Austin, Texas ? Tracy Bunge and a handful of her Kansas University softball players were sitting in their dugout Saturday waiting out a rain delay at Texas University’s McCombs Field.

“We were chit-chatting and glancing over at the Texas dugout,” KU coach Bunge said. “Their players were standing on the bench singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to one of their teammates. They were just acting up, having fun during the delay.”

Suddenly, the bench cracked and part of the attached cinder-block wall gave way, sending several UT players down in a heap.

“As soon as they went down, we went over and tried to help,” Bunge said.

“Several of their girls were hurt. We did everything we could and got them to the locker room.”

UT officials reported that four team members — Tina Boutelle, Desiree Williams, Amy Bradford and Alexis Garcia — were taken to a hospital because of leg injuries. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening.

“Something like that really shakes you up,” Bunge said. “Our immediate concern is for their players. We hope they’re not seriously hurt.”

Saturday’s game, halted in the second inning because of rain and lightning, was canceled after the incident.

The Longhorns had captured the first game of the two-game series, 4-1, Friday night.

Maintenance crews planned to examine the dugout to determine why the bench fell, a UT spokesman said. The roof did not fall.

Bunge, a former KU softball All-American now in her ninth year as the Jayhawks’ head coach, said she never had seen a dugout collapse.

“I’ve seen a bench break, and I’ve seen kids flip off a bench, but I’ve never seen anything like that,” she said. “It was such a freaky thing.”

The benches in the dugouts at KU’s Arrocha Ballpark are not connected to cinder blocks, but Bunge said Saturday’s incident would make her more cautious when the Jayhawks played at home.

“I’m going to make sure our kids don’t stand on the bench,” she said.