Tennessee softball lands Sage Mardjetko, South Carolina transfer pitcher

South Carolina pitcher Sage Mardjetko has committed to Tennessee softball out of the transfer portal, she announced Friday.

Mardjetko entered the transfer portal after USC fired coach Beverly Smith after another regional exit. The Gamecocks made nine postseason appearances under Smith, but only reached the super regionals in 2018. Mardjetko announced her commitment on Instagram.

"I'm extremely thankful to have had such a great freshman year at the University of South Carolina and for everything the coaching staff did for me," Mardjetko wrote in the post. "I'm blessed to have met the most amazing teammates and friends while at UofSC. I'm excited to see where the future takes me as a Lady Vol!!"

Mardjetko will add depth to Tennessee's pitching staff. SEC Pitcher of the Year Karlyn Pickens returns, but the only other pitcher returning is Charli Orsini, who threw 26⅓ innings last season.

Mardjetko went 3-2 in the five complete games she pitched as a freshman. She went 8-9 overall with 2.85 ERA over 118 innings and logged 119 strikeouts to 67 walks.

Mardjetko is Tennessee coach Karen Weekly's second addition out of the transfer portal this offseason. She joins former Washington infielder Kinsey Fiedler , who committed to Tennessee in June.

Mardjetko had a decorated career at Lemont High School in Illinois before playing for the Gamecocks, ranked No. 10 in the 2023 class by Extra Inning Softball. She was named the 2023 USA TODAY High School Sports Awards National Softball Player of the Year, and she was named the Illinois Softball Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior and senior.

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As a senior in 2023, Mardjetko went 23-0 with a 0.00 ERA with 340 strikeouts. Mardjetko threw 32 no-hitters and five perfect games in her career and led Lemont to back-to-back state championships.

Sophomore outfielder Jamison Brockenbrough , who started 44 games in 2023, is the only Lady Vol to enter the transfer portal so far. Brockenbrough was used as a pinch hitter this season after being a starter as a freshman. She entered the portal prior to Tennessee's super regional series against Alabama.

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll . If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee softball lands Sage Mardjetko, South Carolina transfer pitcher