Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Central Missouri Mules rallied to win game one on Sunday, but came up just short in game two against St. Mary's in the South Central Regional Championship at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. The Mules won the opener 9-5 to force the winner take all title game, but gave up a late lead and fell 12-9 in game two.

The Mules (48-9) fell behind 3-0 in the third inning of game one on an M.P. Cokinos three-run home run, but came back to plate two in the bottom of the inning. Bret Schwartz (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs HS) had an RBI groundout to get UCM on the board and Jordan Coons (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City HS) had an RBI single to pull the Mules to within a run.

The Rattlers (48-9) added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to build a 5-2 lead. The Mules came right back in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game on Brad Wilson's (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias HS) three-run homer, the first of his career.

Central Missouri went in front with a single run in the seventh on Coons' RBI single. The Mules added three more in the eighth to open a 9-5 lead. Chase Graskewicz (Hudson, Wis./Hudson HS) had an RBI bunt single to plate the first run. Jon Cotter (Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan) added an RBI single as did Gabe Thibodeau (Laval, Quebec).

Aaron Baker (2-1) (Belton, Mo./Belton HS) earned the win in relief for UCM. He allowed one run on four hits in four innings of work. Jeremy Narvaez (3-1) took the loss for St. Mary's after giving up two runs on four hits in 1.1 innings of relief.

UCM went in front 1-0 in the top of the first of game two. Thibodeau led off the game with a double and scored on Coons' RBI groundout.

The Rattlers came right back in the second with three runs to take a 3-1 lead. Tyler Migl had an RBI single to tie the game and later scored on a wild pitch to give St. Mary's the lead. The Rattlers plated three more runs in the fourth to open a 6-1 lead.

The Mules refused to quit and came right back in the top of the fifth with four runs to pull within 6-5. Coons was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the first run of the frame. John Oropeza (Kansas City, Kan./Bishop Ward HS) walked in the next at-bat to force in another run and Wilson drove in his fourth run of the day with a sacrifice fly. Coons scored the fourth run of the inning on wild pitch to pull the Mules within a run.

The Rattlers came right back in the bottom of the inning to score two runs on a Mario Maldonado home run to push their lead back to three at 8-5.

The Mules answered yet again, plating four runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead. After a leadoff double and a pair of walks loaded the bases Schwartz tripled to right center field to tie the game. On the very next pitch, Coons tripled down the right field line to score Schwartz and give the Mules the lead. UCM threatened for more, but couldn't bring Coons in from third and the lead stood at 9-8.

That lead held until the eighth when St. Mary's scored four runs to capture the lead for good. Cokinos, the South Central Region Tournament MVP, homered to lead off the inning and tie the game. The Rattlers would score three more times in the inning for a 12-9 advantage.

The Mules got a leadoff single in the ninth, but couldn't muster another comeback and came up short in their bid for a third straight regional crown.

Travis Unthank (Lenexa, Kan./Shawnee Mission South HS) took the loss for the Mules after allowing four runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings of relief. He had gone over 10 innings in the tournament without allowing a run before that.

Jonathan Perez (1-1) earned the win for St. Mary's after tossing 3.2 innings of relief. He gave up one run on three hits and struck out three.

Schwartz and Graskewicz each finished with four hits on the day with Schwartz also driving in four runs. He finishes his UCM career second all-time in hits with 306, a number which also ranks third in the MIAA. Schwartz is also second in school history in career runs scored (234) and seventh in RBI (177). Coons finished the day 3-for-6 with five RBI on the day and Wilson drove in four.

The Mules had three players named to the South Central Regional All-Tournament Team with Jordan Coons, Bret Schwartz and Ben Cox all being named to the squad.

The Mules end their season at 48-9. It is the 14^th consecutive season with 40 or more wins and UCM has had at least 44 wins in all five years under head coach Tom Myers.