Alexandria Carter/ Winonan

The Winona State University baseball team will be spending their spring break in sunny Florida as they fly out March 9 to participate in the Russ Matt Invitational.

In preparation for Florida, assistant coach Patrick Reilly said, “ We are trying to keep the guys fresh. Being outside for six games and then coming back inside is always tough, but our guys have a really good attitude and really good effort everyday.”

Center fielder Michael Hommes said, “In Florida we have to play the way we are supposed to be playing.”

Reilly said, “Obviously we would like a win. As a team it is a really good week where they can not only get better as a baseball team, but get closer as a team as well.”

Winona State started the 2015 season with six losses after competing in the Houston Winter Invitation at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. During their four-day stretch the Warriors fell to Tarleton State (15-2), University of Central Missouri (2-1), St. Mary’s University (11-3) and Henderson State (5-0).

The Warriors followed with two double headers in Bolivar, Mo. They fell to Southwest Baptist University 7-2 and 3-2, as their second pair of games against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside resulted in a cancellation due to poor weather.

“We have done some things really well, but our record hasn’t shown that. We need to put a game together,” Reilly said.

Catcher Nathan Krause said, “We need to get in the ‘W’ column.”

Over the six-day stretch in Florida, the Warriors will compete against Ohio Dominican University (0-0), Florida Tech, Florida Southern College (7-7), and Wayne State University (Mich.) (1-2).