STARKVILLE – Mississippi State ace Peja Goold set a new historic mark in her accomplished college career on Wednesday, throwing her first-ever complete game no-hitter in a 7-0 win over UT Martin at Nusz Park.
The Bulldogs improved to 30-6 with the victory, the program’s fastest-ever surge to 30 wins.
The senior transfer recorded 13 strikeouts from 22 batters faced in the complete game performance, allowing just one walk in the 28th no-hitter in program history.
“Peja is one of the best pitchers in the country, and she’s really shown that all year long,” MSU head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “We gave her the start tonight to kind of get her sharpened up. She worked on some things with Coach T (Taryne Mowatt-McKinney) this week. It’s good to see her get back out there and bounce back after the weekend. Her pitches, what she’s able to do, changing speeds and moving the ball is just phenomenal”.
Goold is part of an effective rotation with Alyssa Faircloth and Leila Ammon that has given MSU a defensive edge this season. Faircloth tossed a five-inning no-hitter in a run-rule win over Southeast Missouri just before the start of SEC play.
Goold has four one-hit games under her belt already this season, and the possibility of letting up a hit began to creep into her mind as she got closer and closer to the finish line.
“I started to notice towards the fourth inning that I had a chance, especially because our team scored a lot,” Goold said. “I knew if the game ended early, there was a chance I could have it. Recently, when I got those one-hitters, in the last inning I happened to give up one hit. I just knew in God’s time, he’ll make it happen. I just trusted that if this is meant to be, it’ll be.”
“She had chances for a no-hitter earlier in the season and lost them late in the game,” Ricketts said. “Coach T told her early on. She said, ‘You’re going to throw one. You’re going to do it before you leave.’ It’s really cool to see that being spoken into existence, and I think just the confidence that Coach T has in Peja and all her pitchers. I’m really happy for her. All of us are. The work she’s put in and to see it pay off with this big accomplishment, especially a full seven-inning no hitter.”
The Bulldog bats did plenty of work on the night as well. Kiarra Sells went 2-2 with three RBI, including a two-run home run in the third inning to help the team build a lead. Nadia Barbary, Gabby Schaeffer, Paige Ernstes and Kinley Keller all drove in runs as well to put together a complete team performance in the midweek test.
The team now turns to No. 23 South Carolina in its next SEC series test at home this weekend. The Gamecocks (21-12) will be the fourth ranked opponent the Bulldogs face this season, and the three-game series is MSU’s annual Monday night series. Game 1 will begin at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Nusz Park. The Sunday and Monday games will both start at 6 p.m. and air on SEC Network.
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