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Fan hit by broken bat at Fenway released from hospital

BOSTON - A Massachusetts woman who was seriously hurt when a broken bat flew into the stands at Fenway Park last week has been released from a hospital.

Officials at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston say Friday that Tonya Carpenter was discharged and transferred to a rehabilitation center.

A fan is attended to by medical staff after she was hit by a broken bat during a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics in the second inning at Fenway Park June 5, 2015, in Boston, Massachusetts.
A fan is attended to by medical staff after she was hit by a broken bat during a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics in the second inning at Fenway Park June 5, 2015, in Boston, Massachusetts. Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Doctors describe Carpenter's recovery as "excellent" and say she's getting stronger every day.

The 44-year-old resident of Paxton, Massachusetts, suffered what police initially said were life-threatening injuries during the June 5 game between the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics. She was struck in the head in the second inning when the bat of Oakland's Brett Lawrie broke and flew into the seats along the third-base line when he hit a ground ball.

Earlier this week, Lawrie sent flowers to Carpenter.

According to ESPN, Carpenter's family issued a statement responding to Lawrie's gesture: " "Brett, they are the only ones by her side. On behalf of her family, we thank you for this lovely arrangement. You brought a smile to her face, the fragrance fills the room and she thinks of her garden."

In wake of the incident, Major League Baseball is reviewing fan safety at stadiums.

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