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Hernando Today

Overheated!

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Catcher/pitcher Alexis Adams was one of two Hernando County players sent to a local hospital Saturday evening after suffering from heat exhaustion in Spring Hill’s first-round Dixie World Series tilt against host Alexandria National, La. With the loss of Adams and Angie Gaffney, Spring Hill was forced to forfeit its game.

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: August 2, 2008

Normally, playing a seven-inning softball game is not considered to be a hard thing to do.
But when the temperatures reach 102 degrees and the heat index gets to 115 degrees that can really cause problems.
That is what happened to the Spring Hill Belles (ages 13-15) Saturday in their first-round game of the Belles Dixie League World Series being held in muggy Alexandria, La.
Spring Hill Head Coach Louie Caiazzo had two players removed from the game with heat exhaustion and as a result, had to forfeit his game with St. Martin, Miss. with his team trailing 2-0 in the seventh inning.
"We only brought 10 girls with us and when Alexis Adams and Angie Gaffney had to leave the game, the tournament directors said we couldn't play with just eight girls," explained Caiazzo.
The two players were taken to a local hospital and were still their late Saturday night, although they were reported to be doing better.
With the loss, Spring Hill was scheduled for a loser's bracket game a noon Sunday and then possibly another game at 6 p.m. if they win the first game.
With that forecast, Caiazzo said late Saturday he wasn't sure if his team would be able to play.
"We're still worried Angie and Alexis, but they are still under the weather. I don't see a doctor allowing them to play Sunday," he said.
In the Saturday game, the two teams played six scoreless innings until Ashley Hickman of Mississippi hit a two-run triple in the seventh for the only runs of the game.
The tournament had problems all day Saturday with the heat as 16 players were taken to the local hospital while teams from Alabama, North Carolina and Spring Hill had to forfeit games.
"We had three girls having trouble with the heat," Caiazzo said. "Alexis (Adams) caught the first three innings and by the sixth inning, I saw she was having trouble so I took her out. Then Angie (Gaffney) really looked spaced out. I asked how she was doing and she said 'OK', then I had to take her the next inning."
Sinwelski also was uncertain about if his team will be able to play the two games they face on Sunday. "They were fighting me about taking them out," he said Saturday night. "They say they're OK, but they're not and I don't want to take any chances with them.
"To be honest, I don't know what's going to happen Sunday. I don't think we're going to be able to play."

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