Skip to main content
Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State's Peja Goold Finally Got the Ending That Kept Escaping Her

Peja Goold dominated with 13 strikeouts and a no-hitter as Mississippi State shut out UT Martin 7-0 and improved to 30-6 on the season.
Taylor Hodges|
Mississippi State pitcher Peja Goold winds up for a pitch against UT Martin in a game that ended with her first no-hitter.
Mississippi State pitcher Peja Goold winds up for a pitch against UT Martin in a game that ended with her first no-hitter. | Mississippi State Bulldog

Mississippi State beat UT Martin 7-0 on Wednesday, but the score is almost background noise. This one belonged to Peja Goold, who finally got the ending she’s been flirting with for weeks.

She’s had four one-hitters already this season. Twice she lost a no-hit bid with one out to go in run-rule games.

It was starting to feel like one of those weird sports quirks. A dominant pitcher with great stuff, but the last out keeps slipping away.

Not this time.

Goold went the distance, punched out a season-high 13, and became the 20th Bulldog to throw a no-hitter. No drama, no late scare, just seven innings of complete control.

"I started to notice towards the fourth inning that I had a chance, especially because our team scored a lot,” Goold said after the game. “I knew if the game ended early, there was a chance I could have it. Recently, when I get 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."

And honestly, she needed all seven. Mississippi State didn’t run-rule UT Martin, which meant Goold had to stay locked in longer than she has in most of her starts.

"Peja is one of the best pitchers in the country, and she's really shown that all year long," Mississippi State coach Samantha Ricketts said. “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 only baserunner she allowed was a second-inning walk. Everything else? Swings and misses, weak contact, and a whole lot of hitters walking back to the dugout shaking their heads.

The offense did its part, even if it didn’t end things early.

Samantha Ricketts bumped Kiarra Sells into the leadoff spot for the first time in her career, and that experiment paid off immediately. Sells reached all three times, drove in three, and either scored or knocked in four of Mississippi State’s seven runs.

Behind her, the lineup kept things moving. Nadia Barbary doubled home the game’s first run and tied herself for seventh in school history in career doubles. Gabby Schaeffer reached all night and scored twice. Kinley Keller chipped in a two-hit game and an RBI. Morgan Bernardini added a double. It wasn’t a fireworks show, but it was steady, and it was enough.

The win pushed Mississippi State to 30-6, the fastest the program has ever reached 30 wins. They broke that record last year and somehow managed to beat it again.

But Wednesday was about Goold. She’s been one of the most consistent arms in the SEC for more than a year now, and nights like this show why.

Since the start of 2025, she’s struck out at least five batters 37 times and won 32 of those games. When she’s on, Mississippi State usually walks off with a win. When she’s this sharp, you start wondering how many more of these nights she has in her.

Mississippi State now turns the page to a big weekend, hosting No. 23 South Carolina. First pitch comes Saturday afternoon, with the Sunday and Monday games airing nationally.

But before the focus shifts, it’s worth sitting with this one for a moment.

A no-hitter isn’t just another win. It’s a snapshot of a pitcher at her best. And on Wednesday night, Peja Goold finally got the snapshot she’s been chasing.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

Home/All Things State