An Indian Land High School baseball player was hospitalized Wednesday after he was hit in the face with a baseball during practice, officials said.
First responders were called to the school in Fort Mill Wednesday evening.
Onlookers watched as paramedics quickly loaded him into a medical helicopter.
“When I pulled up, the helicopter was on the baseball field in the outfield and they were tending to the player,” said Tim Thorton, who coaches junior varsity soccer at the school. “It’s terrible. It just tears at your heart strings.”
Channel 9 reached out to the school district and the school’s athletic director.
Officials said the 14-year-old student was running from first to second base when a fielder attempted to make a double play.
He was hit in the face with the ball.
Officials told Channel 9 the boy briefly lost consciousness but was alert before or during his transport to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
Thorton said he’s coached soccer at the school for 17 years and it’s difficult to see any player get hurt.
“It’s a difficult thing especially for kids that age to deal with,” said Thorton. “All of the sudden they realize somebody can get hurt playing this game.”
School district officials said the boy was wearing a helmet.
On Thursday morning, school officials said the boy had an MRI Wednesday night and there does not seem to be any broken or fractured bones.
His doctors will continue to monitor swelling and his general condition before to making a decision about releasing him home.
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