By LUKE HAGEN
The Daily Republic
Jason Schmidt wasn't about to let a third fastball get past him.
The Mitchell native and senior shortstop for Mount Marty College hit a 1-2 pitch just over the right-center field fence for a walk-off home run Thursday at the NAIA regional baseball tournament in Oklahoma City.
It was his second homer of the game to help the Lancers beat York College 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth inning. The left-handed hitter went 3-for-3 at the plate with two homers, two walks and three RBIs.
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"He blew the first one by me and blew the second one by me, so I bet he was thinking that he could get a third one by me," Schmidt said, referring to York pitcher Matt Blaemire. "It was right over the middle of the plate, and I ended up making good contact. I hit it just far enough. I think the fence was 400, and I hit it 401."
The walk-off shot was Schmidt's 10th home run of the year and 30th career collegiate long ball. He also hit a home run in his first at-bat of the game off York pitcher Brett Nathan.
Mount Marty (27-26) qualified for the NAIA national tournament last week after winning the Great Plains Athletic Conference postseason tournament as the No. 7 seed in the eight-team field. Schmidt and the Lancers went 5-0 in the tournament to earn an automatic bid to the regional tournament.
Schmidt's parents, Joel and Lori, and grandparents were in attendance at the game.
"It was all smiles and hugs after the game," Schmidt said. "There's really not much that's said in a time like that. It's so exciting."
In the second game of the day for Mount Marty, the Lancers lost to Oklahoma City 12-3. Schmidt was hitless but recorded an RBI. Mount Marty plays at 6 p.m. today in an elimination game against an opponent yet to be determined.
The regional tournament is double elimination with five teams. There are nine regional tournaments across the nation, and the winner of each region qualifies for the NAIA World Series. In 2010, Schmidt's Mount Marty team came within one win from qualifying for the World Series.
