Austin Donahoe loves playing center field on the baseball field.

The Burlington High School senior enjoys the position, which allows him freedom to chase down balls in the power alleys, make running catches and occasionally throw out a base runner.

Donahoe got a chance to home his skills at a high level when he played for the Rawlings Tigers national 17U team in a national tournament in Cincinnati.

Donahoe, who plays on a Rawlings Tigers team based out of the Quad Cities, was selected for the national team in St. Louis.

It was the experience of a lifetime.

“It’s nice to know that the work I put in on my game is paying off,” Donahoe said. “It was a long trip to Cincinnati, but there was a lot of really good competition. I got to see some really good arms and some really good teams.”

Donahoe said getting the team to gel was the toughest part. After that, the team took off and had a good week.

“It took us a day or two to really get to know each other and start bonding as a team,” Donahoe said. “We won a few games and lost some really close ones. It was a lot of fun.”

Donahoe, who did some pitching last season for the Grayhounds, said he enjoyed patrolling center field for the Rawlings Tigers.

“I love playing outfield,” Donahoe said. “You’ve really got to stay focused. You’ve got to be ready on every single pitch. It’s a good feeling when you make a great catch or throw a runner out. That’s the part I really love.”

Donahoe said he worked on seeing the ball off the bat and how to read whether to come in or break back on the ball.

“You’ve got a split second to make a decision,” Donahoe said. “You have to decide whether to spin and run it down or break in and make the play.”

Donahoe hit .297 with two doubles, scored 25 runs and drove in 20 runs for the Grayhounds this summer.

He hopes to use the experience he gained at the national tournament to get ready for his senior season with the Grayhounds.

“More baseball is always better. There are always things you can improve on and gain confidence. If you get consistency, you will see the results,” Donahoe said. “I want to complete my high school career and try to win conference. I really would like to play in college.”