Mount Vernon’s varsity football quarterback Brady Ketchum is also a varsity baseball pitcher, and he had quite a scare this past summer when he caught a baseball with his face.

It happened at a game in Dyersville on June 11. It was a regular game for Ketchum, a junior. He was pitching, Clark Youngreen was catching, Logan Greibel was at first base, and Trevor Weber at second. 

“I didn’t say anything,” Youngreen said. “I was in shock, very scared, and had no words. It looked like he was dead.”

In the very first inning, Ketchum pitched to Beckman and the ball flew right back into his face. He dropped to the ground as coach Ray Reasland went running onto the field. Brady’s father, Dan, yelled for someone to call the ambulance.

 The paramedics ended up driving to the wrong field, and took 15 minutes to arrive. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, Ketchum  tried to get up, but could not move his body. 

He was loaded up onto a stretcher and taken to an emergency room in Dubuque. He had a CT scan to access any brain trauma. He also had multiple X-rays to see if he had fractured any facial bones. Thankfully, no bones were broken, but he did have a severe concussion. 

After about four hours in the hospital Ketchum could walk around again. However, he has no recollection of what happened between getting hit by the ball and being in his hospital bed. 

After this injury, Ketchum had to wear a protective mask while pitching for the rest of the season. He says that now every time he is pitching and the ball comes back towards him, his stomach drops a little. 

Ketchum’s injuries were not as bad as they could have been. “I got really lucky to come out of it how I did,” he said.  “They said I should have fractured bones in my face and knocked out a couple teeth.” He said that although the injury to his head was quite severe, it will not affect his football season.