Spring sport athletes don’t typically get much of a spring break. Their strict game and practice schedules usually keep them homebound while other non-athletes are soaking up the sun many miles away from EHS.

However, that wasn’t the case for the varsity baseball team as their game schedule took them 555 miles south to Atlanta, Ga. for the Rawlings Perfect Game Classic.

“We were all super excited because the weather was supposed to be sunny all week and the baseball team has never really done something like that during the spring so we were all really happy to get to go,” senior Cole Cimarolli said.

The team made the eight hour trip for four games but before the first pitch was thrown, the Tigers made a stop in Nashville to practice at Hawkins Field, home of the Vanderbilt Commodores one of the nation’s top Division I baseball programs.

“It was a really cool experience,” senior Trey Riley said of practicing at Hawkins Field. “It was awesome to be on a top notch program’s field. The atmosphere was great.”

The Tigers went 3-1 at the classic beginning with a 4-2 win over Hargrave, Va. to advance to the semifinals.

The team then played Merritt Island, Fl. in the semis but fell 2-1 after threatening in the seventh inning but eventually left the bases loaded.

The Tigers also got in two non bracket games at the classic both of which they won in fashion.

The team defeated Enterprise, Ala. 8-7 after trailing 7-5 heading into the seventh inning. Senior Cole Hansel doubled to left center scoring two runs to tie the game and then scored on a wild pitch to give the Tigers the lead and the eventual win.

Though the Tigers did drop one game in Georgia, the trip is still considered a success. The team had just three games under their belt as opposed to the over 16 games the southern teams had already played.

“It was different but the teams were good and it showed us how good we can be because we did well when we were down there,” Cimarolli said.