Boyertown, PA – Montclair State began booking its trip to the College World Series a few innings too early.

Montclair, the defending NCAA Division 3 champion, earned a return trip to the World Series in Appleton, Wisc., with a 15-13 victory over Gwynedd-Mercy that clinched the Mid-Atlantic Regional yesterday, but not before Montclair nearly blew a nine-run lead.

Montclair (35-9) took a 12-3 lead after six innings but saw it whittled to 12-8 after eight. After Montclair scored three runs in the ninth to make it 15-8, the Pennsylvania school rallied for five runs in the bottom of the ninth and loaded the bases with one out.

But Montclair ace starter RYAN COSTELLO was used as a closer and struck out the final two batters to preserve Montclair's return engagement in Appleton.

"You could see it in their eyes that they weren't about to give up," Montclair catcher JEFF SCHRIBER said of Gwynedd-Mercy. "They didn't even think about quitting."

It was the 21^st victory in 22 games for Montclair State, which will face West Regional champion Chapman on Friday at 10 a.m. in the first round of the World Series. It is the third time in four years that Montclair has qualified for the eight-team World Series and will be the school's 12^th appearance in the national tournament.

"We're putting it together at the right time and having an amazing run," senior third baseman CRAIG CONWAY said. "It's incredible to think that we're going back to the World Series again."

DAVE WURST, a senior second baseman from Randolph, was named the MVP of the regional with eight hits in 19 at-bats, three home runs and nine RBI. The three homers matched his total for 155 at-bats leading up to the regional.

"I really can't explain it," Wurst said. "I'm not trying to hit homers and I am not a home run hitter. The ball was just jumping off the bat for me here."

Wurst went 2-for-5 with three runs scored and hit a three-run homer to give Montclair a 7-3 lead in the fourth. Montclair capitalized on some shoddy infield lay by Gwynedd-Mercy (33-16) that led to
three runs in the fifth and sacrifice flies by SCOTT CLARK and Schriber (three RBI, including a two-run homer, three runs scored) in the sixth pushed the lead to 12-3.

Montclair coach started clearing the bench at that point – maybe a little too early.

"I let some things happen that shouldn't have happened, some personal things," Schoenig said. "When the game was 12-3 it should have been over."

Gwynedd-Mercy reached starter and winner SCOTT ALLAN (6-0) for three runs in the seventh. Allan was lifted for reliever Ric Haas, who served up a two-run homer to James Martin (4-for-5) in the eighth, making the score, 12-8.

Montclair tacked on three run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Conway (3-for-4, two RBI) and two-run double by Allan.

Gwynedd-Mercy reached relievers Kevin Rakowski and JIM WHALEN for five runs to pull within 15-13 before Costello earned his first save of the season.

Joining Wurst on the All-Tournament Team were Montclair catcher Schriber, first baseman GEORGE BECKER, third baseman Conway, outfielder CHRIS BARAN and pitcher COREY HAMMAN.