Box Score WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Paul Smith went from weekday starter to key pitcher in the span of 12 innings. The righthander got the start for St. Edward's and worked all 12 innings during the 7-6, 12-inning loss to Central Missouri Saturday evening. The loss knocked the Hilltoppers out of the NCAA South Central Regional and ended their season.

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With St. Edward's (37-16) short on pitching after three games in three days, they turned to Smith for the start. The senior allowed seven runs (four earned) off of 11 hits, while walking six and striking out four. Three of his walks were intentional. The 12 innings pitched were the most by a Hilltopper since Korer threw 14.0 innings against Texas in 1908.

“Paul was outstanding tonight in his effort just like all of the guys were,” head coach Rob Penders said. “You can't ask for anything more and that is exactly what you need in this type of tournament. Paul was everything and more.”

Central Missouri (46-8) opened the scoring in the first inning when Gabe Thibodeau led off with an infield single to shortstop. He would steal second and then come in to score on a single by Brett Schwartz.

St. Edward's (37-15) would answer the run in the third inning when Nate Bobrowski laced a one-out single to left field, followed by a single by Beau Rogers to put runners at first and second. Taylor Johnson came up huge with a double to left field to score Bobrowski. The only problem was the Rogers got caught rounding third base too wide and was thrown out. The play did knot the score, 1-1.

After the Mules scored on an infield single in the top of the fourth inning, the Hilltoppers answered again. With two outs, Marshall Burford double off of the wall down the left field line. Ransom LaLonde followed with a double that just missed going out of the park. The ball hit the top of the wall and bounced back to tie the score once again, 2-2.

St. Edward's would take its first lead of the game in the fifth inning when T. Johnson drew a one-out walk followed by a hard single by Kyle Harris that ricocheted off of the third baseman. After a pitching change, Adam Shank greeted him with an RBI single. Wes Koenig drove in another run with a sacrifice fly that made it 4-2 Hilltoppers.

In the top of the sixth, the Hilltopper would make two errors and a single by Central Missouri would load the bases. Ben Cox would lace a single to right field that would eventually clear the bases as Burford misplayed the grounder in right and Cox ended up on third base with the Mules now up, 5-4.

St. Edward's did not waste a minute to respond as LaLonde led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run to left field. Bobrowski would reach on an infield single with one out. He would steal second base and with nobody covering, the ball went into the outfield allowing him to advance to third. Again, Taylor Johnson would come through as he scored Bobrowski with a single to left for his 12th RBI of the tournament. That put the Hilltoppers up 6-5, through six innings.

Central Missouri would tie the game in the eighth when they attempted a squeeze bunt with the bases loaded. The runner would score as Shank tagged out the runner but the second runner was thrown out at the plate as K. Harris did a nice job of blocking the plate. That kept the game tied.

The Mules would go in order in the ninth and K. Harris led off the bottom of the ninth with a single up the middle. However a double play and fly out ended the Hilltoppers' chance for a walk-off.

The Mules would load the bases in 10th and get a runner on in the 11th, but all were stranded as Smith worked out of both jams. In the 12th inning the Mules would load the bases once again. This time Jon Cotter drew a walk from Smith to force in the eventual winning run.

Central Missouri closer Travis Unthank settled in and retired the final nine hitters to pick up the victory.

“You can tell that this was an elimination game,” Penders said. “It was a hard-fought game with great effort on both sides. It was fun to watch the guys battle out there.”

St. Edward's ends its season at 37-16 and advanced the farthest in a DII regional in school history. It was just the second time that the Hilltoppers have made a NCAA Regional.

2012 NCAA DII South Central Regional All-Tournament Team
C - M.P. Cokinos - St. Mary's
1B - Adam Shank - St. Edward's
2B - Taylor Johnson - St. Edward's
3B - Jordan Coons - Central Missouri
SS - Bret Schwartz - Central Missouri
OF - Billy Richard - St. Mary's
OF - Nate Bobrowski - St. Edward's
OF - Ryan Bell - Southern Arkansas
DH - Ben Cox - Central Missouri
P - Skye Severns - St. Mary's
P - Jonathan Perez - St. Mary's
MVP - M.P. Cokinos - St. Mary's