Louisville Pitcher Megan Hensley takes hard shot in the circle

[Swim Coach]

Did anyone else happen to see this today in the Louisville-Notre Dame game. She was drilled - cleanly - by a line drive at what appeared to be just above the left eye slightly to the side of the forehead. The ball flew up in the air probably 40 feet high and landed about 40' behind shortstop. While you could tell she was REALLY hurting, she settled in and pitched to the next batter before being replaced.

I was surprised that she wasn't replaced immediately, although with LV's pitching situation it makes slightly more sense. Even so, I am not sure the exact concussion protocol for softball, but getting an 90 MPH shot to the noggin from 35' seems like a good time to have my pitcher checked out. I haven't seen anything else about it today. It was mentioned in the LV release on their website for a while but the current article doesn't even mention it.

On a side note, LV certainly seems to be in a jam with their pitching and if Hensley is lost for a weekend or longer it sounds like it may really be a big problem for them.

 

[riseball]

Did anyone else happen to see this today in the Louisville-Notre Dame game. She was drilled - cleanly - by a line drive at what appeared to be just above the left eye slightly to the side of the forehead. The ball flew up in the air probably 40 feet high and landed about 40' behind shortstop. While you could tell she was REALLY hurting, she settled in and pitched to the next batter before being replaced.

I was surprised that she wasn't replaced immediately, although with LV's pitching situation it makes slightly more sense. Even so, I am not sure the exact concussion protocol for softball, but getting an 90 MPH shot to the noggin from 35' seems like a good time to have my pitcher checked out. I haven't seen anything else about it today. It was mentioned in the LV release on their website for a while but the current article doesn't even mention it.

On a side note, LV certainly seems to be in a jam with their pitching and if Hensley is lost for a weekend or longer it sounds like it may really be a big problem for them.

Lets keep it real. You totally made up the 90mph speed. If you don't know, don't make it up. If you make it up, use a number that is somewhat believable. To your point, hopefully she will be just fine.

FWIW - Here is what was said about her on the Louisville softball website:

Hensley (5-4) took the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and striking out three in 3.2 innings.

 

[grcsftbll]

That was really scary. DD had one hit right back at her this weekend. She got her glove up and caught it but she said it scared her. Scared me too, and she does wear a mask. I hate seeing these. I'm really glad she's ok.

 

[JoeKC]

We watched the game live and could not believe they left her in the game.... That was a hard shot to her head. She should have been pulled and sent to see the team Doc at a minimum. LV's pitching shortage should have never entered into the equation. I understand and admire the player's desire to continue, but the head coach had only one choice in that situation, and IMHO she blew it.

 

[riseball]

IMO leaving a pitcher in after they take one like that is a bad decision. Don't care who they are it is unlikely they will be effective and their health and well being is most important. Sit them down, have them evaluated and later on maybe they return.

 

[BobInMadison]

I would never want any of my kids to ever be part of a program that would put a game or a race ahead of any player's heath.

Even the NFL has a stricter concussion protocol than Louisville, it appears.

 

[Swim Coach]

Lets keep it real. You totally made up the 90mph speed. If you don't know, don't make it up. If you make it up, use a number that is somewhat believable. To your point, hopefully she will be just fine.

FWIW - Here is what was said about her on the Louisville softball website:

Hensley (5-4) took the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and striking out three in 3.2 innings.

Rise, admittedly I took a guess as obviously I didn't have a radar gun on her. I know it was a lot fast than the 65 MPH pitches going in. And while it was hit hard, it wasn't a perfectly squared up ball.

How fast would it need to be before showing concern? I wouldn't want to get hit by a line drive from one of our middle schoolers - and I am a 6'5" 270# man. It was a horrific shot, and it was clean, she never got a glove on it. I was more interested in the protocol for removing her than quibbling about the velocity of the liner.

And as I said, that quote from the LV site was not the original posting. They edited it as it stated she had been struck in the head with a line drive earlier in the day.

Your opinion was the one I was most hoping to hear. As a pitcher's dad, I wanted to know your thoughts, having a pitcher, albeit much younger, of my own. If that was my DD, even in D1, I would have wanted her out of there right then.

 

[riseball]

Rise, admittedly I took a guess as obviously I didn't have a radar gun on her. I know it was a lot fast than the 65 MPH pitches going in. And while it was hit hard, it wasn't a perfectly squared up ball.

How fast would it need to be before showing concern? I wouldn't want to get hit by a line drive from one of our middle schoolers - and I am a 6'5" 270# man. It was a horrific shot, and it was clean, she never got a glove on it. I was more interested in the protocol for removing her than quibbling about the velocity of the liner.

And as I said, that quote from the LV site was not the original posting. They edited it as it stated she had been struck in the head with a line drive earlier in the day.

Your opinion was the one I was most hoping to hear. As a pitcher's dad, I wanted to know your thoughts, having a pitcher, albeit much younger, of my own. If that was my DD, even in D1, I would have wanted her out of there right then.

Let me be clear - I have 4 DD's, all who played with Jake as a 21yo college Senior being the youngest. Of the 4 there were 3 of them that spent time in the circle. None wore a mask and for the 2 oldest I do not recall that it was even an option. That said if I had a kid starting out as a pitcher today, yes she would wear a mask. If they were infielders until such time as they could truly defend themselves and knew what they were doing, they too would wear one. That said, what other kids and parents decide is up to them, they need to make their own decisions and live with them. Unlike some I am not here to save the world or be a surrogate parent.

As a parent, PC, and the HC of a 18U showcase team anytime you take one in the noggin you are coming out and not returning until we know you are good to go. That may be for an inning or until you get an MRI and get cleared a week later to return. I do not baby my players but pretty much anytime you go down and we have to stop the game for you to recover or collect yourself you are coming out. Bottom line is that after most any incident you are not 100%. If you are not 100% you may or may not be able to defend yourself on the next play. To a much lesser extent you may not be able to execute what we need you to do for the team to be successful. I have people on the bench who are 100% who can step in. There is just no reason to keep a player in the game, especially with an impact to the head. It just is not worth it. My players know that if they really want to see me livid with them, just step onto the field while concealing an injury or illness. At anytime if you are not 100% mentally and physically good to go then we need to have a discussion.

 

[Swim Coach]

We watched the game live and could not believe they left her in the game.... That was a hard shot to her head. She should have been pulled and sent to see the team Doc at a minimum. LV's pitching shortage should have never entered into the equation. I understand and admire the player's desire to continue, but the head coach had only one choice in that situation, and IMHO she blew it.

I agree Joe. I don't know what all was going on at Louisville this weekend but being at home I thought they might even have had a doc on site. Even so, If I was the coach there I would like to think I would have gotten my other pitcher up immediately and had Hensley over getting x-rayed right then.

 

[Swim Coach]

Let me be clear - I have 4 DD's, all who played with Jake as a 21yo college Senior being the youngest. Of the 4 there were 3 of them that spent time in the circle. None wore a mask and for the 2 oldest I do not recall that it was even an option. That said if I had a kid starting out as a pitcher today, yes she would wear a mask. If they were infielders until such time as they could truly defend themselves and knew what they were doing, they too would wear one. That said, what other kids and parents decide is up to them, they need to make their own decisions and live with them. Unlike some I am not here to save the world or be a surrogate parent.

As a parent, PC, and the HC of a 18U showcase team anytime you take one in the noggin you are coming out and not returning until we know you are good to go. That may be for an inning or until you get an MRI and get cleared a week later to return. I do not baby my players but pretty much anytime you go down and we have to stop the game for you to recover or collect yourself you are coming out. Bottom line is that after most any incident you are not 100%. If you are not 100% you may or may not be able to defend yourself on the next play. To a much lesser extent you may not be able to execute what we need you to do for the team to be successful. I have people on the bench who are 100% who can step in. There is just no reason to keep a player in the game, especially with an impact to the head. It just is not worth it. My players know that if they really want to see me livid with them, just step onto the field while concealing an injury or illness. At anytime if you are not 100% mentally and physically good to go then we need to have a discussion.

That's what I was looking for RB. I am generally a rub dirt in it and take a lap sort of coach, but especially with all the concussion awareness out there, I was shocked she stayed in. I was curious if you saw it.