Galloway, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team won its fifth straight, defeating Stockton University, 3-1 in a tight New Jersey Athletic Conference battle on Thursday afternoon.
 
The Lions improved to 17-6 and 6-1 in conference standings. The Ospreys fell to 11-12 overall and 3-4 in the NJAC. After seven games, TCNJ is in sole possession of first place, followed by Rutgers-Newark and William Paterson University at 5-2.
 
The Lions got off to a quick start, as the first three hitters singled to take a 2-0 lead. Thomas Persichetti (Hamilton, NJ/Notre Dame) opened the game with a base hit to center and stole second. Danny Borup (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor-South) followed with a single to left and Persichetti came around to score with the first run of the game. Zachary Shindler (Wantagh, NJ/Wantagh) ripped a base hit up the middle to plate Borup to give TCNJ a 2-0 advantage.
 
In the third, rookie Jacob Simon (Hightstown, NJ/Hightstown) reached on an infield single. Tommy McCarthy (Allentown, NJ/Allentown) drew a walk and Simon advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Ben Varone (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) lifted a ball in the air that was caught by the second base and Simon alertly raced home off the catch to score the third run of the contest.
 
Zachary was dominant from the onset. He struck out two Ospreys in the first, two in the second, two in the third, and strike out the side in the fourth. Zachary surrendered a two-out, bases loaded single in the fifth, but Mike Follet (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) cut down the second runner trying to score to keep it a two-run cushion for TCNJ.
 
With a runner on the sixth, Zachary closed out the inning with his 10^th strikeout of the afternoon. Zac deRocco (Red Bank, NJ/Middletown South) came on in the seventh. He shook off a leadoff double and struck out Kobe Sutherland swinging to end the threat.
 
TCNJ had runners in scoring position in the seventh, eighth, and ninth, but couldn't extend its lead. Consecutive two-out singles by McCarthy, Varone, and Persichetti loaded the bases in the eighth, but a ground ball out ended the inning. The lone weak spot for the Lions in the win was leaving 12 runners on base.
 
Matt Curry (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) pitched the eighth and ninth innings to seal the win. He faced six batters and recorded six outs, fanning the final batter swinging for his fourth save. The big right-hander is now 5-0 this season with four saves in 11 appearances. He has not permitted an earned run in 21.1 innings pitched, as opposing batters are hitting .090 against him this season.
 
Zachary enjoyed his best outing of the season. He is now 2-3 and fought his way back from a rocky start earlier this spring. Zachary owns a 3.71 ERA and has struck out 39 in 34 innings pitched.
 
Persichetti, Borup, and Varone each had two hits in the game. Borup stole three bases and Shindler swiped two. He leads the team with 12 stolen bases and has now reached base in 15 consecutive games.
 
TCNJ will host Stockton to close out the home and home series tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. in George Ackerman Park.