Softball On SI

Is Belmont Softball’s Maya Johnson the Most Underrated Pitcher in the Game?

The redshirt junior debuts on Softball America's pitcher rankings for the month of April after a dominant March and six conference weekly awards.

Maren Angus-Coombs

Belmont softball left-handed pitcher Maya Johnson delivers a pitch.
Belmont softball left-handed pitcher Maya Johnson delivers a pitch. / Belmont Athletics

For the first time this season, Belmont University's Maya Johnson found her name on Softball America's Pitcher Power Rankings on Monday.

Johnson debuted at No.14.

The recognition is well-deserved and comes at a time when the majority of fans might not recognize her name.

Through the first eight weeks of the season, Johnson has been named the Missouri Valley Conference's Pitcher of the Week six times.

After going 1-1 with 18 strikeouts against Southern Illinois. In a two-hit shoutout against the Salukis, Johnson reached 200 strikeouts on the year.

On Wednesday, Johnson improved to 15-2 with a five-inning complete-game win over Murray State. Johnson limited the Racers to five hits in the Bruins' 8-0 victory.

Through 21 appearances this season, the Ohio native has a conference-best 0.65 earned run average. Her ERA also ranked third nationally, trailing only Kiley Myers of Marist and NiJaree Canady of Texas Tech.

Despite all of her success, Johnson's three seasons at Belmont almost never happened.

Johnson was diagnosed with lupus during her sophomore year of high school. She had to adjust but was still able to commit to playing collegiately at Pittsburgh.

However, another health scare prevented her from even taking the field with the Panthers. She struggled with her lupus and dealt with post viral gastroparesis. Trainers at Pitt didn't want to clear her to play at all, which led Johnson to a redshirt and the transfer portal.

Johnson has improved each season with the Bruins. As a redshirt freshman, she went 11-6 with a 2.26 ERA. Last season, she was named All-MVC First Team after going 16-5 with a 1.49 ERA.

The lefty's debut on the rankings proves that a student-athlete needs to be at the biggest school or a Power 4 program to make national headlines which is why Johnnson probably is the most underrated pitcher in the game.

To see the rest of the Pitcher Rankings, visit Softball America.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 and spent the 2023 season covering Husker Softball for Hail Varsity. In addition to All Huskers, she is a staff writer for the Los Angeles Sports Report.

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