Reports: Coaches Used Pitching Machines to Hit Players

A high school softball coach and her entire staff have resigned and a high school baseball coach was placed on administrative leave after they allegedly aimed balls from a pitching machine at their players.

The alleged incidents occurred on the same day, March 23, in Kentucky and Texas.

Kristin Koors resigned as softball coach at Conner High School in Hebron, Ky., after a player accused her of hitting her with a softball pitched from a pitching machine. The alleged incident occurred during an intrasquad scrimmage when two players began arguing, Cincinnati.com reported.

According to the report from the Boone County (Ky.) Sheriff's Office, Koors ordered one of the players to stop arguing and put a softball in the machine. The player was not looking at the machine and the ball struck her in the hip, the news site reported. The machine was set at 55 miles per hour, referred to as an “extremely low pitching speed,” according to the report.

Witness reports differ. Two of the eight witnesses say Koors intended to hit the player. Others say it was a light-hearted matter. “Everyone seemed to laugh because they thought it was funny, but they saw (the player) was mad,” said one witness, according to the report.

The player’s father called the sheriff’s department, and Koors was investigated for fourth-degree assault, Cincinnati.com reported. A spokesperson for the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said police do not plan on charging Koors because they cannot prove she intentionally caused the player injury. Charges can be pressed through the county attorney, according to the report. Koors has not commented on the incident.

In Katy, Texas, the baseball coach at Taylor High School was put on administrative leave after some players accused him of intentionally hitting them with baseballs pitched from a pitching machine, Houston TV station KTRK reported. Two players say they were injured by the baseballs. One of the players was hit in the eye and went to the hospital.

According to the report, the coach was mad at the players because they were not standing where they were supposed to be at practice. The report did not mention the coach by name; the Taylor High School website lists Matt Glover as the head coach of the baseball team.

“Because this is an open investigation, we do not have any further details at this time,” a Katy ISD spokesperson said in a statement to KTRK. “However, we assure parents that the safety of all students and staff during any type of athletic practice, competition or related event is top priority, and this incident will be thoroughly investigated. The coach has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of this investigation.”