Goold Earns Multiple National Weekly Honors

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's Peja Goold was tabbed the National Pitcher of the Week by both D1Softball.com and the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association on Tuesday. The Southeastern Conference also named her their Pitcher of the Week later in the afternoon.

Goold posted a 2-0 record and picked up a save in three appearances this week. She struck out 27 batters over 19.0 innings while allowing just five hits and four walks.

The week began in historic fashion for the senior as she tossed her first career no-hitter, the 28th in program history and just the 10th seven-inning no-hitter by a Bulldog in the midweek game with UT Martin. Goold struck out 13 that night, coming one shy of her career high and only a second-inning walk kept her from a perfect game.

From there, the Stockton, California, native blanked No. 23 South Carolina on Sunday night, for back-to-back shutouts. She did not allow a hit until late in the fourth inning of that game and finished the night with nine strikeouts. On Monday night, she again drew the start in the circle against the Gamecocks throwing 4.0 innings of one-run ball before giving way to the bullpen.

But Goold wasn't done. She re-entered the game in the seventh to pick up her third save of the year, protecting a 4-3 lead to secure the series victory.

In all, Goold's week started with 10.2 consecutive innings without allowing a hit and 17.1 innings without allowing a run. She moved into a tie for third in State's single-season history with her sixth and seventh shutouts of the year and posted nearly seven strikeouts for every walk while averaging 9.9 strikeouts per seven innings.

Goold is currently holding opponents to a .139 batting average, which would be an MSU record, and her 1.26 ERA would rank seventh in program history while her 9.52 strikeouts per seven innings this season would be third.

Goold's recognition marks the third consecutive season under pitching coach Taryne Mowatt-McKinney that a Bulldog pitcher has been tabbed as a National Pitcher of the Week by any outlet. Mowatt-McKinney has now seen three pitchers earn six national weekly honors since 2024. Prior to her arrival, MSU had just one national weekly honor by a pitcher. Goold is State's second weekly honoree from the SEC this season, and her selection marks State's fourth in the past three years.

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."

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Goold Earns Multiple National Weekly Honors

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