Fan struck by bat at Hens game

BLADE STAFF

A young fan was hit by a broken bat in the fourth inning of Wednesday's Mud Hens game against Durham.

Pierce Mitchell, 8, of Hudson, Mich., was struck on the bridge of the nose by a bat that broke in the hands of Toledo s Jeff Larish.

Larish swung at a 2-2 pitch by Durham s Wade Davis and fouled the ball down the third-base line. But the barrel of the bat whirled down the first-base line and struck Mitchell on the face in the aisle behind the Bulls dugout.

Eight year-old Pierce Mitchell, of Hudson, Michigan is taken to St. Vincent's Mercy Medical Center by Toledo Fire Department personnel after he was hit in the head with a broken bat.

Mitchell suffered a bloody gash just above his nose but remained conscious before rescue squad members arrived. Mitchell was taken via stretcher out of the ballpark to an ambulance that took him to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. He was in fair condition Wednesday night in the hospital.

The game was delayed 24 minutes to tend to the child.