A woman is in serious but stable condition Saturday after being struck by a broken bat at Fenway Park Friday evening.
The game between the Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics was delayed while paramedics tended to the patient, according to Comcast SportsNet New England web editor and reporter Jimmy Toscano. She was rushed out of the stands on a stretcher.
The patient, later identified as Tonya Carpenter, was transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Police confirmed to necn that she is expected to survive.
"Tonya Carpenter was admitted to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center last night following injury at Fenway Park. She is in serious condition. Tonya’s family and loved ones are grateful to all who have reached out with thoughts and prayers but are requesting privacy at this time as Tonya recovers," her family released in a statement.
Mark Carpenter, the victim's ex-brother-in-law, tells necn he's still shaken by the text he received Saturday morning learning about the incident.
"It's awful. Especially knowing Tonya," he said. "I can't even think, over the past 10 years, her not smiling."
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The victim's young son was with her at the time of the accident.
"He's pretty shaken up, from what I gather. He knows what went on and what he saw," said Mark Carpenter.
A GoFundMe page, "Tonya's Road to Recovery," was set up by Mickey Markou, hoping to raise at least $30,000.
Sam Rosario was at the game with Carpenter when the incident occurred. He released a statement on his Facebook page:
"Thank you to all the prayers for Tonya Marie C she is a fighter and we'll need all of her friends to pull her threw this accident. Thank you to all that have given her your support. As the long road to recovery begins in front of us, I plan on being there every step of the way for her - with Tonya Marie C."
"It's a scary moment," said manager John Farrell. "An accident like this tonight is certainly disturbing. And like I said, our thoughts and concerns are with her and her family."
A's third baseman Brett Lawrie was batting against Boston starter Wade Miley when the bat splintered, sending the piece of wood into the stands.
Right fielder Shane Victorino tweeted a note of sympathy.
Saturday afternoon, the Red Sox issued a statement, reading, "All of us offer our prayers and our thoughts as we wish her a speedy recovery."
"You've just got to go back to your faith, and obviously, that's what we're all doing. We're praying," said Mark Carpenter. "That's all you can do is wait and hope."
Fans were understandably shocked by the accident.
"Security guard came down to us and told us exactly what happened - that she got cut in the face, and she had to get rushed to the hospital, they had to bring a team in to clean up the blood that was there," said Rich Penta of Norwood.
"We just saw someone coming out on a stretcher, and it was very upsetting," said Lauren Levine of Needham. "It was really scary."
"You don't think about the danger that you could possibly be in when you're sitting at the game at Fenway," said Emily Hardman of Brookline.
Concerned about a rash of flying broken bats and the danger they posed, Major League Baseball studied the issue in 2008 and implemented a series of changes to bat regulations for the following season.
Multi-piece bat failures are down about 50 percent since the beginning of the 2009 season, MLB spokesman Michael Teevan said.
Though dozens of fans at big league ballparks are struck by foul balls each season, there has been only one fatality, according to baseball researchers - a 14-year-old boy killed by a foul line drive off the bat of Manny Mota at Dodger Stadium in 1970.
