- Ellie Palmer, Juan Diego's starting pitcher, was injured by a line drive.
- Palmer lost several teeth and is sidelined, impacting the team's performance.
SALT LAKE CITY — A painful and frightening injury has sidelined a key player on the Juan Diego High School girls softball team.
Starting pitcher Ellie Palmer was hit in the face by a line drive during a game last week, knocking out several of her teeth and forcing her out of the lineup.
On Tuesday, Juan Diego took on the Highland Rams. But while the team competed on the field, it was missing one of its biggest playmakers.
"It's a big loss," head coach Andrew Sedillo said.
"She helped our team out a lot," added teammate Olivia Sedillo.
Palmer, who wears No. 19, is typically dominant on the field. She's known for striking out batters and providing power at the plate, hitting home runs.
"She's genuinely one of the strongest girls we have on this team," teammate Sarah Fiore said.
This time, though, the 18‑year‑old standout could only watch from the other side of the fence, cheering on her teammates alongside her mom.
"It's very hard, very hard for sure. I wish I was out there," Palmer said.
The injury happened while Palmer was pitching. A batter sent a line drive straight back toward the mound, hitting her directly in the face.
"I knew it was bad," Palmer recalled. "I looked down in my hand, and I saw that my teeth were in there. So I knew it was bad from that point."
Palmer lost three of her front teeth and two of her bottom teeth in the impact. Doctors are currently trying to save two of them.
"Oh my goodness … that was not good," Coach Sedillo said.
Teammates knew immediately how serious the injury was.
"You could tell it was a really severe situation," Olivia Sedillo said.
Despite the setback, Palmer said she's eager to return to the game.
"I'm ready. I want to go out right now. If I had my jersey, I'd put it on right now," she said, adding that her mom is understandably more cautious.
Palmer's return will depend on guidance from her facial surgeon. When she does come back, she'll be wearing a protective face mask.
In the meantime, teammates, parents and the community are rallying around her. A fundraiser* has been launched to help cover medical expenses.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited into the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
