A high school senior in Florida has died after getting hit in the head by a baseball during practice, The Florida Times-Union reported Tuesday.
Gregory Green, 17, died Saturday, three days after he was struck while pitching to teammates at Ribault High School in Jacksonville.
Ribault principal James Young told The Times-Union the teenager was hit when a ball ricocheted off the metal frame of the protective screen used by pitchers during batting practice.
Green reportedly tried to duck as the ball came flying toward the mound but was unable to get behind the protective netting in time.
The senior, who carried a 4.0 grade-point average and was second in command in the school's Marine Corps Junior ROTC program, was rushed to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries.
"He was such a great kid," Young told The Times-Union. "He wanted to be a JAG officer in the Navy. He was the type of kid that if he wanted to do something, he was going to become it. He quickly rose up the ranks in the ROTC.
"This was a freak accident that happened and it's so unfortunate for that young man and his family."
