Appleton, WI - When SCOTT ALLAN said he'd do anything to pitch Monday, he meant it.

The Montclair State left-hander was forced out of Saturday's game at the Division III College World Series after re-injuring a wicked blister on the left middle finger. To help the blister heal, he tried everything from Crazy Glue to pickle juice to putting the finger in a pile of rice. Heck, he even smothered it with Preparation-H.

The unorthodox remedies paid off as Allan retired the final batter on Monday with his season-high ninth strikeout, anchoring the Red Hawks' 10-3 victory over Allegheny, Pa.

Montclair State (40-7-1) will play St. Thomas (Minn) today at 4:30 p.m. If the Red Hawks win, they'll play again st 8 p.m. with the national championship at stake.

"I tried every remedy in the book," said Allan, who thew the entire game to improve to 9-1. "After Saturday, I wanted to come back out no matter what. My finger was bleeding (Sunday night), and it was still bleeding a little [Monday morning]. But I had to suck it up for myself and my team."

Said Montclair State coach Norm Schoenig: "People said he was 10 days to two weeks away from starting again. He's a warrior."

The Red Hawks, who pounded out 18 hits, wasted no time giving Allan some breathing room, scoring five runs on six straight hits in the first inning. The big hit was CHRIS BARAN's three-run double to the gap in right-center field. BRIAN ELLERSON's single also drove in a run. "That inning definitely set the tone," Baran said. "They chipped away later in the game, but we answered."

After Allegheny closed to within 5-2, CRAIG CONWAY extended the Red Hawks' lead in the fourth with a two-run home run over the 385-foot sign in left-center field. It was Conway's 72nd RBI of the season, moving him into second place on the school's single-season list behind John Deutsch (77 in 1987)

"Craig's hit kind of turned things around, because they were coming back at the time," Schoenig said.

In the eighth, Conway drove in another run with his school-record 27th double of the year. He finishe 3-for-5 and scored twice. Montclair State finished with eight extra-base hits, including two doubles by FRANK LONGO and a triple by Ellerson.

Even Allan joined the offensive outburst, hitting a run-scoring single in the ninth to cap Montclair State's scoring.

Every Red Hawks starter had a hit. MARC HOUSER, GEORGE GALLAGHER, FRANK FRANCIA, Ellerson, Baran and Long each finished with two hits.

Schoenig is pleased with his team's improved play, but remains cautious heading into the final day of the tournament. "We'regetting closer," he said. "but we're not quite there yet."