The EMU baseball team traveled south to warm weather for their spring break road trip, making stops in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. The Royals played two games, toured Vanderbilt’s baseball facilities, explored Broadway Nashville and stayed in the Gaylord Opryland Resort.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better trip,” junior Aidan Miller said. “Spring break trips are made to bring the team closer and go through some adversity. That’s exactly what we had. I love this team and the coaching staff.”
The Royals took the field against Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL on Tuesday, March 4 with a quick start, scoring three runs in the first two innings including a three run home run from senior Nick Arnold. The Royals stayed hot through seven innings leading 11-2 with another EMU home run by sophomore Noah Sanderson. The Huntingdon comeback began in the eighth, putting up three runs. Their hot bats continued in the ninth inning where they rallied seven more runs to walk-off the Royals on a two-run single.
In their second game against Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA the following day, EMU got off to a hot start once again, scoring five runs in their first time at bat including several hits and a two-RBI double by sophomore Jett Cabanban. Unfortunately, those were the only runs for the Royals, ultimately falling 17-5 after Covenant put up 10 runs in the final frame.
Miller said, “Honestly we played really well on the trip despite both losses. There were a couple plays here and there that if we played differently then we would have gotten a better outcome in both games.”
After two games in two days, the team took a stop in Nashville, TN. where they toured the Vanderbilt University baseball team facilities, one of the top baseball programs in the nation. It was no surprise to see “top notch” facilities in every aspect. “Their attention to detail with everything was crazy,” Miller said. One stand out to Miller was the assigned dots on the turf to show each player where to stand during the national anthem.
While in Nashville, the team stayed in Gaylord Opryland Resort, which was another highlight of the trip. It offered a wide range of activities, including a lazy river surrounded by a jungle like environment inside the hotel. It “was the nicest hotel I have ever been to,” Miller said.
The long bus rides only added to the fun for the Royals, spending roughly 15 hours playing a game called mafia. The game passed the time and created a fun environment between the team. “It’s crazy to think a small game you play on the bus with your teammates brings you so close together,” Miller said. “You learn different things about different guys through their actions.”
