Battle Creek, MI – Freshman lefthander T. J. Costello maneuvered his way through 7 2/3 shutout innings less than 24 hours after a rough start as Montclair State moved to 4-0 at the NCAA Division 3 World Series with a 5-0 victory over Eastern Connecticut on Monday evening.

Sophomore catcher MIKE MICUCCI drove in a pair of runs as the Red Hawks (36-11) put itself in command position to captures its second national championship. It will be a rematch six years in the making as Montclair will face Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 3:30 pm on Tuesday with an opportunity to capture its second title.  

MSC knocked off the Titans 13-12 in 10 innings in 1987 on Leroy Horn's two-run homer in Marietta, OH to win its first NCAA crown. Should Oshkosh defeat the Red Hawks, a second game will follow to determine the 1993 champion.

The victory on Monday evening capped off a wild day for Montclair State, which began it with a 6-2 comeback win against Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the completion of their suspended game on Sunday that was halted due to rain. MSC trailed 2-0 when the rains came, but regrouped scoring the following morning scoring five times in the last two innings.

The win put the Red Hawks into the championship round however, a win against ECSU would allow Montclair a little wiggle room in its quest for a second trophy.

Head coach Norm Schoenig elected to send Costello back to the mound, just 24 hours after the first-year lefty struggled in his start versus the Titans.  Costello could not locate and walked three batters in one-plus innings before being lifted.

But on Monday, Costello was able to put it behind him and grinded his way to his fourth victory of the year (4-3). Costello scattered nine hits and walked five, but was able to get the outs when he needed which included three double-plays turned by the Red Hawks.

Costello's teammates staked him to a quick lead with two runs in the top of the first. ROB DILAURENZIO was hit by a pitch and TONY MARTINEZ walked before both runners moved up on a passed ball.

DiLaurenzio would be erased at home on a fielder's choice, however Micucci came through with an RBI double for a 1-0 lead. RALPH YEZZA followed with a single plating JOE CRITELLI.
Costello escaped his first jam in the third as the Warriors loaded the bases with one out. But Mike Susi grounded into the first of the three twin-killings ending the threat.

Montclair added to the lead in the sixth. Back-to-back walks to CHRIS ROOF and JASON SCAVALLA put runners on first and second with one out. HAROLD VANDUNK singled scoring Roof putting the Red Hawks up 3-0. Pinch-hitter JOHN PALLINO was hit by a pitch to load the bases and MSC scored again as Scavalla scampered home from third on a wild pitch by reliever Bob Aronson.

After missing out on a few small rallies, Eastern threatened in the eighth putting runners on first and second with two out. Schoenig went to the bullpen and summoned FRANK DIPPOLD, who after a passed ball, fanned the next batter to end the inning.

Micucci lofted a sacrifice fly for the final Red Hawk run in the ninth.

Dippold allowed a pair of hits in the bottom of the inning before retiring the final batter on a fly ball for his 10^th save of the season, extending his own Montclair State single-season record.

Critelli had two hits for Montclair, which is expected to turn to lefty DREW YOCUM (8-0) for tomorrow's championship round game with Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Yocum tossed a complete-game effort versus Carthage College in the Red Hawks' series opener on Friday.