Mississippi State’s Goold Named National Pitcher of the Week
Mississippi State senior Peja Goold was named the National Pitcher of the Week by both D1Softball.com and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Tuesday, according to school officials.
Goold posted a 2-0 record with a save over three appearances last week. She struck out 27 batters over 19 innings, allowing just five hits and four walks. Her week began with her first career no-hitter, the 28th in program history and the 10th seven-inning no-hitter by a Bulldog, during a midweek game against UT Martin. Goold struck out 13 batters in that game, falling one shy of her career high, with only a second-inning walk preventing a perfect game.
The Stockton, California, native then shut out No. 23 South Carolina on Sunday night, holding the Gamecocks hitless until late in the fourth inning. She finished the game with nine strikeouts. On Monday, she started against South Carolina, pitching four innings of one-run ball before giving way to the bullpen. Goold re-entered in the seventh inning to record her third save of the season, securing a 4-3 victory and the series win.
Overall, Goold’s week included 10.2 consecutive innings without allowing a hit and 17.1 innings without giving up a run. She tied for third in Mississippi State history with her sixth and seventh shutouts of the year and averaged nearly seven strikeouts per seven innings. She currently holds opponents to a .139 batting average, a potential school record, and her 1.26 ERA ranks seventh in program history. Her 9.52 strikeouts per seven innings this season are third in school history.
This recognition marks the third consecutive season under pitching coach Taryne Mowatt-McKinney that a Bulldog pitcher has been named National Pitcher of the Week. Since Mowatt-McKinney’s arrival in 2024, three pitchers have earned six national weekly honors. Prior to her tenure, Mississippi State had only one weekly national honor by a pitcher.
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