Braves sideline reporter fractures eye socket after being struck with foul ball

The second game of the season wasn’t without incident for the Braves as they fell to the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-4 on Friday night.

Atlanta sideline reporter Kelsey Wingert needed medical attention after taking a foul ball to the head while covering the game from an area next to the dugout. Fortunately, Wingert seems to be in good spirits, but the accident left her in rough shape.

She was taken to an area hospital and diagnosed with a fracture to her eye socket.

That’s about as terrifying as it gets when attending a ball game.

Errant foul balls and line drives have become a major focus for Major League Baseball after several fans were struck at games last season. The issue forced all 30 teams to extend protective netting past the dugouts at all ballparks as clubs worked to ensure a safer atmosphere for fans and employees.

Thankfully it appears Wingert will come away from this incident OK, but it’s another reminder of how quickly things happen at a ballgame.

Here’s to hoping for a speedy recovery and few incidents like this in the future.

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Blake Schuster is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Schustee