David Chang

Foul Balls Strike Young Girl, Woman in Back to Back Phillies Games

A young girl and a woman who were struck by foul balls in back to back Philadelphia Phillies games are speaking out for the first time.

Siena Eden, 9, of Margate, New Jersey, was with her family Saturday night sitting behind the visitor's dugout during the Phillies game against the St. Louis Cardinals. During the bottom of the eighth inning, Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis hit a foul ball that went into the stands and struck Siena in the face. Galvis, the players and spectators looked on in anguish as the girl was carried out of the stadium and eventually to the hospital.

"I thought like, about how sad he probably was to hurt me," Siena told NBC10. "I thought if I were him I wouldn't be able to sleep at night."

Siena suffered swollen lips and broken teeth after being struck.

Less than 24 hours later during Sunday's game, Erin Neyer of Eagleswood Township was struck by a foul ball hit by St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Mike Leake in the sixth inning. Neyer was sitting with her 6-year-old daughter in an area near where Eden was sitting Saturday.

"I saw it coming right at us so I pushed her out of the way and I literally saw it come and it smacked me right in the face," Neyer told NBC10. "My bottom teeth are all chipped here. And I have a crack through the top of my front tooth."

Neyer said the foul ball that hit her was actually the second one that went towards her during the game. She said she reacted fast enough to the first one and was able to slap it away with her hand.

Galvis said before Sunday's game that the team should extend the netting from behind home plate all the way to left field.

"The fans give you the money, so you should protect them, right?" Galvis said. "We're worried about speeding up the game. Why don't you put up a net and protect all the fans?"

The incidents have raised concerns regarding whether there’s enough netting to protect fans during baseball games.

“It’s hard to dodge a ball coming that fast and it’s kind of coming so fast in a big group of people,” said Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola. “Some people are trying to catch it I guess and some people are trying to dodge it.”

Mike Stiles, the Phillies Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer released a statement on netting Sunday.

“The Phillies expanded our netting this season to the sides of the dugout near home plate, as was suggested by Major League Baseball,” he wrote. “We decided earlier this season to consider the possibility of further expansion next season.  In making that determination at the conclusion of the 2016 season, we will take into account a number of factors including the opinion of our uniformed personnel and, most importantly, the wishes and safety of our fans.”

Siena Eden's mother Christine Eden believes something more needs to be done to protect fans.

"My challenge would be for them to do more," Christine Eden said. "If netting isn't the answer, what is?"

The Eden family told NBC10 they haven't decided yet whether they would go to another game in light of the incident. Neyer said she'll go to another Phillies game, though she won't sit in the same area of the stadium unless safety nets are extended.

"It's evident right there that that is a problem in that section so without a doubt I think that needs to be extended," Neyer said. "Now with sports comes hazards, there definitely is. But in this case I really feel like there's something we can do about it to make it better but still make it fun."

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