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Defibrillator Used To Revive Softball Player

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By GREGG BECNEL

Tribune correspondent

Published: April 3, 2008

TAMPA - The University of South Florida nearly suffered its second tragic death of a student-athlete in the past 15 months when softball pitcher Cristi Ecks collapsed during Tuesday's practice.

But unlike Keeley Dorsey, a freshman running back on the football team who collapsed and died during a routine conditioning workout last January, Ecks was able to be revived and was in good condition at a local hospital Wednesday.

"Right in the middle of a drill, Cristi was running back out to the mound and fell down, hit the ground and was unconscious and unresponsive at that time," Bulls softball coach Ken Eriksen said. "Medical personnel was on the scene, our softball trainer was right there and started administering medical attention right away. They transported her consciously and comfortably to University Community Hospital.

"She went through some testing Wednesday and hopefully today we'll find out what the issues are. But she's doing well."

Ecks (7-3), a junior who has a 1.21 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings, had to be shocked in order to be revived.

"She was not breathing and she did not have a pulse," senior associate director of athletics Barry Clements said. "They administered CPR, which is mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions. Then they attached the AED automated external defibrillator, which prompted trainer Kelly Cox to continue doing CPR and then prompted a shock to be given. ... Not very long after that she became responsive."

Eriksen was pleased with how flawlessly the situation was handled.

"I thought that things worked like clockwork," he said. "If you would have had a camera you would have seen people doing the things that they've been trained to do."

Ecks, 20, didn't have any known medical conditions that could have caused her collapse.

"There have not been any signs or symptoms that led up to this," Clements said. "We don't know at this time and that is why she's in good hands and in the care of our physicians from cardiology and team physicians that get involved immediately. They will remain by her and hopefully determine the cause and see what can be done about it."

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