Tennessee softball has a good problem going into the 2027 season with an incredible amount of depth.
That's at every position, but especially with the Lady Vols' pitching staff. Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens' decorated career came to an end, but four pitchers have returned and two talented freshmen have been added.
Knox News caught up with Tennessee pitching coach Megan Rhodes Smith, who was elevated to an associate head coach in June, about how her staff is looking during fall ball.
Sage Mardjetko getting healthy offseason
Sage Mardjetko is coming off a breakout junior season that earned NFCA All-America first team – and that was after spending the previous offseason rehabbing from surgery to repair her labrum in her hip.
Having a fully healthy offseason has allowed Mardjetko to push herself
physically, Rhodes Smith said, whether it's in the weight room or getting a feel for pitching three days in a row instead of needing a day off.
Mardjetko's biggest strides have been in her maturity, Rhodes Smith said. Her emotions aren't dictated by a day where she isn't throwing as crisp or clean.
"She's actively trying to figure it out, or she's accepting, here's where I am today. How do I transform this into the best day that it can be?" Rhodes Smith said. "She's doing a great job of not just caring about the break, but really valuing location and pushing herself there. She doesn't give herself a day off, she's not going to come in the bullpen and just not be focused one day."
Erin Nuwer working to add new pitch
Erin Nuwer led Tennessee's staff in ERA (1.01) and hits allowed per seven innings (3.62) as a sophomore last season, and has been "very focused" this offseason, Rhodes Smith said. Nuwer is working to add a hard rise to her arsenal to compliment the strength of her drop ball, and she has made a few tweaks to her mechanics.
Nuwer said that working on the pitch has been a challenge, but it has already been helpful to keep hitters off balance. Tennessee is using TrackMan in the dugout now, and the instant feedback during games has been helpful while developing the pitch.
Rhodes Smith sees another level of confidence in Nuwer, which has allowed the staff to get a true look at her hard rise.
"She's really attacking and just taking a very strong mentality into the circle," Rhodes Smith said. "So I think that you're really seeing the fruits of that in the way that she's starting. There's no hesitation. She's commanding the game from the get, and I think that's a huge growth point for her."
Maddi Rutan, Peyton Hardenburger primed for bigger roles
Coach Karen Weekly anticipates needing senior Maddi Rutan and sophomore Peyton Hardenburger to take on bigger roles than last season.
Rutan pitched 16⅔ innings last season, and she came up big during Tennessee's sweep against LSU when Pickens was injured. Rutan had 1.26 ERA with 12 strikeouts, mostly starting at third base, but Weekly is being cognizant of Rutan's usage in 2027 so she can get the most out of practice.
"This year I think we're going to need her a lot more in the circle than we did last year," Weekly said. "So we're just trying to make sure that we're really smart with how we're using her time, making sure she's staying healthy enough to get the bullpen reps."
Hardenburger, who threw 12 innings last season with a 4.67 ERA, is also finally getting a healthy offseason after recovering from a knee injury last summer. She still has up and down days expected with young pitchers, Rhodes Smith said, but she is always focused on how she can get better.
"There's no push back, there's only push forward. So I think it's exciting for her," Rhodes Smith said. "We love that we get beat up a little bit in our inner squads, because that's how we get better ... I'm excited for her to have that because she didn't get that (last year)."
Freshmen Bailee Shelton, Maggie Krause are 'unflappable'
Bailee Shelton and Maggie Krause are two young, talented additions to the staff. Shelton was ranked No. 25 in the 2026 class and the No. 2 player in Tennessee, and Krause is the only left-handed pitcher on staff.
Shelton is a right-handed pitcher but has a left-handed swing, and she can play corner infield or outfield, too.
"I would say they're unflappable. They just go out and do their job," Rhodes Smith said. "They're not caught up in the emotion, and so that puts us a step ahead. We're not having to calm down whatever expectations they had. They just say, give me the ball when I'm out there, and they go do their job."
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Evaluating Tennessee softball pitching staff led by Sage Mardjetko | Exclusive
