The loss was unlike any most softball teams ever experience.

The Lawrence Phenix Under-14 girls softball team is mourning the death this past weekend of teammate Krystal Bateson, who died unexpectedly Sunday while the team was in Winfield.

“It was probably the worst day of my life, starting at 5:17 in the morning when the family came down and told me there was a problem,” the team’s coach, Jay Rusk, said Tuesday.

Rusk said the Phenix had played and won two games Saturday in an American Softball Assn. regional qualifying tournament in Wellington. The girls attended a team dinner before returning to their hotel rooms.

According to Rusk, Theresa Bateson awoke to find Krystal, her daughter, unresponsive. Krystal was rushed to a Winfield hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Rusk said autopsy results were inconclusive as to the cause of death.

He said the 13-year-old, who played first base, had no known medical problems.

“I feel bad for her parents,” Rusk said. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through right now. This team has pulled behind her, and they’re really going to miss her.”

Picking up the pieces

The team, a competitive, traveling fast-pitch team, immediately pulled out of the tournament. They’ve also dropped out of an upcoming state tournament after deciding not to travel any more this season.

“The girls are really going to miss having her on the team,” Rusk said. “It will be impossible to replace her. I’m hoping that the girls will pull together and we’ll regroup a little bit.”

Team members use pictures and jerseys to make a collage to pay tribute to their teammate Krystal Bateson, who died Sunday in Winfield while attending a softball tournament. From left are Callie Craig, Jori Graf, Kylie Waite, Jourdan Sumonja, Chelsea Carnagie and Cassie Potter.

The team is still trying to decide whether to compete this weekend in a rare fast-pitch tournament in Lawrence.

“I’ll let the girls make that decision whether that’s too quick or if they want to dedicate the tournament to Krystal and go ahead and play,” Rusk said.

Fond memories

But the thought of returning to the field this soon after Krystal’s death was tough to stomach for teammate Tracie Weege, who summed up her feelings in one word: “empty.”

“I’ve known her a long time, since kindergarten,” Tracie said. “She’s just a funny girl.”

Her teammates said Krystal loved to make people laugh, adored animals and liked to braid hair. She had just finished eighth grade at Baldwin Junior High School, and her friends said she was looking forward to playing softball at the high school level.

“She was just a sweet girl who loved life,” shortstop Cassie Potter said. “I always can remember her smile, her laugh. She’d always make everyone laugh and put a smile on their face.”

6News video: Softball team mourns loss of teammate Obituary: Krystal Lynne Bateson

Rusk said Bateson was one of the team’s best players.

“Krystal was just a great kid, gave everything she had all the time, worked hard to be responsive to everything you asked her to do,” Rusk said. “She played a solid first base for us and batted cleanup in our lineup. She batted about .400. She was just a really hard worker and really wanted to be a good ball player.”

Funeral plans

Her teammates are now trying to both honor her memory and cope with her death. The girls gathered Tuesday night to meet with a grief counselor. Then they made a collage of photographs to take to the funeral home. The girls also signed a ball that Rusk said would be buried with Krystal.

“At the funeral we’re going to have flowers in the shape of a two because that was her number,” pitcher Callie Craig said. “We’ve also embroidered a number two on all of our jerseys.”

The team plans to attend Krystal’s funeral in uniform, to pay their respects to someone they consider a member of their family.

“This is a family; this is the Phenix family,” Rusk said. “You travel with these girls. They’re together practically every weekend. You just do everything as a group. You’ve got 12 girls that are pretty tight together throughout the summer. It just makes for a really close-knit family.”

The Krystal Lynne Bateson Memorial Fund has been set up at Baldwin State Bank. Donations can be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th St., Lawrence 66044 or Baldwin State Bank, P.O. Box 46, Baldwin 66006.