In its NCAA tournament opener Friday, the Virginia Tech softball team had to face the nation鈥檚 leader in strikeouts.
It was not a problem.
The Hokies beat Missouri Valley Conference champ Belmont 5-0 in the first game of a four-team, double-elimination NCAA regional in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Belmont left-hander Maya Johnson entered Friday leading the nation in strikeouts (355 in 197 innings), strikeouts per seven innings (12.6), shutouts (11) and fewest walks per seven innings (0.68). The Pittsburgh transfer also entered Friday ranked fifth in ERA (1.24) and second in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (3.66).
But Johnson allowed five earned runs, five hits and one walk while striking out six in five innings Friday. She fell to 24-5 on the year.
鈥淪he was a really good riseball pitcher and she wants you to swing at balls that are out of the strike zone,鈥 Tech coach Pete D鈥橝mour said on a postgame video conference. 鈥淪o we鈥檝e just got to really be aware of our strike-zone discipline, and we were today.
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鈥淲e wanted to put the ball in play, and we did. Six (strikeouts) against her is a good job for our offense.
鈥淚 think we can hit anybody. You see her stats and you try to prepare as best you can. 鈥 We were able to string a lot of good at-bats together.鈥
Jordan Lynch and Kylie Aldridge of the Hokies (42-11) each homered off Johnson.
鈥(Scoring runs off Johnson) was all about our practices, just the scout that we had,鈥 Aldridge said on the video conference. 鈥淥ur coaches did a good job telling us what to look for and I think we did a good job of executing that.鈥
Belmont reliever Ally Middleton pitched the sixth inning, allowing one hit.
Virginia Tech ace Emma Lemley (18-7) and reliever Cassie Grizzard combined on the shutout.
Lemley (Jefferson Forest) pitched the first six innings for Tech, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out nine.
鈥淛ust trying to hit my spots 鈥 and keep spinning the ball,鈥 Lemley said on the video conference. 鈥淟etting them make contact and get themselves out, keep my pitch count down a little bit. When the only hit you give up is a little blooper over third base, I take that as a really good day.鈥
Down 5-0, Belmont (40-15) loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning on a single, a hit batter and a walk. But after pitching coach Josh Johnson visited the circle, Lemley struck out pinch hitter Lauren Luciani to get out of the jam.
What did Johnson tell Lemley?
鈥淏asically just calm down,鈥 Lemley said. 鈥淚 was probably on a 9; I needed to be on a 5 on that scale. So I just had to calm back down and just not try to throw 70 (mph).鈥
Grizzard pitched a hitless seventh inning for Tech.
Lynch belted a solo homer in the first inning.
The Hokies scored four more runs in the third inning. After Cori McMillan walked and stole second, Lynch hit an RBI single. Zoe Yaeger had an RBI triple. Aldridge smacked a two-run homer.
鈥淲ith a runner on third, I was 鈥 looking for one pitch in one spot, just trying to put the ball in play,鈥 Aldridge said. 鈥淚t went out.鈥
Aldridge and Lynch each had two hits and two RBIs.
Virginia Tech first baseman Michelle Chatfield, an All-ACC first-team pick, missed her third straight game with a wrist injury.
Tech is the No. 2 seed in this regional, with Alabama the top seed, Belmont the No. 3 seed and Jackson State the No. 4 seed.
No. 15 overall seed Alabama beat Jackson State 8-0 in five innings in Friday鈥檚 second game.
Virginia Tech will play Alabama in the winners bracket final at noon Saturday for a berth in Sunday鈥檚 finals. If Tech loses, it will play in the losers bracket final at 5 p.m. Saturday for the other berth in Sunday鈥檚 finals.
