A 19-year-old college baseball player tragically died in Pennsylvania this week … after officials say he was seriously injured when a dugout collapsed on him.
The story is horrifying … Central Penn College infielder Angel Mercado-Ocasio, a freshman, was helping a youth baseball league at a park in Harrisburg on Monday afternoon — when tragedy struck.
According to City of Harrisburg spokesperson Matt Maisel, Mercado-Ocasio was working to take down a makeshift dugout that had been illegally built at the field … but part of it fell suddenly, landing on the baseball player.
The teen sustained significant wounds and was rushed to the hospital … but Maisel said he sadly passed away at 11:12 PM Tuesday.
“Our Central Penn College family is devastated by the loss of Angel,” Central Penn College President Linda Fedrizzi-Williams wrote in a statement on Wednesday. “As friends who have become family, we are mourning the heart-wrenching loss of one of our own, a promising young athlete who senselessly lost his life while helping others enjoy the sport he loved so much.”
Fedrizzi-Williams said the baseball team was able to say its goodbyes to Mercado-Ocasio on Tuesday … adding, “No words can adequately express our anguish.”
Mercado-Ocasio played in 17 games for Central Penn College this season, recording two hits, two RBIs and seven stolen bases.
He last suited up for the team just days ago … on May 6.
RIP.