Imago
FILE – In this April 13, 2021, file photo, Texas head coach David Pierce pulls pitcher Justin Eckhardt (56) during an NCAA baseball game against Nevada in Austin, Texas. Texas is making its record 37th appearance in the College World Series. Unlike the last time it was in Omaha in 2018, coach Pierce believes this Longhorns team has the makings of a national champion. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman, File)
Imago
FILE – In this April 13, 2021, file photo, Texas head coach David Pierce pulls pitcher Justin Eckhardt (56) during an NCAA baseball game against Nevada in Austin, Texas. Texas is making its record 37th appearance in the College World Series. Unlike the last time it was in Omaha in 2018, coach Pierce believes this Longhorns team has the makings of a national champion. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman, File)
In one of the more freaky baseball clips doing the rounds on the internet, college baseball has bought us a gem. With the NCAA season starting back up recently, the Texas Longhorns saw one of their batters strikeout in bizarre fashion.
Completing his swing on a pitch that hit him on the brim of his helmet, the player seemed visibly disappointed as he made his way to the dugout after he called out.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
The Texas Longhorns took on the Arkansas Razorbacks in a 4-0 loss in which the game found notoriety for the wrong reasons. With the Longhorns already losing the encounter, there was more than the game had in store for them.
Read More: VIDEO: This College Baseball Star Is Already Turning Heads With Impressive Home Run Record
One of their batters left home plate, not just with an out but also some embarrassing video footage. Baseball has seen its fair share of funny strikeouts and compilations, but this seems to have been a freak occurrence altogether.
Hitter strikes out at the bizarre pitch
Having had 2 strikes called already, the #5 for the Longhorns had a forgettable outing at home plate. With the pitch coming in at a reasonable height, the batter completes his full swing without making contact on the pitch. The ball instead rises to strike the batter on the brim of his helmet.
However, with the strike already called, the batter has to walk back to the dugout instead of to 1st base after being hit by the pitch.
Not everyday you see someone swing at a pitch that hits them in the helmet pic.twitter.com/7FVJWptU7Z
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) February 22, 2022
While clearly a case of a missed pitch, the situation seems to be quite scary. With the pitch striking him on the brim of his helmet, the Longhorns batter just walks it off. He seems to have been lucky to escape with just a bruise. However, if the impact point had been a bit different, we might have been staring at a very different injury right now.
And while not at a Major League level; college athletes too are hitting some serious speed in their pitches, meaning that a potential impact is very scary. The crowd too seemed to realize just how bad it could’ve been with the audible collective “oooooohhh” in the clip.
Watch This Story: Top 5 Life Threatening MLB Injuries
The Longhorns’ batter, though, will escape with just a bruised ego and live to fight another day; leaving behind a memorable clip for the rest of us to re-watch. Hopefully, #5 makes it back out to home plate with a flurry of hits; and can put this behind him as nothing but a memory.
