Junior pitcher Sage Mardjetko tossed her first career no-hitter on Sunday as the No. 1-ranked Lady Vols run-ruled Southern Illinois 9-0 at Mary Bowers Field on the final day of the Green and Gold Classic in Birmingham, Ala.
Mardjetko (3-0) was dominant from start to finish, striking out 12 and issuing just one walk. The right-hander overpowered the Salukis all afternoon as she struck out seven in a row and fanned nine of the final 10 batters she faced.
The Lady Vols (14-0) gave Mardjetko early support in the first as Sophia Knight led off with a bunt single and came around to score on a Gabby Leach double to right center. After Holley moved Leach to third, Ella Dodge reached on an error that brought home another run for a 2-0 lead.In the second, Tennessee added more punch. Alannah Leach singled to set the table for Maddi Rutan, who launched a two-run homer to left-center to extend the advantage to 4-0.
The decisive blow came in the fourth during a five-run outburst. Rutan reached on an error to open the inning, and after a sacrifice bunt and a Knight double, Southern Illinois' defense faltered. Two errors helped push across runs, Dodge added an RBI single, and Emma Clarke delivered a two-run double to left-center to stretch the lead to 9-0.