PENSACOLA, Fla. —
On Super Bowl Sunday, Valdosta State showed why it has been one of the super teams in the south region for years now.
The Blazers picked up a Sunday sweep of Nova Southeastern, 6-1, 9-2, to improve to 3-1 on the season after splitting a pair of games with Barry University on Saturday.
On Sunday, Valdosta State was carried by the big bats of Courtney Albritton, Ashley Steinhilber, Clare Wamsley and Natalia Morozova.
In the first game, however, it was a freshman that jumped the game off for VSU. Freshman center fielder Courtney Albritton led off with a triple to left center. Morgan Johnson starting day two the way she ended day one, brought in the run with a single.
From there, game one was quiet until the fifth inning. Albritton homered to left field for a 2-0 lead. In the sixth inning Morozova singled with a bunt. Then she came in on a Clare Wamsley home run to left center to push the lead to 4-0.
Nova Southeastern was able to answer with one run in the bottom of the inning. Valdosta State continued to pour it on in the seventh starting with a double from Albritton to complete a perfect four for four performance in the first game. Marti Littlefield reached on a walk next and both Blazers scored on a single up the middle from Morozova to complete the 6-1 victory.
Alanna Hadley went the full seven inning and only allowed three hits and no earned runs. She did not walk a single player and struck out two.
The Blazers kept the fire going with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Johnson reached on a walk, stole a base and went to third on a wild pitch. Steinhilber doubled next to score Johnson and then scored herself on a Morozova single up the middle for the early 2-0 lead.
In the top of the third, Nova Southeastern was able to put a run on the board and did it again in the top of the fourth. In the bottom of the fourth, VSU answered with two more runs to claim a 4-2 lead.
Wamsley singled and moved to second and third on two consecutive outs. With two down, Erika Trojan singled to right field to plate Wamsley, then scored on a double from Albritton.
After a scoreless fifth inning, Valdosta State exploded for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Wamsley started the inning with a walk, stole a base and advance to third on a wild pitch. Abigayle Kohler did the same thing next with a walk and a stolen base.
April Hutchens hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Wamsley and Kohler scored on a throwing error at second base. Next up, Trojan and Albritton both singled to put runners on first and second.
Johnson sacrificed to move both runners and Littlefield followed with a single to score Sarah Vaughn, running for Trojan.
Steinhilber notched her second and third runs batted in with a single up the middle. The 9-2 deficit was too much for Nova Southeastern to overcome in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Valdosta State is next in action against Albany State at 1 p.m. February 13 in Albany.
Local Sports
Blazer softball sweeps Nova Southeastern
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Fans welcome home champion Blazers
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COLUMN: Blazers title win caps off another year of local sports
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Valdosta teammates Foster, Bridges sign with Albany State
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NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
The Valdosta State softball team faced all kinds of adversity throughout the national tournament. After losing to UC-San Diego in the first game of the tournament on Wednesday, the Blazers staved off four elimination games en route to an appearance in the Division II National Championship Game on Saturday afternoon.
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VSU seniors come up big at national level
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Blazers to play on championship Saturday
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VSU beats Southern Connecticut State, 6-3
Morgan Johnson hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to carry the top-ranked Valdosta State Blazers past the Southern Connecticut Owls, 6-3, on Friday morning.
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Wildcats close spring practice
