The CSU East Bay baseball team will travel to Japan August 22-30 to play four games against the Fukuoka Institute of Technology and one game against Kyushu Sangyo University.

FIT is a private university located in the city of Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu in Japan. CSUEB has had a relationship with FIT in the past where students from both universities have taken part in a student exchange program.

The idea to have the baseball team go to Japan was announced to the team towards the end of their 2013 season. At the end of their practice, with Hall of Fame baseball player and East Bay alumnus, Joe Morgan in attendance, the trip was announced which left the team surprised.

“We were all kind of shocked,” said pitcher Sean Becker who finished the season with a record of 8-2 with a 2.19 ERA, while leading the team in strikeouts and innings pitched. “Just the idea that we were going to be playing against a Japanese university is crazy in itself.”

Assistant coach and former major league player Darren Lewis has also played overseas, but sees this experience much differently than his own.

“This is more of a good will trip,” said Lewis who played in Venezuela in 1992 to improve his hitting and base stealing. “For them it’s going to be more of a experience to see a different culture–see where they fit in in the world. As far as baseball, I think it will be nice for them to see how popular baseball is outside of the United States.”

Baseball, which started in the late 18th century, is Japan’s most popular team sport. The Fukuoka

SoftBank Hawks in the Nippon Professional Baseball league, the Japanese equivalent to Major League Baseball, drew crowds that averaged 31,859, whereas the Oakland Athletics only averaged 18,232 in 2011, according to the Baseball Almanac website.

For a lot of the players this will be their first time out of the country and they view it as an eye opening experience from their normal daily life.

“It is a life changing opportunity to see something drastically different  besides the valley, I grew up in in Southern California or the Bay Area,” said Becker. “Going out of the country, it gets you excited that you are going to play in a place you’ve never played before and gives you an opportunity to play against a whole different style of baseball.”

Some of the differences in style include a larger strike zone in Japanese baseball as well as pitchers who tend to throw more breaking pitches. Also, because Japanese players are neither as large or as quick on average Major League Baseball player, the ball parks are smaller.

Besides seeing and playing against what is for them a foreign style of baseball, The Pioneers will also have a bonding experience unlike any they have experienced here at East Bay.

“I think there could be some baseball value to it just being able to play a different style, against teams that try different things or play a little different way,” said Steve Connolly, Sports Information Director. “I think it’s more of just bonding on a 16 hour flight both ways, having to stay in the dorms for a whole week, basically just doing everything together as a team. Just having a shared experience that probably a lot of them wont be able to do again.”

The team’s trip will consist of an orientation, a tour of the university, a welcome party and a Japanese sports experience of a classic Japanese sport, Judo with an opening ceremony with a musical performance where Head Coach Bob Ralston will speak.

The Pioneers will play their first game against FIT; Followed by a double header the next day.

The baseball team will get a unique opportunity to watch a game played by the local professional baseball team, the Fukouka SoftBank Hawks.

The last day will include their last game against FIT with an hour long closing event and dinner in which Coach Ralston and Coach Lewis will both speak.

Due to NCAA regulations, the incoming recruits will not be able to attend the trip while the previously outgoing seniors will, which the team is viewing as a culmination to their 32-18 season.

“A lot of the guys went home for the summer and you don’t see them very often after seeing them everyday,” said Becker. “So, now we get to share an opportunity with our teammates and recognize that we did have a great season and accomplished some pretty cool things. It is kind of cool that we get to play a couple more games together before everyone says goodbye and we start in the fall with the new guys.”

Above all else, this team seems to recognize that this trip will offer an eye opening experience and a look into another country’s culture.

“As far as myself goes, I think it’s going to be a learning opportunity,” said Becker. “I think a lot of us are just going to be eyes and ears in that we are going to be taking in as much as we can and really just enjoy ourselves with this once in a lifetime opportunity while getting to play some baseball as well.”