Kade Pigg walked out of the concession stand at Halls Ferry Park, shoeless and a little starry-eyed. As he made the 100-foot trek back to the baseball field, the same merciless sun that had caused him to retreat to the calm recesses of the brick-walled building once again began to take its toll.

Umpires and coaches took turns looking into the eyes of the skinny 10-year-old. Satisfied that he was fatigued but OK, they then helped him tie his shoes and allowed him to step into the batter’s box.

A few moments later, he was the center of attention again, but for a different reason.

Pigg, who had left the game in the top of the sixth inning with symptoms of heat exhaustion, drove in the game-winning run with a fielder’s choice to give the Mississippi Athletics a 5-4 victory over the Vicksburg Braves in the 10-year-olds’ Governor’s Cup championship game.

Pigg fainted during the postgame celebration and was treated at the scene.