VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State Blazers improved to 16-12, 2-4 in the conference , after defeating the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers 8-3 on Sunday at Billy Grant Field.

VSU scored 2 runs in each of the first four innings of the game against UAH.

“We were really hoping for a sweep this weekend,” said coach Tommy Thomas after the game. “When you can’t win them all you have to at least go for two out of three.”

Robert Pertrucci started the game for the Blazers and got the win after going 6.1 innings and allowing only three runs off five hits and striking out two. In the first inning Pertrucci allowed only one hit and let the offense take over in the bottom of the inning.

Brian Hicks led off for VSU with a single to center and Scott Brooker followed suit with a single of his own. Hicks scored four batters later on a sac fly by Justin Hill and Brooker scored on a Richard Flores single. All together in the first the Blazers compiled four hits for two runs.

After a three up and down inning from Pertrucci, Valdosta put another two runs on the board in the second. Hicks drove in Nick Copeland on a double to left field and Brooker drove in Hicks on a single through the left side.

Pertrucci again threw a no-hitter in the third and again the VSU offense put in two runs. Jared Goff led off the inning by getting beaned, but made it around the bases and scored on a wild pitch from reliever Tom Longyear. Copeland later reached on a fielder’s choice and drove in Hill.

“We’re really working on trying to get Pertrucci back to his old self,” said Thomas. “His key has always been control and we’re hoping he finds that again.”

Alabama-Huntsville got on the board in the top of the fourth with a 2 RBI double from Brian Nash. The bottom of the inning belonged, yet again, to the Blazers. Brooker and Alberto Castellon scored unearned, later in the inning, on a fielding error from Blake Heym.

The Chargers added another run in the top of the seventh with a 2 RBI double to right field.

“We hit better than normal today, it was a great team win,” said coach Thomas after the game.

For VSU; Brooker had a great day from the plate going 4-for-4 with 1 RBI and 2 runs. Flores went 3-for-4 with 1 RBI and Hicks went 2-for-5 with 1 RBI and 2 runs.

For UAH; Matt Guisler took the loss after giving up seven hits for six runs in 2.0 innings of work. Will Evans went 2-for-4 with 1 run.

The Blazers will be on the road against Columbus State on Wednesday and will return home next weekend to face West Alabama for a three game series starting Saturday with a double header.