From staff reports

It may be Spring Break, but Monday came early for Asbury University’s Baseball team. In spite of an afternoon doubleheader, players showed up at 6 a.m. to volunteer as ushers at the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast.
Held at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington, the 53rd Governor’s Prayer Breakfast focused on prayer for the nation, for the Commonwealth and for Kentucky children — especially those in need of homes. For Asbury players, the event was an opportunity to serve others while representing Asbury in the community.
“One of our foundations as a team is to better serve each other and to better serve our community,” said Tristan Smith, a player from Perth, Australia. “Service means quite a bit to the team.”
Giving up vacation time for service is nothing new to Asbury teams. During Christmas break, baseball players and coaches visited Alabama volunteering in mission capacities and visiting historical sites.
“We are so blessed to be able to do what we do and give back to campus and to the community,” Coach Manny Cervantes said. “It’s part of our development. We are developing not only baseball players, but also Godly men who will serve. It’s just part of the Asbury baseball team.”
Dan Lewis, executive director of the River Foundation, is one community member who invests in — and has been blessed by — Asbury baseball. Lewis is familiar to campus as an instructor in Asbury’s Dayton School of Business. He also serves as an unofficial chaplain to the baseball team and said he couldn’t be prouder of the character they continually display.
“Manny Cervantes has taken a program that was already good into greatness because he has encouraged the boys to deepen their faith,” Lewis said. “They’re on break right now, but they had an opportunity to serve and jumped on it right away, even with a doubleheader in the afternoon. I’m a big fan of them on the baseball field, but an even bigger fan of them off the baseball field.”
Lewis wasn’t the only fan of the Asbury Eagles this morning. Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin had a few kind words to say, as well.
“It’s a testament not only to the team, to the individuals themselves, but also to their coach and to the university that they would take it upon themselves on a busy day, when they have a lot on their plate, to think about being here for something like the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast,” Bevin said. “It means a lot to me personally, but frankly, it means a lot to the men and woman who are here being served by these guys.”