ST. LOUIS - The end to a memorable era of Drury baseball arrived on Thursday night, as the baseball Panthers and the first four-year class of seniors in the program's history saw their season finish with a 7-6 loss to Saint Joseph's in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.
And just as they arrived on the scene four years ago and kicked off the inaugural season of Drury baseball in shocking fashion, the 13 four-year Panthers went down swinging, and not without a fight.
Drury trailed 7-4 entering the ninth, but the irony of their rally was huge - it started with a leadoff triple from senior shortstop Joe Rohlfing - his GLVC-leading 10th of the season and the 25th of his career, a school record.
And hope gained momentum when the Panthers pulled to within one when senior first baseman Tyler Goss blasted a two-run homer to left, his team-leading eighth of the season and the 21st of his career, also a DU record.
But in the end, too many runners left on base - 12 in the 7-1 loss to Bellarmine earlier in the day that put the Panthers in the elimination game, and 12 more in this loss to the Pumas (31-21) - did Drury in, as the Panthers finished their season 26-23, their fourth straight winning season in four tries.
Drury struck for a run in the top of the first when Bret Gallion doubled and scored on a St. Joseph' error, but the Pumas chipped away with single runs in the first and second, two in the third and two more in the fifth for a 6-1 advantage.
The Panthers cut it to 6-4 in the eighth when two scored on a Pumas' error, and after Saint Joe's added another run in the bottom of the eight, the stage was set for DU to make one final run that came up just a little short.
Gallion, Rohlfing and Goss had two hits each for the Panthers, who had 10 hits to 13 by the Pumas.
The end touched off an emotional and difficult post-game talk for Drury coach Mark Stratton and pitching coach Byron Hagler with the squad, and especially when they addressed the group of seniors who helped start the program.
"These guys have become like sons to me," Stratton said. "They will never be forgotten."
Box Score vs. Saint Joseph's