During Game 2 of the NCAA Softball Tournament super regionals between the No. 10 Missouri Tigers and No. 7 UCLA Bruins, Tigers pitcher Tori Finucane was struck in the head with a line drive in the top of the fifth inning.
With two outs gone in the top of the fifth with the Bruins leading 9-1, Finucane delivered a pitch to right fielder Kylee Perez. The ball rocketed off Perez's bat and connected with the side of Finucane's head.
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Paige Lowary, who Finucane replaced at the start of the fourth inning, came back in as a replacement following the injury . Finucane was helped off the field by the training staff and was issued a standing ovation from the crowd at Eaton Stadium in Los Angeles.
T5: Training staff and medical personnel are taking care of Finucane now after a line drive connects with her in the circle.
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 24, 2015The distance between the pitcher's circle and home plate is just 43 feet, as opposed to 60 feet that separates the mound from home plate in men's college and professional baseball. The 17-foot difference results in reduced reaction time of over 0.1 of a second, a significant amount of time given the speed and distance. A softball also connects with a pitcher at a higher average speed than a baseball due to the shorter distance between home plate and the pitcher's circle.
Finucane responded well to the medics and was transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. The Tigers lost the game 10-6 and were eliminated from the tournament. They finished the 2014 season with a 42-16 record.
UPDATE:
#Mizzou's Tori Finucane has been released from the hospital and will travel home with the Tigers tomorrow. Thanks for your many well wishes!
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 25, 2015Flying home to Missouri with our girl @tori_finucane5. She's in one piece and all smiles! #MIZ pic.twitter.com/3nLCmgjU3z
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 25, 2015
Source: @LBSports