Box score
Glassboro, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team suffered a tough setback as they fell to Rowan University 3-2 in 12 innings its opening New Jersey Athletic Conference game.
The Profs (9-6, 1-0 NJAC) plated the winning run when center field Matt Citro scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the 12th. TCNJ held a 2-1 lead entering the ninth inning but Rowan tied it up with a pair of doubles to send the game into extra frames.
The Lions (6-9, 0-1 NJAC) received another outstanding effort from junior right-hander Connor Henderson (Monmouth Jct., NJ/South Brunswick) as the staff ace did all he could to earn a conference win on the road. Henderson (4-0) limited Rowan to seven hits and two runs while striking out four before exiting the game after nine innings of work.
Locked in a pitcher's between Henderson and Profs starter junior Michael Cox duel through the first six innings, a pair of freshmen helped TCNJ gain a 1-0 advantage. Freshman Nick Cifelli (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) doubled to right-center field to lead off the seventh. Senior Ryan Anzelone (Vernon, NJ/Vernon Township), who had two hits on the day, advanced Cifelli to third with a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Freshman Mike Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) laced a run-scoring single to score Cifelli.
Henderson shut down Rowan in order in the bottom of the inning and the Lions tacked on a second run in the eighth. Freshman Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor North) led the inning off with a walk and promptly stole second base. Junior Jason Zegarski (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) singled up the middle to score Kelly. It was the 15th straight game Zegarski has produced at least one hit.
The Profs cut the lead in half in the bottom of the eighth and then tied the score in the ninth on a double by senior Jordan Marsh. After two scoreless innings, Rowan managed to capitalize in its final at bat as they touched junior Joe Marchitelli (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) for an unearned run in the 12th to claim its first conference win of the season. Junior Ryan Peterson (3-0) earned the mound victory as threw five scoreless innings in relief.
Anzelone, Murphy, and sophomore Jim Ruzich (Verona, NJ/Montclair Kimberly Academy) each had two hits for TCNJ.
Sophomore Mike Galeotafiore (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) was held hitless for the first time this season. Galeotafiore entered the game with the longest hitting streak in the nation at 26 games. The catcher hit in 12 straight games to finish 2009 and hit in his first 14 games to open 2010.
The two teams will do battle again next Thursday, April 8 at George Ackerman Park at 3:30 p.m.
TCNJ continues its first week of conference competition traveling to Rutgers University Camden for a 3:30 p.m. tomorrow.
