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KANNAPOLIS — A 5-year-old girl remains in serious condition in a Charlotte hospital after being hit by a line drive Thursday evening at the Kannapolis Intimidator’s season opener.
Hannah McFaddin was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center shortly after the 8:30 p.m. mishap.
She remains in intensive care this morning where a hospital spokesman described her condition as serious.
The youngster was seated in the right field stands with her parents, Matt and Laura McFaddin, and a delegation from First Baptist Church in Kannapolis.
Intimidator designated hitter Derek Wigginton of Antioch, Tenn., came to the plate and smashed a line drive down the right field line. The ball struck the child directly in the head according to witnesses.
The child’s grandmother said this morning that Hannah is doing better, but will still have a CAT scan and other tests. Doctors indicated the ball fractured her skull.
“They have talked to her. She is alert, but she doesn’t remember what happened,” said Bess Oxendine, a retired teacher from A.L. Brown High School. Her husband, Denford, is longtime Kannapolis pharmacist, who now works part-time at China Grove Drugs.
The Oxendines were optimistic this morning after talking with the their daughter and son-in-law, who remain at the hospital.
“She bubbles all the time. She’s a happy, happy child,” said Oxendine.
Hannah is a kindergartener at Fred L. Wilson Elementary School.
Her mother is a teacher’s assistant at the school.
One of Hannah’s favorite activities is to visit China Grove Drug, where she gets free chocolate ice cream, courtesy of Gilbert Mesimer, the longtime former mayor.
The family was among hundreds enjoying the “Kannapolis Night” at the first game for the newly named Intimidators.
The McFaddins were seated with the church group, including a South African family visiting Kannapolis, and the Rev. Tom Cabiness, pastor of First Baptist Church. The family had hosted the McFaddins when they visited South Africa.
Emergency medical personnel from Northeast Medical Center were on the scene within seconds. Northeast maintains a care center at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium.
The game continued as medical personnel assessed the child’s condition and decided to call for the helicopter transport to Carolinas Medical Center. The copter landed on a field just outside the ballpark shortly before the game ended.
“Our concerns and prayers were with the little girl,” said Todd Parnell, general manager of the Intimidators.
After the game, Parnell said all the players and coaches were asking how the little girl was doing.
Intimidator hitting coach Ken Dominguez said the batter, Wigginton, “felt awful, just terrible. But it’s not his fault, that’s not something he’s got any control over. It just happened.”
Like all other baseball operations, the team posts signs warning of foul balls.
But accidents involving foul balls do happen.
Parnell said in his 14 years in managing baseball, this is only the second incident where a child has been struck. The other occurred at a Pennsylvania stadium.
Foul balls have hit other spectators at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium.
The most serious previously occurred when a foul ball hit the wife of Mayor Ray Moss and momentarily knocked her out. She was later treated at Northeast Medical Center.
She ended up with a black eye.
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