The University of Tampa baseball team left for Cuba Sunday on a week-long cultural exchange trip.

According to partner newspaper the Tampa Bay Times, about 50 people close to the baseball program, including parents, coaches and a few visitors who helped organize the trip, left on a 2 p.m. flight to Havana on Sunday.

On the field, the Spartans will face the Industriales Blue Lions, Mayabeque Hurricanes and Artemisa Hunters in three exhibition games. Mayabeque and Artemisa are among the country's best baseball teams.

The team stay in Havana, visit the Ernest Hemingway House, eat at local restaurants and meet with college-aged Cubans. The team also took baseball equipment and uniforms donated by the New York Yankees and the Palma Ceia Little League to give out.

The group will return to Tampa on Saturday.