The pitcher quickly swings his arm, tossing the ball to the waiting batter. Bam. The bat smashes the ball, knocking it far off in the distance. Going, going, gone. Player dashes around the diamond touching first base, then second. His heart pumps faster and harder each step he takes. Adrenaline fills his body as he slides into home plate, stirring up the dirt all around him. Safe.

Junior Erik Ramos moved from Amarillo to Mansfield so he could play on the baseball team.

“I feel like I have a better opportunity here than I did in Amarillo,” Ramos said.

Ramos started playing baseball when he was six years old and aspires to go far with it.

“I love baseball because when I’m on the field I forget about everything else,” Ramos said. “It’s a great feeling.”

He believes moving here was a great decision but misses his friends and family back home.

“It’s painful because my family is there but we still keep in touch so it’s ok,” Ramos said.

He currently lives with his father but visits his mother in Amarillo often. His bedroom here stands as a place where he can work out. Erik trains everyday during baseball practice and then again when he gets home. He does exercises such as pull ups, push ups, sit ups, jump roping and lifting weights.

“Everyday after school I go home and do core work outs until five and then I train boxing for an hour or so,” Ramos said. “It’s a busy day everyday but it’s worth it. This is what I have to do to be a pro.”

His life motto states “do your best to be the best”.

“Living by that helps me push through all the hard times in life like my recent loss of a grandmother.” Ramos said. “So I will do my best to be the best ball player. I feel I owe it to her.”

Ramos’ grandmother always wanted to see him play his favorite sport on national television.

“Hopefully she will see me from up above now,” Ramos said.