FREEPORT — After all the years that a team from Australia has played at the Freeport International Baseball Invitational, it seemed only right that the town returns the favor.

On Tuesday, Freeport International Baseball will embark on a two-week trip to Sydney, Australia, and take part in a series of games, as well as sightseeing and learning about the culture.

The group is scheduled to return July 11.

"A few years ago, Australia made successive trips to the Freeport Invitational and I would house the coaches and my family's been going on vacation to Australia and stayed with them," said John Geist, the trip organizer.

"They said, 'You ought to bring a team.' People will say, 'Sure, you'll do it,' but who usually follows through?" he added.

Geist decided to find a group of players that was willing to go, but it's not as easy as it seems.

"You know nine can go, but can you afford it?'" Geist said. "When Australia came here, it wasn't the nine best players. It was the nine who could afford it."

Geist, his wife Diane and son, Zane, will be joined by Derek Ritter, a Freeport coach, Sean O'Donnell, a Knoch coach and players Max Mazurowski, Alan-Michael Wisniewski, John and Nolen Fetchko, Tyler Brook, Jason Hinchberger, Nick Brosius and Andrew Wagner, all of Freeport, and Austin Sipolino of Leechburg.

Six of the nine players are members of the Freeport Palomino team while the others play on Colt teams.

Ritter, who coaches the Palomino team, also has been the Freeport High JV assistant the past four years.

"All the pieces started falling into place," said Ritter. "There was a desire to put it together. They asked me if I wanted to coach and I've coached most of these kids."

To get things rolling, the group began making plans in late January.

"The nice thing is I had connections in Australia, so they took care of things on that end," said Geist. "We just had to get the plane tickets and they set up hosts and games and made things real easy."

"I've always wanted to go to Australia and to play baseball," said Nolen Fetchko, 19. "That's the perfect combination."

Said Nolen's brother, John, 17, "To be able to go with a lot of my good friends and spending time with them, it should be a good time.

"We're making do. It's a little pricier for us since two of us are going, but my family's selling raffle tickets at the Outlaws since our housing plan is next to Lernerville."

The team will play its games at Blacktown Olympic Park, which was the baseball venue for the 2000 Olympics.

Among the highlights in Sydney is visiting the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, taking in a National Rugby League game as well, as an Australia Rules Football contest.

Of course, there is the expense of making the trip, The cost per player is about $2,500. The airfare itself is $1,500.

"A lot of the parents were asking about fundraisers," said Geist. "We've gotten donations from a lot of places and there is a raffle for 25 different prizes that will be drawn the week of (the Freeport Invitational, July 19-24)."

RLC Bats, owned by Butler native Aaron Rekich, is a major sponsor of the trip.

"No matter where you're from, if you don't go anywhere, you only know where you're from," said Ritter. "We're staying with host families. You get to see what Australian families are like. You get an appreciation for other people and how they live.

"Baseball is just a pathway to experience that," Ritter added.

To see the group's itinerary, learn about the raffle or this year's Freeport International Baseball Invitational, visit fortheloveofthegame.org.