Valdosta State Natalia Morozova catches a throw at first base, while a UNC-Pembroke runner beats at the throw, during Tuesday's games at the VSU Softball Complex.

The Valdosta State softball team picked up a mid-day sweep of the North Carolina-Pembroke Braves Tuesday afternoon.

The Blazers shutout the Braves in the two combined games — which were their first games in 13 days — picking up a 6-0 victory in game one and a 5-0 victory in game two. With the two wins, the Blazers, who entered the contest ranked fifth in the nation, improved to 11-2 on the season. UNC-Pembroke fell to 10-13.

“We played better than I thought,” Valdosta State head coach Thomas Macera said. “We pitched well, we didn’t have an error today — we played great defense — and we were a little slow with the bats at first, but that is what happens when you are hitting live pitching. But, very pleased with the way we played with us having not played in two weeks.”

Catcher Ashley Steinhilber finished the day 2 of 4 with two runs batted in, while freshman center fielder Courtney Albritton was 3 of 7 with three RBI and two runs scored. Natalia Morozova was 2 of 6 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Game one: Blazers 6, Braves 0

The Blazers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after Marti Littlefield reached second base on a double. The following at-bat, Natalia Morozova grounded into a fielder’s choice, but a high throw into the outfield scored both runners, making the score 2-0.

Three innings later, the Blazers added to their lead when Ashley Steinhilber, who started the inning off with a double, scored on a Clare Wamsley double. An inning later, VSU sprung for three more runs. Littlefield started the inning with a double, which was followed up by a Morozova double, which scored Fran Johnson, who pitch ran for Littlefield.

“(I) was just relaxed and trying to take my swing from practice to the game,” said Steinhilber, who struggled at the plate in VSU’s first 11 games of the season. “You have a lot of time to work on fundamentals and stuff like that, but it makes you hungrier when you are actually playing games.”

Two batters later, Steinhilber delivered the final blow, delivering a two-run single, which scored Morozova and Angela O’Connor.

In the circle, Alanna Hadley delivered seven innings of work, allowing no runs on four hits while striking out five batters.

“Coach has been working our butts off,” said Hadley when asked about the 13-day break in action. “He has us out here working every day. We haven’t had a weekend off since we’ve been back from Christmas break.”

At times, Hadley struggled with control, issuing three walks on the afternoon, including one in the seventh inning. She also hit a batter in the final inning, which loaded the bases and caused Macera to pay a visit to the circle.

“When I get those walks, I just have to refocus and breathe,” Hadley said. “Work on getting ahead in the count and work on hitting my corners. That has been a problem for me. Coach and I have talked about it — no walks.”

Eventually, Hadley calmed down and retired the final two batters she faced, not allowing a run in the process.

Game two: Blazers 5, Braves 0

The Blazers continued to dominate the Braves in game two, earning a 5-0 victory.

Freshman pitcher Abigayle Kohler pitched a complete game shutout, surrendering five hits, while striking out just one batter. The complete game was the second of the season for the right-hander.

“(Kohler) pitched very, very well,” Macera said of the freshman’s performance. “(Pembroke) had chances to score runs on us, and she didn’t just turn around and she made a couple of good defensive plays. She had a very good outing .”

After going 0-4 at the plate in game one, center fielder Courtney Albritton showed up to play for the Blazers in game two, going 3 of 4 with two runs scored and 3 runs batted in.

“I was just seeing the ball a lot better,” Albritton said. “I just relaxed and focused on hitting strikes…The two weeks off really hurt everyone in the first game, but in the second game we got it together.”

After VSU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning off a Morgan Johnson two-out single, which scored Sarah Vaughn, Albritton gave the Blazers a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning after she scored from second base on an RBI double by Samantha Posey.

Albritton’s bat continued, as the freshman from Tifton blasted a home run over the left field fence, brining home three runs and giving the Blazers a 5-0 lead.

The Blazers’ bats cooled down in the later innings of game two, although they were able to load the bases in the fifth inning behind a single, and two walks. Unfortunately for VSU, the Blazers were unable to bring a run across, and left the runners stranded.

Valdosta State will now get into a normal game schedule, as the Blazers face West Georgia Saturday in Carrollton.

“What we are happy about is that we can just go ahead and play now,” Macera said.