Mississippi State softball made its 2026 season debut on Thursday, recording a 10-0 run-rule win against Getterman Classic hosts Baylor in Waco, Texas. The program followed up with a Friday morning win over Northwestern State to get off to a 2-0 start, unveiling a new ace and a heavy-hitting batting order in the process.
The pair of victories made for a historic milestone for head coach Samantha Ricketts, putting her at 200 wins as head coach of the Bulldogs.
Game 1: MSU 10, Baylor 0
Starting pitcher Peja Goold got off to a hot start with her new ballclub by shutting out the Bears in their own backyard, posting five strikeouts and allowing just one hit in five innings of work. She got the job done in 72 pitches, backed by a strong defense with no errors, as the Bulldog bats gave the team a big lead through the opening three innings.
“I’ll tell you, I know our hitters are glad to not have to face Peja anymore,” Ricketts said of the performance. “She has just been super focused since she got here, and it was fun to see her go out and attack some other hitters.”
Goold, a senior transfer from Chattanooga, arrived in Starkville with an impressive resume. She was the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2025, capping a career at Chattanooga that includes two all-conference selections and All-Freshman Team honors.
“I love the way that she just got stronger as the game went on,” Ricketts added. “Even when the score just continued to inflate. She stayed focused. She never lost it. She’s a competitor. She mixes speeds, and she was throwing different pitches for all five innings. I’m so proud of her for her debut and excited to see what she continues to do for us in the Maroon and White.”
The rest of the Bulldog squad supported Goold’s heroics, totaling 12 hits as a team with four home runs from four different players. Nadia Barbary opened the scoring with a two-run shot in the first inning, followed by a solo effort from Abby Grace Richardson in the second, while Morgan Stiles and Kiarra Sells cleaned up with deep shots in the third inning to wrap up the scoring for the day. Richardson and Xiane Romero each had RBI singles in the third, as well.
It was a strong opening statement for the Bulldogs, and the first of multiple wins at the opening weekend invitational in Texas.
Game 2: MSU 9, Northwestern State 3
MSU followed up its primetime appearance with a 10 a.m. start Friday against Northwestern State, the first of a doubleheader, and added its second win in as many games with another early offensive display.
The Bulldogs totaled eight runs through the first three innings, starting with a pair of unearned runs on a defensive error with the bases loaded and two outs. Anna Carder reached first on the fielding error while Morgan Stiles and Kiarra Sells got home to score. Carder would eventually get home after an RBI double from Richardson.
The fireworks started in the second inning with home runs from Romero and Taylor Troutman, with the latter adding a second deep shot the next inning.
The Devils got on the board with three runs in the fourth inning, but a run in response saw the Bulldogs go up 9-3 in the eventual win.
Starting pitcher Alyssa Faircloth got the win with four innings pitched and seven strikeouts. Freshman Brinkley Moreton and Peja Goold helped finish off the game without any more runs to give MSU a win.
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