#ThrowbackThursday: Drew Lee Homered Five Times, Drove in 10 in DH at UT Martin in 2009
By Matt Schabert, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations
GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Five home runs in one day. Happens at a home run derby all the time, but how about in a game or a pair of games? And how about from both sides of the batter's boxes? Almost never.
Morehead State's newest inductee into the Athletics Hall of Fame can say he did just that. Today we take a look at one of the most incredible one-day performances in the history of the baseball program at MSU when then-junior shortstop Drew Lee put on a home run derby of his own on the plains of West Tennessee.
April 18, 2009 - the temperature was in the high 50s with a slight breeze. Morehead State played a doubleheader at UT Martin (OVC teams played a nine-inning game followed by a seven-inning game back then). The Eagles and Skyhawks entered the day with identical 12-20 overall marks. Lee batted third in the order for coach Jay Sorg's club.
In the opener, it didn't take long for Lee to show his power. After center-fielder JD Ashbrook singled to open the game, Lee came up two batters later (batting left-handed) and cranked his first long ball off UTM starter Coty Green. In the third inning, Lee flirted with another round-tripper but settled for a double to right field. He scored for the second time on the day next when designated hitter Michael Bottoms singled Lee home.
Moving to the fourth inning, Lee made Green pay again. With two outs and two men on, Lee launched homer No. 2 into the pine trees surrounding the outfield fence in right field (the trees have since been removed).
UTM has had just about enough of Lee already. Not surprisingly, pitcher Adam Bowker plunked Lee with a pitch during his at-bat in the sixth inning. Lee promptly stole second base and scored on Bottoms' double.
He wasn't done yet.
In the eighth inning, left-fielder Daniel Pugh doubled to lead off. Right on cue, Lee crushed homer No. 3 over - you guessed it - the right field wall.
Lee was 4-for-4 with seven RBI and five runs scored in the game, helping the Eagles rout the hosts 16-2.
In game two, Lee turned around to bat right-handed. It turned out it didn't matter who was pitching, but Brandon Lozupone was first and Lee tattooed his offering in the first inning over the center-field wall for his fourth homer of the afternoon.
Finally in the third inning UTM was able to retire Lee on a ground out. But it wasn't long before he was back in the act. Lee nailed homer No. 5 to left field off Lozupone in the fifth frame.
Despite dropping the game 6-5, Lee was 2-for-4 with three RBI and two more runs scored.
So, on the day Lee was 6-for-8 with 10 RBI and seven runs scored. He had 22 total bases.
To top it off, Lee returned on Sunday that weekend to go 2-for-5, crossing the plate four more times himself and driving in another run. Lee was awarded OVC Player of the Week for his prolific weekend.