Former Jackson athlete finds his groove at the plate (eventually) for Tropics

Southeast Tropics hitter Dylan Hayman watches a pitch go by during a recent game against the SEMO Legends at Hillhouse Park in Charleston.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

The summer baseball season reached a frustrating point for the Southeast Tropics recently when they dropped a pair of games (3-2 and 7-4) to their rivals, the Aycorp Media Charleston Fighting Squirrels, in the Senior Babe Ruth Baseball State Tournament.

However, the squad bounced back in a BIG way over the weekend with five consecutive victories en route to claiming the Memphis 2D Tournament championship in Tennessee.

“(The losses) don’t change anything,” veteran Tropics manager Dustin Schwartz said recently.

The two defeats in the State Tournament did not eliminate the Tropics (23-6-1) from earning a berth in the upcoming Babe Ruth World Series next month in Cape Girardeau.

The Tropics are the defending World Champions in that event, which was achieved, ironically, after losing to the Fighting Squirrels in last year’s State Tournament, as well.

“We did it last year,” Schwartz said of the circuitous path to a title. “We’ll do it again.”

A key to the Tropics’ success this summer has been the surprising play of former Jackson High School standout Dylan Hayman.

Hayman contributed four hits, as many RBI, a pair of runs, and a pair of walks in the five Memphis tournament victories, which was slightly different than his start to this season.

“He needed a place to play,” Schwartz explained, “and a friend got a hold of me and asked if I could help him out.”

Hayman was going to play for the Capahas this summer following his freshman season at State Fair Community College, but that team folded. He joined the Tropics and went hitless – with five strikeouts - in his opening three games.

“I texted my friend, jokingly,” Schwartz laughed. “But ever since those first five at-bats, he has really put together good at-bats.”

Schwartz has utilized Hayman at left field, and he said “Dylan has come a long way. He has been a solid addition to the lineup.”

Mineral Area College signee Mason Adams had a couple of triples and a double over the weekend while Three Rivers College sophomore Trey Benthal (three doubles), Hayman (one double), Aaron Dunlap (triple), Waylon Hale (one double), Dalton Forck (one triple, one double), Kolten Payne (one triple), and Trey Miller (one triple) also had extra-base hits.

Payne threw a complete game shutout in the final 5-0 win over the Ortho One 18U team while Carson McDaniel, Thomas Frakes, Forck, and Ross Peters each threw well in winning starts.

The Tropics are off until July 30 when they face the Fighting Squirrels again at Capaha Field at 6 p.m.