Appleton, WI - Norm Schoenig wasn't down after Montclair State dropped its opening game in the Division 3 World Series last Friday afternoon.

"We have a great group of guys who have a great deal of heart and resiliency," he said at the time. "I fully expect them to bounce back.

Bouncing back apparently wasn't enough.

Winning its fifth straight game in four days - and looking like the fresher team while doing it - Montclair State became the first team to lose its opening game and win the Division 3 World Series, sweeping St. Thomas of Minnesota, 13-3 and 6-2, last night at Fox Cities Stadium.

"Both my NCAA championship teams are special groups," said Schoenig. "But I'd have to say this team had a lot of heart, because they had to come out of the loser's bracket and that was tough to do."

Schoenig also praised his team for finding a win to win two games against St. Thomas, which had yet to lose in the tournament.

"My guys showed a lot of heart for having to win two games," Schoenig said. "And they did it in impressive fashion."

After pounding St. Thomas in the opener, Montclair State rolled on in the second game behind COREY HAMMAN.

Hamman, a Flanders native and Roxbury graduate who started the comeback by winning on Saturday, threw a  five-hitter to take home tournament MVP honors.

"This is the greatest feeling I've had in my life," Hamman said. "I never thought we'd be national champs."

Or at least he didn't until Montclair State pounded St. Thomas in the opener.

"I thought the momentum switch toward us completely after we beat them in the first game," Hamman said. "They were definitely down."

And out of pitchers.

The opening loss forced St. Thomas to comeback with its ace, Mike Honsa, who was pitching for the third straight day. It showed. Montclair jumped on him early and often.

FRANK LONGO drove in the game's first run with a single in the second. An inning later, he delivered a two-out, two-run double to increase the lead to 3-0. FRANK FRANCIA then followed with a two-run single to all but put the game away.

"Getting out fast really helped me," Hamman said. "And I knew that once we had the lead all I had to do was throw strikes and we'd be fine."

Montclair State pounded out 19 hits to win the first game. CRAIG CONWAY continued his torrid hitting, collecting four hits, including a triple, scoring two runs and knocking in three.

"It was just a matter of time before we broke through," said Conway. "We always have confidence in our offense. I knew that we would come through in a big way."

Greg Belson was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion, pitching seven strong innings to earn his 11th victory in 13 decisions. The First Team Division 3 All-America scattered seven hits over seven innings, striking our seven and walking three.

NOTES: No team had won the national title after losing the first game of the double-elimination tournament since Wisconsin-Oshkosh did it in 1985, but that was when it was a four-team tournament. The tournament was expanded to eight teams in 1991... Montclair State finished the year at 42-7-1 and became only the third school in Division 3 history to win three national titles, having previously won in 1987 and 1993. Marietta of Ohio and Eastern Connecticut are the only other school with three crowns... It marked the second straight year that St. Thomas (36-14) lost in the national final. Last year, it lost to North Carolina Wesleyan.