Ironwood native goes into labor at minor league baseball game

CONWAY, S.C. - Cassie and Somchai Rollins, of Sumter, S.C., didn't plan to have their second child in Conway, some 80 miles away, but their newborn daughter had other ideas.

Cassie's doctor assured her it was OK to travel in her late-term pregnancy to see a minor league baseball game in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Somchai is a Kansas City Royals fan, so they made to the trip to watch the Wilmington BlueRocks, a Royals farm team, visit the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Saturday night. Their 2-year-old son, Somchai, was away with his grandparents, so it was a bit of a last getaway before becoming new parents again.

During the sixth inning of the Pelicans 9-0 shutout, Somchai went to the concession stand. When he returned, Cassie told him her water had broken.

After on-site EMTs checked Cassie out at the stadium, the Rollins decided to head to a local hospital instead of making the nearly 100-mile trip home from Myrtle Beach.

Alexandra Catherine Rollins was born at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning, weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces.

Grandparents are Chuck and Carol Vitton, of Ironwood; and Randall Rollins of Sarcoxie, Mo., and Ruen Rollins, of Carlisle, Pa.

Cassie graduated from Luther L. Wright High School. She and her husband are in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Shaw Air Force Base.

Besides 2-year-old Somchai, Alexandra has two sisters, Britni, 18, and Paris, 13.

The Pelicans' mascot Splash visited Alexandra and her parents in the hospital on Sunday afternoon, presenting them with some pink, baby-sized Pelican apparel and tickets to the team's games for life.

Cassie and Alexandra were released from hospital on Tuesday. She told the Daily Globe, "Everyone is doing great. Happy, healthy and sleepy baby."

Somchai said, while he remains a Royals fan, he may need to become a Chicago Cubs fan as well, as the Pelicans are an affiliate for the Cubs.

There was no word from the Pelicans organization if they were thinking about renaming the team the Storks.

-Larry Holcombe