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GREENSBORO -- A pitch that deflected off the glove of an unprotected Kiser Middle School baseball coach has left him with facial injuries that required a trip to the hospital.

Brian Atkins, a volunteer assistant coach, wasn't wearing protective gear for catching during a workout Tuesday, according to head coach Melvin Brooks.

"He was trying to catch a curveball, and it went over the side of the glove," Brooks said. "I said, 'You need to wear a mask.' "

EMS workers took Atkins to Moses Cone for unspecified facial injuries. Brooks said that three players were present when Atkins was hit. He quit coaching the team this week, principal Sharon McCants said.

Atkins was unavailable by phone Friday.

"His face is pretty bad off. He's not in any condition to coach, and he's no longer assisting with the team," said principal Sharon McCants. "I met with him on Wednesday. He (Atkins) was more concerned with the students and whether the student thought it was his fault."

As a volunteer, Atkins is not eligible for worker's compensation from Guilford County Schools, and the incident review ended with McCants.

"Principals are charged with supervising coaches," said Nora Carr, chief of staff for Guilford County Schools. "Generally, the buck stops with the principal."

The issue, though accidental and relatively uncommon, highlights the concerns for baseball safety.

From spring training in the majors to hardball in middle school, baseball injuries from errant balls aren't just limited to players in the game.

Atlanta Braves minor-league manager Luis Salazar lost his left eye after he was hit in the face by a line drive from Brian McCann during a spring training game.

Doctors couldn't save Salazar's eye after the accident March 9. Salazar, 54, was standing against a railing on the top step of the dugout during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals when McCann's foul ball hit him.

The former major-league player expects to manage Lynchburg in the Class A Carolina League this season.

Rules governing what precautions coaches must take are mainly enforced during games by umpires, according to Leigh Hebbard, director of activities, athletics and driver education for Guilford County Schools.

Dr. C. David Geier, Jr., spokesman for American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, said that even non-game catching calls for protection.

"Even in practice settings, you use any kind of simple measure you can to decrease that," Geier said.

But there's nobody to regulate practices. In Tuesday's situation, Brooks was not at the main baseball field with Atkins when the accident happened.

"For the most part, you rely on adults to be responsible, managing their practices and activities so that they don't put themselves in a harmful situation," Hebbard said.

It's not clear why Atkins chose to catch without a mask.

"I guess sometimes we don't practice what we preach," McCants said. "He (Atkins) said, 'It was totally my fault, I didn't follow the precautions.' "

Precautions for middle schools are generally set by the local school district, according to Rick Strunk, spokesman for the N.C. High School Athletics Association. Hebbard said that the schools use NCHSAA rules for games.

Catchers in games, even those warming up pitchers from high schools to pros, regularly wear protective gear, including a face mask and chest pad. Wearing the devices seem to fall under the rule of common sense, according to Brooks and others.

"I wear it every time I'm back there," he said.

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt @news-record.com