Sports critics often say that umpiring a game is the hardest job on the field, but that job often times doesn't come with the need of medical assistance.

A trio of Newton Medical athletic training staff members and a Rockdale County junior varsity baseball player jumped into action Friday night, performing CPR on the game's behind-the-plate umpire after he collapsed between the second and third innings of the Rockdale County High and Newton High JV baseball game.

Rockdale County's Alex Norwood, 16, who had just obtained his CPR certification two weeks prior to the incident, performed the procedure before the Newton Medical athletic training staff responded and took over.

The  training staff was assisted by local EMT staff and the umpire was taken to Newton Medical Center before being airlifted to Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta.

The umpire's condition is reported as stable and he is expected to make a full recovery.

The game was postponed until the following Saturday.