A baseball fan got too close to the action

A BASEBALL fan attending a game in Florida had to be taken from the ground on a stretcher after she was struck in the face by a foul ball.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 15: A fan is wheeled through the field on a stretcher by medics after being hit in the stands with a foul ball tipped by Steven Souza Jr. #20 of the Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning of a game against the Chicago White Sox on April 15, 2016 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. Brian Blanco/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

TAMPA Bay Rays designated hitter Steven Souza Jr went into the crowd to check on a woman who was hit in the eye by a foul ball off his bat at Saturday’s game.

The woman, who was sitting in the lower box seats on the home plate side next to Tampa Bay’s first-base side dugout, was stretchered off in the seventh after a ball slipped through a small hole in the netting and struck her.

Souza, who was visibly upset, said: “It looked like it caught her right in the eye, which wasn’t a good sight. I’ll be praying for her, hoping that she’s OK. She was able to talk to me, say a few things. Never a good sight to see.”

After an in-depth study last year, when several fans were hurt by broken bats and foul balls, Major League Baseball recommended the extension of safety netting at its ballparks to the ends of both dugouts and anywhere within 21 metres of home plate.

The ball went through a gap between netting about the size of 1 1/2 baseballs behind an area designated for photographers.

The primary home-plate area screen at Tropicana Field ends at the start of the photo area. A second screen was installed this season behind the photo area. The ball got through a narrow opening.

Souza went to check on the fan.

“Totally unfortunate,” Souza said. “People are more important than that game right there. That woman’s health is way more important.”

Souza is hoping to visit the woman, who was taken to a hospital.

“That’s tough,” said ace left-hander Chris Sale, who threw a two-hitter for Chicago. “Major League Baseball is trying to do what they can to protect fans, but that’s just a tough situation. I almost felt that when it happened. You feel so bad for the individual and her family, and just hope for the best.”

“I know it didn’t sound good at all,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “I hope she’s all right.”

Sale (3-0), from nearby Lakeland, struck out nine for his best start to a season since going 5-0 in 2014. He retired 16 straight between singles by Desmond Jennings in the second and Steve Pearce in the seventh.

Melky Cabrera hit an RBI single against Alex Colome (1-1) with two out in the ninth. Chicago has won eight of 10 for its best start since 1982.

Jake Odorizzi gave up four hits in seven innings for Tampa Bay, which has lost five of six.

Originally published as A baseball fan got too close to the action