Battle Creek, MI – Montclair State is back on top of the NCAA Division III Baseball world.

The Red Hawks claimed their second national championship following a 3-1 victory over Wisconsin-Oshkosh at C.O. Brown Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. Montclair completed an amazing run through the eight-team tournament winning all five games while allowing just five total runs (four earned).

Junior lefthander DREW YOCUM tossed his second complete game of the series capping off an amazing season for Montclair (37-11), which set a school record for victories with its 37^th.
The win came nearly six years to the day of its first NCAA crown when Montclair State edged the same Wisconsin-Oshkosh team 13-12 on Leroy Horn's two-run homer in the bottom of the 10^th inning at Pioneer Park in Marietta, OH.

This contest would not produce the offensive fireworks that game did in 1987. Instead it was all about pitching, starting with Yocum, who was named the Most Valuable Player. Yocum, who finished the season at 9-0, tossed 18 innings allowing two runs with a walk and five strikeouts as he joined John Deutsch as Montclair State World Series MVPs.

Wisconsin-Oshkosh pitchers Chad Kopitzke and Mike Simon were equally effective scattering eight hits with three runs unearned.

The Titans grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second, scratching out a run with two outs. Brent Pattridge singled and stole second before scoring on a base hit by Brian Bott.

Montclair would take the lead with all of its scoring in the fourth. JOHN PALLINO led off with a single and a base hit by RALPH YEZZA put runners on first and second. JASON SCAVALLA bounced a ball to third and Oshkosh tried to get Pallino at third base however an error allowed the bases to be loaded. HAROLD VANDUNK worked out a walk forcing home Pallino, tying the game at 1-1.

With the bases still loaded, third baseman BRIAN SASSO sent a grounder to second base. The Titans were able to get VanDunk at second however Sasso beat the return throw and to make it worse, the ball skipped past first base. Scavalla scored the go-ahead run with Yezza scampering home on the miscue as the Red Hawks led 3-1.

Yocum retired 12 of 14 following the base hit to Bott in the second inning and got the first two of the seventh before Bott reached on an error. A base hit by Kevin Ulwell singled putting runners at first and second but Yocum retired Chad Kubiak to end another threat.

Yocum set down the side in order in the eighth and got the first out in the ninth before Jeff Zappa singled. With closer FRANK DIPPOLD (3 saves in the series), warming up in the bullpen, Schoenig elected to stay with his starter. Pattridge flied out to center for the second out bringing Bott to the plate. After a short battle, Bott lifted a ball into foul territory along the third base line. DiLaurenzio circled underneath squeezing the ball into his glove for the final out and sending the Red Hawks into a raucous celebration.  

Pallino was 3-for-4 for the Red Hawks while Van Dunk had two hits.

Montclair State's championship marks the second consecutive year that a New Jersey team has won the Division 3 title. William Paterson claimed the 1992 championship and the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) now has six overall with Glassboro winning back-to-back in 1978 and 1979 and Ramapo in 1984.