Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team captured its first New Jersey Athletic Conference victory of the season, blanking Stockton University 7-0 on Saturday afternoon in George Ackerman Park.
 
Sophomore Brandon Zachary (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) pitched eight innings to move to 4-0 on the season. Zachary struck out 10 batters and limited the Osprey offense to just three hits. Classmate Chris Barcas (Wall, NJ/Wall) came on in relief to close out the ninth.
 
The Lions raised their record to 16-4 on the season, while Stockton dropped to 3-15.
 
The Lions took command early with four runs in the first. Senior Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) lined a run-scoring to right center to score John Rizzi (Long Hill, NJ/Watchung Hills) and Patrick Anderson (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central). Sophomore Zach Shindler (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) later grounded to second to plate Patrick Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough), and junior Alex Christian (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood) lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Turner.
 
TCNJ tacked on another run in the second. Sophomore Mike Follet (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) drew a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ben Varone (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) .Anderson dropped in a single to right to score Follet to make it a 5-0 game.
 
In the fourth, the Lions manufactured another run. Follet got aboard on an infield single and Varone dropped down a well-placed bunt to leg out a single. Rizzi advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Anderson delivered a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 6-0.
 
In the meantime, Zachary kept putting up zeroes on the scoreboard. Stockton did put runners on in the first five innings, but the right-hander kept their offense in check. Zachary was also assisted by the backstop play of CJ Gearhart (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville). On three occasions, he blocked balls in the dirt and threw out runners attempting to advance.

Gearhart accounted for the final run, leading off the eighth with a triple. He raced home on a wild pitch to make it a 7-0 game.
 
Anderson finished with two hits and two runs batted in. Follet scored twice and Turner had two hits and drove in a pair.
 
TCNJ visits William Paterson University on Sunday for a doubleheader beginning at 11:30 a.m.