With the game tied 3-3 in the seventh inning, and runners at second and third base, Southeast Missouri made a decision that would be regretted.
The Redhawks decided to intentionally walk senior infielder Mike O’Conor to load up bases with one out. Graduate shortstop Peyton Wilson drew a four pitch walk to give Eastern a 4-3 lead.
With the bases still loaded, graduate outfielder Dylan Drumke stepped up to the plate.
Drumke hit the first pitch he saw to left field and watched it soar over the fence for a for a grand slam.
“I blacked out,” Drumke said. “I saw it go over. I was like ‘all right, touch all the bases and let’s go,’” Drumke said .
Eastern used a six run seventh inning to defeat SEMO in a 8-3 win at Frost Field at Coaches Stadium Sunday afternoon to complete a series sweep.
The grand slam is the first home run of the season for Drumke, who missed all of last season due to injury.
“That guy’s been committed to the program for six years, which is not a normal thing in this day and age,” head coach Jason Anderson said. “As a senior, he misses his entire year with an injury and then comes in this year and is trying to find a stroke and all that type of stuff. But for him to do that, I am super proud.”
Drumke finished the day 2-for-4 with four RBI’s.
“When we talked Friday, I said I wanted to build off of it, and I feel like as a team, we certainly built off of it, and that was a pretty sweet series,” Drumke said.
The Panthers now have back to back home sweeps against Ohio Valley Conference opponents with the first sweep being against Southern Indiana.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for all year. This group, I could not ask for anything more from them over three games, we played so well for who we are and the injuries that we’ve tried to overcome. I’m just super proud of them,” Anderson said.
Eastern held a 1-0 going into the top of the fourth inning.
Senior right-hander Dalton Boruff allowed his first hit of the game to SEMO senior outfielder Demitri Shakotko. The rest of the inning got away from Boruff as he walked the next batter and gave up a two run single to senior infielder Carson Schrack.
Boruff’s day was done after he hit the next batter.
Junior right hander Anthony Solis came in relief for Boruff with two runners on and one out.
Solis’ first two pitches were wild, as runners advanced to second and third then a run scored for the Redhawks to take a 3-1 lead.
“Once I got out of the inning, I felt more comfortable,” Solis said. “The fastball really helped me today, coming in and getting weak contact in the infield.”
After the top of the fourth, Solis (3-2) pitched four and two thirds innings of relief and allowed two hits along with two strikeouts and no earned runs.
“He struggled a little bit early, but you’ve seen the real Anthony Solis today,” Anderson said.
Graduate right hander James Geshel entered and went 1-2-3 in the ninth to secure the sweep for Eastern.
The Panthers will get some rest as they get ready to host Southern Illinois Edwardsville next weekend in a series where both teams are tied for first in the OVC.
“You push everything that’s happened out of the way and you try to focus on playing a good baseball game, the same thing we’ve done all year when we win or we lose. It’s onto the next one and trying to play good baseball,” Anderson said.
Eastern will host SIUE next weekend for the last home series of the season.
Game one is set for Friday at 6 pm.
Cameron Thomas can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].
