Most Americans would have trouble putting the words "baseball" and "Europe" in the same sentence. But for the first time in its history, World Tournament Baseball took its yearly event to Europe earlier this month.

Nettuno, Italy, was the site for this year's 28th annual tournament for 14- and 15-year-old players. And Alameda's World Baseball team, a regular tournament participant (and last year's host), got a taste of how strong international baseball can be.

Overall, Alameda — with its roster of 20 players — finished 2-4 in Nettuno, ending with a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Mexico Rojo on Aug. 11. Rojo rallied for two runs in the seventh to earn the win.

"We went there with great expectations, but we didn't play as well as we should have," Alameda manager Tim Marr said. "That's how it goes sometimes."

Alameda's Italian excursion involved more than just the World Tournament. A contingent of 64 people did some sightseeing and enjoyed a firsthand experience of Italian culture and hospitality.

And as for baseball, Alameda's players experienced some positive results in warm-up games before the main event.

After arriving in Venice on July 31, Alameda headed to Bologna for a series of friendship games against regional teams. Alameda, whose players homestayed with families in Bologna, won all four of its games and received a first-place trophy.

Another homestay — plus an enticing beach — awaited Alameda's players in the Adriatic resort of Rimini. Alameda also split a pair of friendship games there before heading to Nettuno on Aug. 6.

Alameda's team, a talented and promising squad further buoyed by its successes in Bologna and Rimini, arrived in Nettuno — some 30 miles south of Rome — with high hopes. Reality soon struck, however, as Alameda fell 8-0 to eventual champion Mexico Verde in its Aug. 7 opener.

"(Mexico Verde) came with a very strong, very mature team," Marr said of the Sinaloa-based squad. "They even 10-runned (four-time defending champion) Japan (in the semifinals), then beat Taiwan 10-0 in the championship game."

Pool play for Alameda continued the following day with a pair of 7-2 games, a loss to South Korea and a win over Australia. Aug. 9 brought another split, a 16-11 loss to San Diego and 10-3 win over Futura, one of three Italian entries for this tournament.

Having completed pool play — and after a day off to tour Rome — Alameda returned to action against Mexico Rojo, a Tijuana-based team with players from both sides of the U.S. border that had finished fourth in the opposite bracket.

"We had these kids for less than 45 days," Marr said. "We didn't get as much practice as we would have liked (in Italy), but the other teams played better through the seven innings. We played 27 games total plus one alumni game and went 15-10-2. There were no problems with the kids, who all came away with a positive experience."

Regardless of the baseball scores, the entire trip was a positive experience for all those who journeyed across the Atlantic.

"Overall, the trip was fantastic," Marr said. "We went to Rome and Venice. Everybody enjoyed themselves and had a great time."

The World Tournament's first foray into Europe, a successful one, has ended. Alameda returned home Aug. 13 with memories to last a lifetime. But events such as World Tournament Baseball constantly look ahead. Already, plans are in the works as champion Mexico Verde hosts next year's tournament in Mazatlan. For sure, some Alamedans already are brushing up on their beisbol. . .and their Spanish.