DD hit in the face.

[beanball]

Thanks for sharing this frightening incident. After seeing the photo, my DD put on her mask and never complained about wearing it at practice today.

 

[Michael N]

Stories like this are why I pushed Masks and concussion baseline testing for our girls this year .

My DD is a Catcher and 2nd baseman and fought me on the mask until she got to 14U . We went to a tournament in Las Vegas and after she got a couple smoked at her by the older 14U teams she decided a mask in the infield might be a good idea .

Glad your DD is OK .

 

[Bucketmom]

DD watched a tram mate take one in the face right under the nose. Blood everywhere.. she no longer questions the mask. She will not leave home without it. It has actually helped her game because she attacks the ball more now than ever.
Glass your DD is okay....

 

[Westwind]

Glad she is ok.

Started both of dd's with a game face. The next year the rip-it masks started showing up around here and they liked the rip-it mask better. Chin pad isn't as good on the rip-it ab both of them ended up with a game face chin pad on a rip-it mask. Frankenmasks.

Sure don't see many game face masks anymore here despite the lousy Velcro on the rip-it.

 

[sportinus]

Why would the bat be checked? Should they be checked every time a pitcher gets smoked? I dont think so.
I dont believe there are as many altered bats as you seem to imply

I always was expeting the ump to check the bats, they check for wrist bands, field conditions, ..... How long could it take to look at 12 or so bats?

 

[obbay]

Why would the bat be checked? Should they be checked every time a pitcher gets smoked? I dont think so.
I dont believe there are as many altered bats as you seem to imply

Players dont get hit in the face with line drives that often, so when they do, I don't think it's unreasonable to check the bat.

I started DD wearing a Mask when she was 10 and first started pitching at U12. She's 13 now and is very comfortable wearing the mask, even in the heat. she just sees it as a piece of equipment.

A Possible future Darwin Award winner
On the other hand, I coach a U18 indoor team and we encourage Pitchers and corners (and anyone else who wants) to wear a mask. One 17 yo pitcher had tried wearing a mask but didn't like it. she is also one of these kids who has to have an excuse for everything and would blame the mask if she wasn't throwing well. I thought she was still wearing a mask when she pitched but a couple weeks ago she was hit by a batted ball and I noticed she wasn't. She was hit on the upper thigh and she went right down like she was shot. it obviously hurt and she came out of the game, but it was even more scary for her. She kept jabbering on about howfast it happened and how she had no time to react. theball left her hand and hit her in the next instant. Being the jerk that I am, I took the opportunity to casually note "oh, you're not wearing a mask?" and remind her that's why players wear masks- because sometimes you just don't have time to react. the next game she wore a mask for the first inning and hasn't worn it since.
Stupid.
I believe that perceived peer pressure and the opinions of kids she doesn't even care about matter more.

 

[Wheels]

Hope she is OK (both physically and mentally), please send her our best wishes.

 

[JAD]

I have told this story before on DFP, but it is worth telling again. Two years ago we had a pitcher take a line drive off her rip-it face mask during a tournament. She is a very athletic kid, with great reflexes. Even with the rip-it mask (which was dented by the line drive), her eye swelled shut like Mike Tyson had punched her. Her dad and I are convinced that she would have lost sight in her eye if she had not been wearing a mask. I think a rip-it mask is the best $35 I have ever spent on softball equipment.

My DD will NOT pitch or play 3B without one. I told her that she can stop wearing it when she repays me for all of her dental work. We are at $7118 and counting (braces, retainers, fillings, root canal). My DD will be a 2017 graduate, so she has a few years to go before any recruiting activity takes place, but one of the first questions I will ask any college coach recruiting her is "what is your position on pitchers wearing a face mask"......and I promise that the answer will weigh in our decision making process.

 

[DOG310]

Best wishes on a speedy recovery, mentally and physically. DD uses Ripit when pitching and at 3B.

I also believe that it is important not to become reliant on the mask as a safeguard against poor fielding. I see pitchers almost every weekend w/o a mask that seem stressed to take the throw back from the catcher.

We try to work hard on fielding whether at 3B or pitching. In the past some on this board have offered drills and advice and we have implemented many of them.

 

[Mylil32]

My DD's been wearing a rip it mask since her first year in 10U, she's so used to it now she doesn't even pitch practice without it and even wears it in the outfield. The chin cup was an issue, but we hot glued it and it hasn't been a problem since then, she hasn't complained about it being hot either. For us it wasn't even an option, she's wearing it or not playing.

Glad your DD is ok, I know that was scary.