It was a baseball game, like any other — except it meant much more than that. As the bottom of the fourth inning began, sub- stitutions were made at short stop and in center field for the visiting Kalispell Lakers. A casual viewer would have thought it was just an ordinary baseball game pitting the Lakers against the Silver Valley Miners in Kellogg, Idaho, on July 16, 1997. A casual viewer would have dismissed it as a regular game substitution. But that casual viewer wouldn’t have known the real story behind the two athletes running to center and to short. Just six weeks prior, those two athletes were supposedly out for the season. This is the story of senior Ryan Wardinsky and junior Scott Berry. On June 6, as the Lakers played the Medicine Hat Monarchs during a conference game in Whitefish. Just as was the case 41 days later, Wardinsky — the Lakers number three hitter — was at short, and Berry — the number nine hitter — was in center. In the fifth inning, Medicine Hat’s Rob Abrele hit a pop fly to short center field. Wardinsky went back. Berry went forward. Both players called for the catch, but neither heard the other. It was a play Berry and Wardinsky had practiced a thousand times but it was a play where the Lakers lost two of their starters for most of the season and a play that sent Berry and Wardinsky to the hospital. “It was one of those freak things,” said Wardinsky. “It’s something you just don’t have an explanation for.” According to Lakers head coach Randy Shipman, no one watching realized what really happened or thought either injury was serious. Wardinsky ruptured his spleen — an organ that is critical to the immune system. “I didn’t think it was as serious as it turned out to be,” said Shipman. “Initially I wasn’t too concerned.” Wardinsky was taken out of the game immediately, and within minutes was taken to the hospital. Berry played the rest of the game — but later needed medical attention. “Ryan came out of the game; I stayed in,” said Berry. “I finished the rest of the inning, but that was it.” In the sixth inning, ironically, the game was called off due to rain and was replayed the following day. Thus, the Lakers lost two of their starters for most of the season … in a game that didn’t count. “I guess I’m glad it happened during a conference game at least,” said Berry. “The effort mattered more than if it wasn’t conference.” “We started that game like any other,” said Shipman. “It’d be great to erase (the collision). But I think Ryan and Scott learned a life lesson.” With Wardinsky in the hospital that night, Berry went with his family to check on his team-mate. While in the hospital waiting room, Berry experienced dizziness and nearly passed out and was rushed to the emergency room. “After I passed out, they took some tests,” said Berry. “I was in the hospital for a week with a bruised spleen and a punctured lung with internal bleeding.” The next few weeks were difficult for both players. Wardinsky went to intensive care for four days and eventually had to have his spleen removed. “My faith in God was very important through the whole thing,” said Wardinsky. “My family and friends were excellent. They really helped me through the ordeal.” After the surgery, doctors revealed that Wardinsky actually had a second spleen. “It was a very happy time,” said Wardinsky of when his second spleen was discovered. “It was good to know I had the other one, and it brought my spirits up.” Both players were told by doctors that their seasons were over and faced difficult roads to recovery. “I lost 10 pounds so I had to eat a lot,” said Berry. |
