Eftink, Umfleet brought 'chemistry' to Tropics in their final summers

In some regards, veteran Southeast Tropics manager Dustin Schwartz is living the existence of a minor league manager, whose team advances to the postseason.

As is often the case at that level, the manager loses players to September call-ups, right as he could utilize them for his playoff success.

For the Tropics, who will begin defending their 2023 Babe Ruth Senior Baseball World Series title on Friday, Schwartz has lost outfielder Reece Eftink for the entirety of the postseason, while first baseman Luke Umfleet will be available Friday, but then must depart on Saturday.

Both players are heading to college to further their athletic and academic careers, with Eftink playing football at NAIA program Evangel University in Springfield while Umfleet will play baseball for NCAA Division III program Lyon College in Batesville, Ark.

“Reece is a big chemistry guy,” Schwartz said. “He is always smiling. Guys from the other teams love Reece, and the other schools.”

That ability to blend in among a mix of athletes is imperative to the success of summer baseball programs because the young athletes have to transition from rivals to teammates overnight.

The Tropics have been able to do that through the years and this season has gone 26-6-1.

“It’s all good fun,” Schwartz said of the smack-talking that goes on in his dugout. “A guy like Luke, he knew that, and he kind of bought into it and said, ‘I’m going to give it right back.”

For Eftink, who plays right field, he has been with the Tropics program since the eighth grade, so the fact that he was a Kelly High School star blending in with kids from Portageville, Oran, and more, wasn’t that big of a deal. However, this summer was the first with the team for Umfleet, who played at Scott City High School.

“It was going to be interesting for Luke to see how he blended in,” Schwartz said. “He held his own with those guys.”

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Southeast Tropics hitter Luke Umfleet waits on a pitch against the Cardinals Perfectos in the Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament at Hillhouse Park in Charleston last month. (Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com)

Umfleet has played a solid first base for the Tropics this season while Eftink’s bat has been productive and timely.

“Reece will hit a couple of doubles, and a home run, here or there,” Schwartz said. “If he is in the lineup or on the bench, Reece is always in the front of the dugout being an energy guy.”

The Tropics rebounded from a disappointing 7-4 loss to their rivals, the Aycorp Media Charleston Fighting Squirrels, in the Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament title game last month but has since won six consecutive games.

Eftink closed his baseball career by scoring a run and walking twice in a recent 11-6 victory over the Squirrels.

Interestingly enough, Umfleet produced the same statistically in that game.

“Luke came into (this summer) a little timid,” Schwartz said, “but he grew into being a big part of the team.”

The Tropics will open the World Series at Capaha Park on Friday at 5 p.m. against a team from Puerto Rico. They will face a team from Aruba on Saturday at Capaha Park at 4:30 p.m.