Faculty baseball participant killed after dugout collapses on him in central Pennsylvania

A newly constructed baseball dugout collapsed and fatally injured a Pennsylvania school participant who had been serving to disassemble the unsanctioned construction, officers mentioned Thursday.

Angel Mercado, a 19-year-old center infielder, had simply accomplished his freshman season at Division II Central Penn Faculty when the tragedy unfolded on Monday afternoon.

Mercado was taking part in in a summer time recreation league, the East Shore Twilight Baseball League, and his crew had rented the seventh & Radnor Sports activities Park in Harrisburg for video games and follow, Harrisburg metropolis spokesman Matt Maisel mentioned.

Mercado’s recreation league coach had constructed this makeshift dugout on Sunday and town informed him he wasn’t allowed to erect such a construction on public grounds, based on Maisel.

Mercado was one of many gamers serving to the coach disassemble the dugout when it fell aside on Monday, officers mentioned. He was struck within the face and rushed to the hospital, the place he died late Tuesday night time, Maisel mentioned.

There are not any felony expenses anticipated within the matter.

“Nothing felony occurred right here,” Maisel mentioned. “No expenses can be filed towards the coach. No expenses can be filed towards anybody. That is merely a tragedy.”

Gerardo Diaz, coach of Mercado’s rec league squad, mentioned he was too distraught to debate the tragedy on Thursday.

“The title of the crew is Harrisburg Internationals, however what I need you to do, I need you to vary it to Angels — Harrisburg Worldwide Angels,” a sobbing Diaz informed NBC Information, his voice trailing off.

“I do not keep in mind something proper now. Are you able to please name me another time. I might love to speak to you, my head is a little bit clouded nonetheless.”

Central Penn Faculty is in Summerdale, about six miles west of seventh & Radnor Sports activities Park, throughout the Susquehanna River.

In an announcement, the varsity mentioned it was “deeply saddened” by Mercado’s demise and made it clear he was working “in a program unaffiliated with the school.”

“Our Central Penn Faculty household is devastated by the lack of Angel,” President Linda Fedrizzi-Williams mentioned in an announcement.

Madelyn Urabe contributed.