Game 11 (Championship Game): Belmont 6, Southern Illinois 2
DES MOINES, IA - The No. 2 ranked Belmont Bruins defeated No. 1 ranked Southern Illinois, 6-2, to become the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Softball Tournament Champions on Saturday at Buel Field. Belmont will earn the MVC's automatic qualifier.
CONFERENCE NOTES
- Belmont earned its first MVC Softball Championship Title.
- Belmont becomes the 11th program to win a MVC Softball Tournament.
- Belmont tied seven other games for the third most home runs in a game with three homeruns on the day.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Belmont opened the scoring with back-to-back jacks from Brenna Blume and Madison Dolecki. The Bruins lead 2-0 in the top of the third.
- In the top of the fourth, Maddy Balsiger was walked. Emily Cockrill was hit by a pitch to advance Balsiger and get on base. Madison Dolecki singled to right for her second RBI of the day and extended Belmont's lead by one run.
- In the bottom of the fourth, Emma Austin started off the inning striking out but reached first off a wild pitch on the strikeout. Jackie Lis would come up next and hit a two-run bomb to right field to cut the lead down to one for the Salukis.
- Madison Dolecki started the top of the seventh off with a single. Rylee Spinder advanced Dolecki to second with a single of her own. Nicole Hughes was the next player to step up to the plate. Hughes hit a three-run homerun to right center to add three insurance runs for the Bruins and make it a 6-2 game.
With the championship win, Belmont will serve as the MVC’s automatic qualifier in the upcoming 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Bruins will find out their destination and opponent during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, which airs at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
Elite 18 - Baie Ensio, Belmont
MVP - Maya Johnson, Belmont
All Tournament Team:
