Northland pitcher hit in the face with a line drive

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I was calling a game between Northland and Bexley on Saturday 4/2. The Pitcher was struck in the face with a line drive and was taken by ambulance to Children"s hospital has any one heard of an update on her status. My prayers are with her, she was hurt very badly

Dan

 

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Horrible news. I am sure she is receiving best possible care at Children's and I know the entire OFC community will be pulling for a full recovery.

 

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Was she wearing a pitchers mask? Just wanted to know.. Our prayers are definitely out for her.

 

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That's terrible news. My DD, up until this year, played in the City League. Those girls from Northland and most other City League schools play their hearts out with little to no experience in softball. If it's anything like the last 2 years, she probably did not have a mask on. Many City League girls do not even have cleats, let alone a face mask. I do know some people who work at Northland HS and I will see if I can get an update on her.

 

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no mask or gameface. This could have been prevented. As parents if enough would call and demand a change in the rule to make this mandatory no girls would have to go through this. I am afraid as an umpire point of view, it will change only when someones daughter dies because of this. This is still a game and no girl should die "playing" it. I will now get off of my soapbox. Thanks for listening.
Dan

 

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I totally agree Bigdan. I made my DD read an article about a KY girl who got hit and had to have brain surgery and was on a feeding tube. After her game Saturday where she luckily had good reflexes and caught a line drive before it hit her face, she swears to me she will start wearing her mask. I just think it's something that DH and I will have to enforce.

As for the City League girls, most of the teams can't afford equipment, let alone the families of these girls. Some of the teams that we faced the last few years and even back into middle school, play with everything they have, but other than what they've got at school they aren't going to learn softball the way it needs to be taught. We've played teams where the coach literally has told the girls, you stand here and don't run until I tell you.

I hope that it does bring this issue to the foreground. It's too dangerous.

 

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There must be some gremlins at Bexley after this incident. Reynoldsburg played there on Thursday and in the first inning a runner stealing 2nd slid (bowled into) my DD and caused her to have to be transported to Childrens. She has a concussion and will have to miss school for a week and who knows how many games in this, her senior year.
It just shows how dangerous softball can be. Prayers go to the Northland girl for a speedy recovery.

 

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I hate to hear all this. I would think it mandatory for corners and pitchers minimum. I dont want my DD to be in these kind of spots. She will wear one all the time.

 

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prayer out to the player and family and teammates

 

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I had a really athletic girl have a ball "jump" up on her weird during infield practice last week. Ball was not going super fast, but it came up and hit her GAMEFACE...whew! Left a pretty good bruise, and a lot of tears. Teeth, nose and eye socket are all still intact!

Nothing but prayers for this young lady.

 

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It's always sad to hear one of risks of playing become a reality. Hopefully she can recover and play again at some point.

 

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Dang...... Hope she's ok.

I wonder if "PLAY HARD DON"T BLINK" would donate pitcher's masks like they do batting helmets. Its an Ohio org that gave our league a few hundred batting helmets a few years back....

 

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It is NOT against the rules to wear a safety mask. Everyone has their own feelings on the matter but remember, no sanction says you can't wear it. I hate to hear that anyone gets hurt in this game but some people need to take responsibility for their own decisions-----bad or good.

I hope the young lady has a speedy recovery and hopefully she will not give up pitching and wear one in the future. Also, I hope parents of young ladies that have any doubt will discuss the issue of wearing a mask and make a choice right for them.

 

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This is one of many occasions that I've heard such stories since my DD was hit 4 1/2 years ago. I've read all the arguments positive and negative, but that facts are these girls are at a big disadvantage once they've released the ball. My DD is a very good athlete and will pitch in college, but only with a Rip-It mask on.

In July 2007 she was hit directly in the mouth by a line shot. She had a mouth guard up top but still displaced 7 teeth (braces were the only thing to keep her teeth in.) She had surgery the next morning to put the teeth back in place. A month later the braces went back on and 7 root canals followed all this. Believe it or not that wasn't the worst of it, the worse thing was the mental damage caused by the accident. She feared every time she stepped on the mound it would happen again, even with the Gameface on. Only after working with a sports psychologist was she able to start pitching effectively again.

I'm pleased to say after all this she's been a very successful travel and high school all state pitcher, and the only way either of my DD's will step in the circle is with the Rip-It mask on. Rip-It because it allows for much easier viewing of the field. My prayers go out to this young lady.

If someone on this post knows this player and she needs to talk to someone regarding the accident, please post it here and we'll get it taken care of. I know my DD would be more than willing to assist.[/B]

 

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I'm trying to find out information on her condition. I don't work at Northland, but know some people who do and am hoping they can find out for me. If I find anything out I will definitely post it on here.

 

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My dd is a freshman this year and plays 3rd base. Came to her first scrimmage and noticed she wasn't wearing her game face, which I insist she wears, and during travel season she always wears. I asked her what was going on and she said girls on the team tend to look down on you if you wear it. She is not usually one to let those things bother her but seems to be this time! I feel like they should just make it mandatory for infielders. That way nobody can feel pressured not to wear one.

 

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golfnut,

I understand what you are saying and believe a head coach should address the issue with the team. I'm not against any girl wearing any safety equipment. However, I do not believe it needs to be a rule. There are so many arguments against wearing masks that I believe it is best to leave the decision up to the individual and the family and should not be the business of the sanctioning bodies.

I still argue the decision to make masks mandatory on batting helmets for a variety of reasons. Again, I would never discourage a player from wearing one unless it was against the rules.

FYI, you overrule any peer pressure in your family. If your underage daughter needs an excuse, have her tell the team she has no choice in the matter and get the coach to back your decision. People should have the opportunity to choose their fate.

 

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I have to agree with daboss. It is your choice to play with or with out it. Don't make them do anything but make their own decision on it. My DD still to this day hates the fact that she has to wear a mask on her batting helmet. I'm sure she would ask to move to the outfield if the great ones force them to wear them in the infield and I would gladly let her.
I see alot of these mask on young girls today and see alot of them backing away from the ball even with it on. Will we start making them wear the chest protector to over their heart too? Why not have them all play in catchers gear?

I feel sorry for the girl that got hit and I hope she is alright and comes back strong but lets let the girls decide.

 

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I think you have to remember the skill level of some of these teams, especially City League teams here in Columbus (no offense meant). Bexley is not a real strong team, but they have a good coach who is new there and thay are improving. With this in mind, you put them up against a city team that can't compete at their level, which means you have big mismatches. I don't see how you can't consider making it mandatory to wear these masks if you are OHSAA. The pitchers and the corners anyways. It is very easy to sit back play the "choice" thing over and over. But, when you consider the disparity in talent with respect to "school" ball, I think you have to protect the best interest of the "student-athlete". Especially when you consider mixing in some of the upper level travel kids.......if your Northland and you draw even a mediocre OCC team when tournament time arrives, there is a huge difference in experience and ability.....and bad things can happen............it doesn't matter what the odds are. Then you can add into that the huge disparity at the junior high level.........I'm sorry, it scares me to death to tell a player to crash on bunt coverage at that level when they don't have much (if any) experience playing softball without a mask and they are going up against experienced, even upper level travel players. To me, thats like facing Atilla the Hun and crew with a pocket knife. I disagree completely with Daboss and Ultraclas............those masks are necessary for school ball and the sooner they make them mandatory the better.

 

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Ultraclas, have your DD go through what mine did and she may think differently. I will say, the extra 3 feet may have made all the difference because her mit was close to being in place but the ball was there quickly. Plus when you're dolling out about $5,000 for root canals and re-bracing a $50 Rip-it looks cheap.