The Tommies beat Montclair State 8-5, and will play Marietta today at 3:30 p.m. at Fox Cities Stadium. Montclair beat St. Thomas twice on the final day of the tournament last season, sending the Tommies to their second straight runner-up finish.

"You hate to say 'revenge' or something like that, but all I know is I remember that five-hour bus ride home after two heartbreaking losses," said St. Thomas first baseman Nate Sundberg. "So I'm not going to lie, it felt really good. We played a good game, that's what I feel best about, we went out and played our game."

If St. Thomas beats Marietta today, it will have a one-loss margin of error in Tuesday's championship round, just as it did last year, by virtue of being the sole undefeated team left in the tournament.

"I think it's great," said St. Thomas coach Dennis Denning. "We've been in the final game twice, so here we are again. Third time's a charm, everyone's been saying that to me. We might lose two more, but at least we're here.

"Somebody's going to have to knock us down and drag us out to get us out of here."

Brad Bonine went 2-for-4 and drove home two runs in the decisive fifth inning for St. Thomas, which improved to 38-9 and tied a school record for wins in a season. Sundberg doubled twice, Luke Sather was 2-for-3 and Jake Mauer was 2-for-4 for the Tommies.

Four St. Thomas pitchers combined to subdue Montclair, with freshman Sean Lindstrom picking up the win. Lindstrom, the last pitcher to make the varsity roster this spring, improved to 4-1 in the postseason.

Jon Marzolf and Adam Hunkins bridged the gap to Brian Whinnery, who earned the save. Whinnery entered in the ninth with a man on first and a 3-1 count on Sean Morrison, and promptly retired the side, striking out Scott Allan to end the game.

Montclair jumped on Lindstrom in the first inning, as Allan and Chris Baran drove in runs.

Bonine led off with a single and moved to third on Mauer's double. Bonine scored on Sundberg's groundout to second, and Mauer scored on Sather's single.

The Red Hawks scored twice again in the second, as Scott Clark reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a throwing error and scored along with P.J. Baccarella on Dave Wurst's double.

The Tommies responded again, when Tony Wolverton scored from third on a wild pitch and Mauer drove home Kyle Olson with a sacrifice fly to center. They went ahead 5-4 in the third went Sundberg doubled, went to third on Sather's sacrifice and scored on Wolverton's single.

Montclair tied the game in the top of the fourth when Clark singled, stole second and scored on Baccarella's single.

St. Thomas reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth, when Sundberg doubled, moved to third on Casey Garven's sacrifice and scored on a wild pitch. Bonine's two-out single scored Sather and Olson to make it 8-5.

St. Thomas lost outfielder Ryan Benson for the remainder of the tournament. Benson sprained his left ankle trying to beat out a bunt single in the first inning.