Box score

Union, NJ … Junior Connor Henderson (Monmouth, Jct., NJ/South Brunswick) delivered his biggest pitching performance of the year as The College of New Jersey baseball team defeated 12th-ranked Kean University 5-3 to secure an important New Jersey Athletic Conference victory.

Henderson earned his second complete game win of the year to improve his record to a perfect 5-0. The Lions (9-12, 3-3 NJAC) built a 5-0 lead and the right-hander made it stand giving up three runs (one earned) over nine innings to slay the Cougars (16-7, 3-2 NJAC) in Union, NJ.

Sophomore Mike Galeotafiore (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) led TCNJ with a pair of two-run doubles that provided Henderson with the run-production he needed to win his fifth game in six starts. Senior Chris Esperon (Union, NJ/Union Catholic) had a pair of hits and scored the 100th run of his career in third inning off Galeotafiore's first double of the day.

Henderson gave his team a big lift limiting the Cougars, who entered the game with a team batting average of .355, to six hits while striking out four. He held Kean scoreless through the first four frames until they broke through two unearned runs in the fifth. They tacked on another run in the sixth but that was all Henderson would allow.

Kean threatened in the eighth with runners on first and second and one out. But TCNJ's middle infield turned a critical 6-4-3 double play to escape the jam.

Galeotafiore ripped RBI doubles in the third and fourth inning to breathe life into a Lions' squad that was in need of a quality performance. After dropping a 3-2 decision to conference opponent Rowan University at home yesterday, the Lions bounced back with their biggest win of 2010.

Sophomore Ed Zakrzewski (Three Bridges, NJ/Hunterdon Central) had two hits and freshman Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor North) and junior Jason Zegarski (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) did their job at the top of the line-up getting on base as each scored a pair of runs.

The Lions return home to play New Jersey City University in an NJAC doubleheader tomorrow (Saturday). First game is scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m.