Mississippi State Softball Sweeps Mobile Weekend, Shows SEC Readiness

Peja Goold came one out shy of a perfect game as the Bulldogs' offense and pitching depth powered the sweep.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Mississippi State softball had an impressive weekend sweep in Mobile, with Peja Goold nearly throwing a perfect game and Nadia Barbary blasting a grand slam. The Bulldogs showed they are ready for the grind of SEC play, getting contributions from across the lineup and pitching staff to improve to 23-2 on the season.

Why it matters

This sweep against non-conference opponents demonstrates that Mississippi State's softball team has the depth, talent, and composure to compete at a high level in the tough SEC conference. Their balanced attack and strong pitching suggest they will be a force to be reckoned with as conference play begins.

The details

In the first game, Peja Goold carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before surrendering a solo home run, but still finished with a complete game and 11 strikeouts. In the second game, Nadia Barbary hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to break the game open. The Bulldogs' lineup also got production from Tatum Silva, Abby Grace Richardson, and Gabby Schaeffer. In the series opener against New Mexico, Morgan Bernardini and Kiarra Sells provided the offensive firepower.

  • Peja Goold's near-perfect game occurred on March 7, 2026.
  • Nadia Barbary's grand slam happened in the fourth inning of the second game on March 7, 2026.
  • Kiarra Sells extended her hitting streak to 12 games with her two-run homer on March 6, 2026.

The players

Peja Goold

The Mississippi State pitcher carried a perfect game into the sixth inning and finished with a complete game and 11 strikeouts.

Nadia Barbary

The Bulldogs' slugger hit a grand slam in the fourth inning of the second game to break the game open.

Kiarra Sells

The Mississippi State hitter extended her hitting streak to 12 games with a two-run homer in the series opener against New Mexico.

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What they’re saying

“Sadly, I was aware of it, which might be the problem is that I did know about it. They were just competition that I've seen in the past, so it was fun seeing them again and getting to play against them. Yeah, I don't really know. There's something I've got to figure out with that last batter. I don't know what it is yet, but I'll get it eventually when it's meant to happen.”

— Peja Goold (si.com)

“Tensions were high and I needed to calm myself down, so I called the timeout and talked to T-Bratt a little bit. He had my back, and I needed to have his and the teams so I just did what I could do to help the team win.”

— Nadia Barbary (si.com)

What’s next

The Bulldogs will open SEC play in the coming weeks, where they will face tougher competition within their conference.

The takeaway

Mississippi State's softball team has shown it has the depth, balance, and composure to compete at a high level as they enter SEC play. Their sweep in Mobile demonstrated they are ready for the challenges that lie ahead in the tough conference schedule.