SEMO’s Palmer powering through start of senior season

Southeast Missouri State shortstop Ben Palmer has been on quite the offensive start three weeks into the 2024 season.

The senior has not only reached base safely in every game this season but also tied his career high in home runs when he hit his fifth bomb during Saturday’s doubleheader in which SEMO swept by a combined score of 25-3.

At this point, new career highs in nearly every offensive category seem inevitable. Redhawks head coach Andy Sawyers chalked it up to his improved morning diet and enlarged biceps. That and his increased confidence.

“If he's playing better, it's because he's believing in himself,” Sawyers said. “He deserves the credit. It's not like we've coached him any differently, outside of the breakfast and biceps. I think he's playing with more confidence and swagger than he ever has before. So that's fun to see because he has a world of talent. He's a gifted young man.”

Palmer is tied for second among the Ohio Valley Conference in home runs with five, only two behind league leader Ryley Preece of Morehead State. Palmer said he always believed he had the bat that could send balls over the outfield walls but needed a consistent swing to do so.

“I like consistency in the box, not chasing pitches and just keeping my swing together,” Palmer said. “I worked hard on this fall and over the winter and seeing it pay off right now.”

Southeast Missouri State shortstop Ben Palmer swings at a pitch against Toledo on Sunday, March 3, at Capaha Field. Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

As a team, the Redhawks lead the OVC with 22 home runs so far this season. From Palmer to Michael Megan (4) to Josh Cameron, they all say the home run pitch they are aiming for is the fastball. Yet it is more about being prepared to go after what is coming towards you rather than aiming towards the pitch itself, especially if it trails outside of the strike zone.

“So far, I believe all of them have come off the fastball, but I mean, you just got to put the same swing on each pitch,” Palmer said. “If you get outside your body and your swing away from yourself, get away from what you used to, obviously you're gonna not have the best results.”

Palmer transferred to SEMO from the junior college ranks at Iowa Western, where he played for two years and won a NJCAA ABCA/Rawling Gold Glove in 2021. Now in his third and final year with the Redhawks, Palmer said he has grown into a much more mature player and person, helping him become a mentally stronger hitter at the batter’s box.

“I would say my first year and my second year here, obviously, I probably wasn't the most mentally strong when it came into the box,” Palmer said. “I think this year going into my fifth year, I'm just settled down and more relaxed and letting the game come to me rather than me trying to chase the game.”

Palmer said part of shaping his mental makeup came from his junior college years when he was reading the book “Relentless Optimism” by Darrin Donnelly, at the recommendation of his coaches.

“It's about an MLB baseball player's trials and tribulations throughout minor league ball and his struggles with the mental sides of playing baseball,” Palmer said. “Just helps me slow down, helps me understand that obviously, baseball is a game of failure, not everything's gonna be perfect. You can't really expect perfection and when you start to do that, obviously things can go downhill pretty quick.”

The dominating doubleheader on Saturday, coming off of Josh Cameron’s walk-off homer on Friday, has led to SEMO’s (6-7) first series win of the season. The Redhawks have averaged 8.3 runs per game during their previous six games, which includes an 8-3 road win at Missouri.

The Redhawks close out the home stand with a midweek game against Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Capaha Field.