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Erin Andrews Was Once 'Smacked' in the Mouth by Baseball at MLB Game — and Has Photo Proof!

Erin Andrews will never forget the time she was hit in the face by a ball at a Major League Baseball game.

On Monday, the veteran sports broadcaster, 42, appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show where she discussed the unlucky experience and how her "jaw of steel" saved the day.

Andrews explained that she was on the third-base side of the field when the incident happened.

"A guy hit a line drive, which means straight across, nothing that broke where the ball was coming," she told host Kelly Clarkson.

"The security guard that was with me actually ducked when it came my way," the journalist said, noting that she leaned back and turned her face when the ball flew in her direction.

"It smacked me clear as day in the mouth," she shared. "It bounced off my face and landed behind me, but I was fine."

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RELATED: Erin Andrews Says Watching Tom Brady Celebrate During Super Bowl Boat Parade Was 'Awesome'

Kelsey McNeal/ABC via Getty Images

Andrews said the doctors told her that her "jaw of steel" ultimately saved her from further injury.

The sportscaster also revealed a picture of the aftermath, which shows Andrews with a large black and blue bruise under her chin.

The Kelly Clarkson Show

RELATED: Baseball Fans Hit by Balls at Major League Parks Ask for Safety Changes: 'This Could Be a Non-Issue'

An NBC News investigation from 2019 found there were at least 808 reports of baseball-related injuries at ballparks over a seven-year period starting in 2012.

As noted by the Associated Press, professional sports teams are often protected from lawsuits over such incidents thanks to language printed on ticket stubs. Usually, tickets will include a message that says spectators assume certain risks by attending a game.

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When recently contacted by PEOPLE regarding improvements to protective netting at stadiums, the MLB sent press releases from December 2015 and February 2018, including comments Commissioner Rob Manfred provided during a 2019 winter meeting.

At the time, Manfred announced netting "that extends substantially beyond the far end of the dugout" would be implemented at all 30 ballparks by the 2020 season. It is unclear if the netting was extended at all stadiums amid the coronavirus pandemic and changes to the season.

According to RateYourSeats.com, a website that crowdsources photos and reviews of sports and concert venues, nearly all MLB teams had plans to expand their netting in early 2020.