Matt Anderson (center with a boy on his shoulder) with teammates and children at the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos orphanage
Eagle Baseball in the Dominican Republic - Day Two
11/20/2017 10:50:00 AM | Baseball, Athletic Foundation
Matt Anderson shares his experiences on Eagle Baseball's trip to the Dominican Republic
Eagle Baseball is closing the Fall 2017 semester with a special trip five day trip to the Dominican Republic. Redshirt sophomore catcher Matt Anderson will share his experiences on the trip in this special journal on GSEagles.com. Fans can still contribute to Eagle Baseball's campaign to raise money for the trip at Give.GSEagles.com/Baseball.
-- Sunday, November 19 --
A new day, and a new mindset was in front of us as we all gathered for breakfast before the bus headed to the field at 7:30. It was game-day. We all were excited for this experience because of the new places and people we would meet along the way.
As we pulled up to the Dominican Army National Team's field we knew we were in for something special. Bystanders gathered as we exited the bus, and they took notice that a new face was in town for some competition. The game was underway after the first pitch was thrown around 9:45, and the energy around the field was incredible. The Dominican Army National Team was confident and extremely chirpy as they yelled and hollered at almost every pitch thrown. It was easy to see how much passion they had for baseball.
As the game neared its end, the National team took a late 3-2 lead that would end up being enough to take the game. I blame the jet lag for effecting the bats today, but no excuses! Although the outcome of the game was not in our favor, we still had fun competing against new faces in an unfamiliar place. These guys know how to have fun and play good baseball.
After the game, we went back to the hotel to shower and grab some lunch before we headed over to the children's orphanage, Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, or "Our Little Brothers." This was the first time I had ever been to an orphanage, so my emotions were somewhat on edge. I knew what I would experience there would change me forever, and it did.
The bus ride to the orphanage took a little over 20 minutes, and after riding on a dirt road that had turned to mud because of the rain, but we made it. We got off the bus and were taken to a gym-area where the 200-plus kids met us there to play. While others stayed in the gym-area and spent time throwing balls around, playing cards, playing dominos, or just running around, about nine of the players and I took about 12-15 boys and young men out to the baseball field that were in the back. The rain was steady coming down, but these boys wanted nothing more than to play baseball, so that is exactly what we did. With one bat and a few balls, we played inning after inning until we had to stop. The rain did not stop us from playing, and the mud did not stop us from having one of the best days that I have ever had.
It's hard to fit all the emotions and experiences that I had today in just one short post. However, one thing I will say is how my heart was filled with joy to be able to spend time with the kids at the orphanage. Even though our team was fortunate enough to play a game today, my favorite part was being able to give back. The smile on their faces when we were there said it all. With heavy hearts, we left the orphanage and went back to the hotel for dinner and to relax. As I sit here and fight back tears, I can truly say that the impact of today changed my life as well as the others. I know tomorrow will bring new challenges, new competitions, and new faces, but I also know that tomorrow will bring more joy.
--
Georgia Southern Athletics provides current information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, which is fully responsive across all mobile devices. Information on Eagle athletics can also be found through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics and Instagram.com/GSAthletics. To purchase tickets to Georgia Southern athletics events, visit GSEagles.com/tickets.
In order to expedite entry and provide a safe environment for all patrons and participants, Georgia Southern Athletics has implemented a Clear Bag Policy for all ticketed sporting events, effective Aug. 1, 2017. Fans can find the complete policy as well as an FAQ section at GSEagles.com/ClearBag.
-- Sunday, November 19 --
A new day, and a new mindset was in front of us as we all gathered for breakfast before the bus headed to the field at 7:30. It was game-day. We all were excited for this experience because of the new places and people we would meet along the way.
As we pulled up to the Dominican Army National Team's field we knew we were in for something special. Bystanders gathered as we exited the bus, and they took notice that a new face was in town for some competition. The game was underway after the first pitch was thrown around 9:45, and the energy around the field was incredible. The Dominican Army National Team was confident and extremely chirpy as they yelled and hollered at almost every pitch thrown. It was easy to see how much passion they had for baseball.
First game is about to begin. @GSAthletics_BSB vs Dominican Army Baseball team. #Ao1 pic.twitter.com/qJGIdv8JaN
— Matt Wise (@MattWise97) November 19, 2017
As the game neared its end, the National team took a late 3-2 lead that would end up being enough to take the game. I blame the jet lag for effecting the bats today, but no excuses! Although the outcome of the game was not in our favor, we still had fun competing against new faces in an unfamiliar place. These guys know how to have fun and play good baseball.
First game vs Dominican Army in the books! Tough 3-2 loss. Visiting orphanage today after lunch, hopefully we can touch some lives in a special way pic.twitter.com/IBJdBjKWeS
— Jacob Condra-Bogan (@JConBo) November 19, 2017
After the game, we went back to the hotel to shower and grab some lunch before we headed over to the children's orphanage, Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, or "Our Little Brothers." This was the first time I had ever been to an orphanage, so my emotions were somewhat on edge. I knew what I would experience there would change me forever, and it did.
Chase Cohen found a buddy today. pic.twitter.com/zOAdCBz9VV
— Rodney Hennon (@rhennon10) November 20, 2017
The bus ride to the orphanage took a little over 20 minutes, and after riding on a dirt road that had turned to mud because of the rain, but we made it. We got off the bus and were taken to a gym-area where the 200-plus kids met us there to play. While others stayed in the gym-area and spent time throwing balls around, playing cards, playing dominos, or just running around, about nine of the players and I took about 12-15 boys and young men out to the baseball field that were in the back. The rain was steady coming down, but these boys wanted nothing more than to play baseball, so that is exactly what we did. With one bat and a few balls, we played inning after inning until we had to stop. The rain did not stop us from playing, and the mud did not stop us from having one of the best days that I have ever had.
The afternoon featured a visit to a local Orphanage pic.twitter.com/2hKAxApxLV
— Rodney Hennon (@rhennon10) November 20, 2017
It's hard to fit all the emotions and experiences that I had today in just one short post. However, one thing I will say is how my heart was filled with joy to be able to spend time with the kids at the orphanage. Even though our team was fortunate enough to play a game today, my favorite part was being able to give back. The smile on their faces when we were there said it all. With heavy hearts, we left the orphanage and went back to the hotel for dinner and to relax. As I sit here and fight back tears, I can truly say that the impact of today changed my life as well as the others. I know tomorrow will bring new challenges, new competitions, and new faces, but I also know that tomorrow will bring more joy.
--
Georgia Southern Athletics provides current information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, which is fully responsive across all mobile devices. Information on Eagle athletics can also be found through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics and Instagram.com/GSAthletics. To purchase tickets to Georgia Southern athletics events, visit GSEagles.com/tickets.
In order to expedite entry and provide a safe environment for all patrons and participants, Georgia Southern Athletics has implemented a Clear Bag Policy for all ticketed sporting events, effective Aug. 1, 2017. Fans can find the complete policy as well as an FAQ section at GSEagles.com/ClearBag.
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