College softball player shows the importance of wearing a facemask
Wearing a facemask has become a growing trend among major-leaguers in recent years. Giancarlo Stanton started wearing a custom mask this season, while Jason Heyward adopted a facemask in 2013.
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In both cases, a traumatic experience led to those players deciding to wear the protective piece. Texas A&M softball player Tori Vidales also wears a facemask, but has a humorous story to tell because of it.
Face masks are for wimps…until your face is spared by one :)*game from April 10, 2015*Support a young ball player, Help Payton get to nationals: https://www.youcaring.com/other/payton-s-select-softball-travel-fund/227405
Posted by Castle Zeller Towery on Saturday, April 11, 2015
Crisis averted.
After looking at the replay, it appears Vidales tipped the ball right up into her facemask. You can see her flinch slightly just after swinging. That should give you an idea of how quickly these players need to react to pitches.
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If Vidales was scared, she didn’t show it. She can be seen laughing off the incident with the ball still lodged in her mask.
Vidales didn’t seem to be fazed by the incident. She may have gone 0 for 3 in the first game against Auburn, but went 3 for 5, with three home runs and seven RBI in the next two contests.
That’s a heck of a way to battle back after a close call.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
