College Baseball Player, 19, Dies After Dugout Collapses on Him

A Central Penn College baseball player died at age 19 after a wooden dugout collapsed on him while they were disassembling it.

The 19-year-old athlete, Angel Mercado-Ocasio, sustained a severe head injury after a dugout collapse.

College Baseball Player Dies After Dugout Collapses

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STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 24: Linebacker Curtis Jacobs #23 of the Penn State Nittany Lions recovers a fumbled punt return by the Central Michigan Chippewas during the second half at Beaver Stadium on September 24, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania.

College Baseball Player Dies After Dugout Collapses

A 19-year-old college baseball player's untimely death has sent shockwaves throughout the sports community after a makeshift dugout at the Harrisburg park in Pennsylvania collapsed on him. According to Fox News, the Central Penn College infielder, a freshman, was taking down an illegally built wooden dugout at the field when the makeshift structure collapsed on him.

TMZ reports that Harrisburg City spokesperson Matt Maisel says Ocasio worked hand in hand with a coach and other baseball players to disassemble the dugout they built without the city's permission. And as such, they believed it was their responsibility to remove the structure from the park.

As they removed the wooden dugout, a part of it suddenly fell on the college athlete. The force of the impact resulted in a severe traumatic brain injury. So he was immediately rushed to the hospital.

AS.com said the first responders rushed Ocasio to the Holy Spirit Hospital. He arrived at the medical facility in critical condition and died in the hospital. But despite the immediate medical attention, the brave young athlete succumbed to his injuries.

Coach Gerardo Diaz, one of the people taking down the dugout during the tragic incident, revealed that the baseball players, which includes Ocasio, were fooling around when a part of the makeshift dugout fell on the 19-year-old.

Diaz says he feels responsible for the passing of the Central Penn athlete, as he believes he ignored his players while they were goofing around. Yet, he emphasized that he tried to protect the college baseball player.

Baseball College Community Mourns His Passing

The Central Penn President Linda Fedrizzi-William mourned the untimely passing of the student-athlete. She says, "As friends who have become family, we are mourning the heart-wrenching loss of one of our own." She further remembers Ocasio for promising talent as an athlete, noting that he passed away "while helping others enjoy the sport he loved so much."

Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Willam also spoke on the heart-wrenching incident. She extended condolences and prayers to the family of the promising athlete. The mayor also urged the whole community to pray for the friends, teammates, and loved ones of the 19-year-old baseball player as they go through an unfortunate tragedy.

The Central Penn freshman has played 17 games this season, showcasing his promising talent in sports.