Ridgefield Rays Represent U.S. In Netherlands Tournament

RIDGEFIELD, CT -- Over the weekend in Almere, Netherlands - just outside Amsterdam - the 14U Ridgefield Rays were part of an extraordinary mix of young baseball talent as part of the ‘Battle of the Birds’ tournament. In addition to Ridgefield, the field included four teams from the Netherlands, four teams from France, and one team from Germany.

Parent David Eiben, travelling with the team, called the trip "an incredible experience in what can only be described as a cultural awakening for the boys."

En route to Amsterdam, the Rays took a day trip to pay respects to those Americans who gave their lives for our freedom at Omaha Beach in Normandy (above).

"This feeling of pride and patriotism carried onto the field and served as inspiration for players, coaches, and parents alike," Eiben said. The Rays replaced their normal navy and gold uniforms with red, white, and blue alternate jerseys and hats for this trip.

"The Rays played with a lot of emotion while representing their country, and for parents it was exciting to see the Rays rally time and again with our American flag hanging in the dugout," said Eiben.

The Rays were undefeated In the qualifying rounds in Almere winning five straight games before losing a hard-fought game to Germany 5-3 in the Championship.

Over two weeks in France and the Netherlands, the Rays went 8-2-1.

Photos contributed by The Ridgefield Rays