North Carolina boy, 11, dies after being struck by baseball

An 11-year-old boy in North Carolina died after being struck in the head by a baseball hit off a bat during practice at his school, a local official said on Saturday.

Alex Newsome, a sixth grader at Roland-Grise Middle School in Wilmington, North Carolina, was hit by a line drive on Friday and died hours later, Valita Quattlebaum, a spokeswoman for New Hanover County Schools, said in a statement.

"New Hanover County Schools is greatly saddened by the loss of our student in this tragic incident," Quattlebaum said.

"Staff, coaches, parents, the principal and superintendent of the district were all at the hospital after the accident to offer support to the family, classmates, teachers and friends of Alex," she said.

The district is making social workers and school counselors available for grief counseling and support for any students and staff as needed, Quattlebaum said.