Saturday, March 14
Starkville
2 p.m.
Mississippi State
27-3, 1-1
1
vs
0
#1 Tennessee
26-1, 4-1
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Tennessee
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
Mississippi State
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
3
0
Record Crowd Witnesses Troutman’s Walk-Off Winner Against No. 1 Tennessee
March 14, 2026 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Taylor Troutman's walk-off home run lifted No. 12 Mississippi State over No. 1 Tennessee on Saturday to even the series and hand the Lady Vols their first loss of the season. It's the second year in a row that the Bulldogs have taken down a No. 1 team in Starkville.
In another tightly-contested pitching battle, the game remained scoreless into the bottom of the seventh. After striking out in her first two at bats, Troutman led off the final frame with a solo home run to win the ballgame. It marked the fourth time in program history that State defeated a No. 1 team.
"I love that, Taylor coming through after having two strikeouts early in the game, but the best thing Taylor does is her confidence," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I think that's really been the message after yesterday, just believing that we can compete at this level with a team like Tennessee. I think Taylor's believed that from the start and earned her opportunity to get back in there. We've mixed and matched the DPs throughout the year, and I just love the confidence from her. She started 0-2 in that count, battled back and the goal was to win each and every pitch, regardless of our outcome. That's exactly what she did. I'm just so excited for her, she's been through a lot, redshirting last year after the ACL tear, so to see how hard she's worked to get back to this point and to have that moment for her is just really special."
Peja Goold had another dominant outing in the circle for Mississippi State, striking out 10 batters for her fifth shutout of the year. She allowed just two hits against one of the nation's top offenses.
"I mean not surprising, I think, for us because we kind of knew what Peja was capable of and are just introducing her to the rest of the country. I'm so proud of her and Alyssa [Faircloth], too. Really our whole pitching staff is just continuing to do what they've done all year. We had to find a way to get a run across for Peja after not being able to do it earlier last night for Alyssa. I think, again, the poise, the confidence, the composure that Peja had out there was just phenomenal. You could see the veteran approach from her. Not being rattled when they get a couple runners on, and she answered right back. That's the veteran mindset that you need. I think she just has some of the nastiest stuff and was able to really go toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the country, and keep us in it until we were able to give her that run there at the end."
Peja Goold on preparing for her start...
"I had to back my pitchers up. Alyssa threw an amazing game last night. I just knew I had to show up ready to play and go after them today. Me and Alyssa talked a little bit, and I took some advice from her going into this game and it all worked out really well."
Taylor Troutman on her walk-off home run...
"Man, Alyssa and Peja, they've worked so hard. They've pitched so many innings, and they deserve this win against the No. 1 team that hasn't lost a game. I did that for them. I didn't do that for me. I hit a home run yesterday. That was great. I felt good. I did it for them so they could get that win."
Pack the Park – Bulldog fans set the school's regular-season attendance record with 2,134 fans in the park … it was the third time in program history that more than 2,000 fans packed Nusz Park, along with both games of the 2022 Starkville Super Regional … MSU's three-game series attendance record is 4,086 set last year against Ole Miss … this weekend's total is already up to 3,526, just 560 shy of the current record.
Stingy Staffs – The first hit for either team did not come until the sixth inning … 14 of the 16 innings played so far in the series have been scoreless … today's five combined hits between the teams are the fewest in an SEC game that MSU has played in since 2023.
How You Respond – MSU has returned all three of its losses this season with wins against the same squad the following day … the Bulldogs' largest deficit so far this season is just three losses in two separate games.
Nadia Barbary – Has a hit in eight consecutive games and has reached safely in 11 straight.
Peja Goold – Since the start of 2025, has struck out five or more batters in 35 appearances earning the win in 31 of those games … struck out 10 batters, including striking out the side in the seventh inning … threw her seventh complete game of the season.
Des Rivera – Caught a runner stealing in the sixth inning.
Taylor Troutman – Hit State's first walk-off, game-winning home run of the season … also homered in last night's extra-inning game against Tennessee.
Taylor Troutman hit a walk-off home run to center.
No. 1 Tennessee 0, No. 12 Mississippi State 1
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
In another tightly-contested pitching battle, the game remained scoreless into the bottom of the seventh. After striking out in her first two at bats, Troutman led off the final frame with a solo home run to win the ballgame. It marked the fourth time in program history that State defeated a No. 1 team.
"I love that, Taylor coming through after having two strikeouts early in the game, but the best thing Taylor does is her confidence," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "I think that's really been the message after yesterday, just believing that we can compete at this level with a team like Tennessee. I think Taylor's believed that from the start and earned her opportunity to get back in there. We've mixed and matched the DPs throughout the year, and I just love the confidence from her. She started 0-2 in that count, battled back and the goal was to win each and every pitch, regardless of our outcome. That's exactly what she did. I'm just so excited for her, she's been through a lot, redshirting last year after the ACL tear, so to see how hard she's worked to get back to this point and to have that moment for her is just really special."
Peja Goold had another dominant outing in the circle for Mississippi State, striking out 10 batters for her fifth shutout of the year. She allowed just two hits against one of the nation's top offenses.
Quotables
Samantha Ricketts on Peja Goold and the pitching performance... "I mean not surprising, I think, for us because we kind of knew what Peja was capable of and are just introducing her to the rest of the country. I'm so proud of her and Alyssa [Faircloth], too. Really our whole pitching staff is just continuing to do what they've done all year. We had to find a way to get a run across for Peja after not being able to do it earlier last night for Alyssa. I think, again, the poise, the confidence, the composure that Peja had out there was just phenomenal. You could see the veteran approach from her. Not being rattled when they get a couple runners on, and she answered right back. That's the veteran mindset that you need. I think she just has some of the nastiest stuff and was able to really go toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the country, and keep us in it until we were able to give her that run there at the end."
Peja Goold on preparing for her start...
"I had to back my pitchers up. Alyssa threw an amazing game last night. I just knew I had to show up ready to play and go after them today. Me and Alyssa talked a little bit, and I took some advice from her going into this game and it all worked out really well."
Taylor Troutman on her walk-off home run...
"Man, Alyssa and Peja, they've worked so hard. They've pitched so many innings, and they deserve this win against the No. 1 team that hasn't lost a game. I did that for them. I didn't do that for me. I hit a home run yesterday. That was great. I felt good. I did it for them so they could get that win."
Quick Hitters
Taking Down Top Teams – Today was the Bulldogs' fourth win all-time over a No. 1 team … it was Samantha Ricketts' 47th ranked win, which is the program record … 27 of her 47 ranked wins (67.5 percent) have come since the start of the 2024 season … State now has 18 top-five wins in school history, and Ricketts has led the Bulldogs to six of those victories.Pack the Park – Bulldog fans set the school's regular-season attendance record with 2,134 fans in the park … it was the third time in program history that more than 2,000 fans packed Nusz Park, along with both games of the 2022 Starkville Super Regional … MSU's three-game series attendance record is 4,086 set last year against Ole Miss … this weekend's total is already up to 3,526, just 560 shy of the current record.
Stingy Staffs – The first hit for either team did not come until the sixth inning … 14 of the 16 innings played so far in the series have been scoreless … today's five combined hits between the teams are the fewest in an SEC game that MSU has played in since 2023.
How You Respond – MSU has returned all three of its losses this season with wins against the same squad the following day … the Bulldogs' largest deficit so far this season is just three losses in two separate games.
Nadia Barbary – Has a hit in eight consecutive games and has reached safely in 11 straight.
Peja Goold – Since the start of 2025, has struck out five or more batters in 35 appearances earning the win in 31 of those games … struck out 10 batters, including striking out the side in the seventh inning … threw her seventh complete game of the season.
Des Rivera – Caught a runner stealing in the sixth inning.
Taylor Troutman – Hit State's first walk-off, game-winning home run of the season … also homered in last night's extra-inning game against Tennessee.
Scoring Recap
Bottom 7Taylor Troutman hit a walk-off home run to center.
No. 1 Tennessee 0, No. 12 Mississippi State 1
Next Up
The series finale will begin at noon CT on Sunday with every pitch airing on SEC Network+.For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Goold, Peja (11-1)
L: Erin Nuwer (11-1)
Base Running:
CS: Sophia Knight 1
HBP: Ella Dodge 1 ; Elsa Morrison 1
Batting:
HR: Troutman, Taylor 1
RBI: Troutman, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Troutman, Taylor 1
HBP: Rivera, Des 1 ; Supan, Ally 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
0
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
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/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballSOFTBALL | Press Conference vs. Tennessee (Game 2)
Saturday, March 14
SOFTBALL | Taylor Troutman SEC Network Postgame Interview
Saturday, March 14
SOFTBALL | Taylor Troutman's Walk-Off Homer
Saturday, March 14
SOFTBALL | Highlights vs. Tennessee (Game 2)
Saturday, March 14