches to get through 7.0 innings.

Ya’ll, Maya Johnson just threw a perfect game to start 2026.

7.0 IP, 15 K’s, 83 pitches. #ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/9EbFi1GFmM

— Maren Angus-Coombs (@Maren_Angus) February 6, 2026

The Bruins lost their second game of the day, a 6-0 decision to Fordham.

Entering this season, Johnson received several preseason accolades. She was a preseason Second-Team All-American from both D1 Softball and Softball America. She was also ranked No. 32 overall and No. 9 among pitchers by Softball America, No. 23 overall and No. 8 among pitchers by D1 Softball, and was named the No. 1 preseason mid-major player by D1 Softball.

The senior garnered respect from across the softball community last season, guiding the Bruins to their first NCAA Tournament appearance and Missouri Valley Conference title. She became the first student-athlete in Belmont's Division I era to earn First Team All-American honors in any sport.

Johnson appeared in 35 games with 32 starts during the 2025 season, posting a 24–6 record in the circle. She pitched 207 innings with a 1.52 ERA, striking out 366 and throwing 23 complete games, including 11 shutouts. She tallied 24 games with double-digit strikeouts and matched a career-high 18 strikeouts against Indiana State on May 3. 

Following a stellar redshirt-junior campaign, Johnson entered the transfer portal but ultimately decided to return to Nashville and finish her collegiate career at Belmont.

The Bruins jumped on the Bears early, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Belmont added one in the fourth and three more in the seventh.

5 Bruins earn @mvcsports preseason accolades🏆#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/nMAih0D1VZ

— Belmont Softball (@BelmontSoftball) January 23, 2026

Seven Bruins combined for 11 hits, with Nicole Hughes, Ryle Spindler, Maddy Balsiger, and Brenna Blume collecting two apiece. Lauren Luciani, Lydia VanderWoude, and Lizzie Ozim each had one.

Spindler and VanderWoude each drove in two runs. Hughes and Ozim both scored twice.

Ozim finished the contest 1-for-2 with a home run.

Belmont will play Missouri State again on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. CT before taking on the home team, No. 15 Georgia Bulldogs, at 2:30 p.m.

Belmont and UGA will meet again on Sunday at noon. Both games against the host will be streamed via the SEC Network.

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