Nightmare Stay Concludes

Things could not have gone any worse for Spring Hill Belles Head Coach Louie Caiazzo in this weekend's Dixie League Belles Softball World Series.

After having to forfeit its opening game Saturday when two players had to be taken to the local hospital for heat exhaustion, Spring Hill lost their second straight game Sunday to North Carolina on a bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning, 7-6.

This came after two of Spring Hill players, Alexis Adams and Angie Gaffney, spent the night in a local hospital when they left Saturday's game with heat exhaustion.

Late Saturday night, the two players were released from the hospital, but according to Caiazzo, only Adams was able to play Sunday.

North Carolina, who also forfeited their game Saturday when three players left the game because of the heat, had a dispute with game officials about the use of its hospitalized players.

"Before the game, we showed the officials the release from the doctor saying that Alexis could play," explained Spring Hill assistant coach Kim Foster. "Then in the fourth inning, we were trailing 4-0 when an official of the Dixie League told us we should protest because the North Carolina players didn't have releases from the doctor.

After a meeting, manager Caiazzo said one official said that while the NC players didn't have releases to play, it wouldn't be fair to make them forfeit the game then.

"So, we went back out and played" said Caiazzo.

Spring Hill managed to come back and tie the score in the seventh at 6-all, but in the bottom of the seventh, two Spring Hill errors, two hits by North Carolina and a walk loaded the bases.

"We had two outs, so we walked the batter to load the bases, but a wild pitch allowed the winning run to score," Caiazzo recalled. "We played well enough to win, but those errors in the seventh hurt us.

"I know it sounds like we're crying, but it always seems like we're on the short end of the stick," he lamented. "For some reason, (the Dixie League officials) never seem to stick to their own rules."

With the loss, the Spring Hill club (7-4 overall, 0-2 Series) was eliminated from the tournament and sent an upset and disappointed team packing. "It's going to make a long trip home," said Caiazzo.

DIXIE YOUTH LEAGUE
BELLES (AGES 13-15)
WORLD SERIES
SCOREBOARD RECAP

08-02:

Georgia 17, Virginia 4

Texas 11, Arkansas 4

South Carolina 2, La. 1

Tennessee 7,

Alexandria, La. 6

Alabama over

North Carolina (Forfeit)

Mississippi over

Spring Hill (Forfeit)

08-03: