Miles City Mavericks pitcher Brandon Patch, 18, died after surgery Saturday morning in Great Falls after he was struck in the head with a batted ball in a Friday game against the Helena Senators American Legion baseball team at Kindrick-Legion Field.

Lewis and Clark County Coroner Mickey Nelson said Patch died at 12:43 a.m. at Benefis Hospital.

Patch was hurt in the fifth inning. After an emergency call was placed, Helena ambulance crews arrived in six minutes to take Patch to St. Peter's Hospital.

He was then transported by Lifeflight to Great Falls.

Helena Senators general manager Ken Stuker asked that the Helena player who hit the ball not be identified.

Patch was a recent graduate of Custer County High School. He was a defensive end on the football team and was considering playing for the Miles Community College baseball team. He was considering pursuing a career in law enforcement and had ambitions to become a Montana Highway Patrol officer.

Jack Regan, superintendent of the Custer County School District and former president of the American Legion board in Miles City, said he knew Patch's father well and one of his relatives spoke highly of Patch.

"My nephew, Patrick Regan, who is a sophomore in high school, said he treated the other kids well and was well liked," Regan said. "I haven't heard any bad things about him."

According to a CBS News report, 17 amateur and pro players were killed by batted balls between 1991 and 2001. Two hits came off wooden bats and eight off aluminum bats. The rest are unknown.

Massachusetts has considered a ban on aluminum bats in high school play due to the high rate of speed at which the balls come off the bat.

"I have had a problem with these loaded bats for a number of years, being an old baseball guy," said John Plowman, who coached the Mavericks for 10 years but hasn't been involved with the team for three years. "I think they are an issue.

"I understand price-wise, but they have to restrict the bats. The bats are too loaded, too hot for a pitcher or a third baseman playing in on a bunt. It's a terrible thing for the community. There will be some repercussions. There will be talk about the loaded bats. That's the main thing."

Aluminum bats are often cheaper to use for most teams because they last longer than wooden bats.

"I know colleges have (already looked at using wooden bats)," Regan said. "They have deadened the aluminum bats anyway, but if somebody got hit in the head with that ... even if it was from a wood bat.

"From what I gathered, talking to the people who were there, it wouldn't have made that much of a difference. If it was a wood bat, maybe he would had more of a reaction time to get away, but it was hit hard."

There has only been one other death at Kindrick-Legion Field, and that came in 1950 when an Anaconda player was killed when he was struck by lightning during a game.

The time of the Senators game against Butte tonight has been moved to 7 p.m., with Senior Day ceremonies beginning at 6:30 p.m. Players will pay tribute to Patch by wearing his number on their hats during the game.

"It is an awful tragedy," said Helena Coach Dave Thennis. "Our program and our kids are certainly thinking about Brandon, his family and his teammates."

Condolences can be posted to Patch's family on the Web site of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home at www.stevensonandsons.com.

Patch's obituary will appear in Monday's Independent Record.

The Billings Gazette contributed to this report.