Jan 17, -- While looking forward to its 2nd game of the trip, the University of Tampa baseball team spent Thursday at a local school, followed by attending a game as spectators.

The young collegiate players visited a children’s school in a Havana neighborhood, where they talked, sang and played with the children.

The visitors then went to a playoff game between Matanzas and Artemisa. The Cuban teams invited the Spartans on the field after the game with the participating teams and head coaches.

“We took a lot of pictures and had a lot of fun,” said coach Joe Urso. “It’s a big party the whole game with the drums and everything going on,” he added.

The Spartans played this morning the Hunters team from the western Cuban province of Artemisa in their home stadium, and they will face the Mayabeque Hurricanes in their final game in Cuba on Saturday.

So far, the group of nearly 50 team members, staff, and some parents have toured historic and cultural sites, met with students at the University of Havana, and talked baseball with retired Cuban players.