A former New Jersey high school baseball standout was killed Tuesday in a car crash in North Carolina.
Nick Danbrowney, 22, was identified Wednesday as one of two victims in the deadly one-car wreck in the Outer Banks, local NBC affiliate WAVY reported.
Danbrowney was a star pitcher at Barnegat High before graduating in 2021, then set the all-time career strikeouts record at Ramapo College during his four years there. He struck out 225 batters during his college career, including 72 in 59.2 innings during his senior year.
At the time of his death, Danbrowney was a member of the Bakersfield Train Robbers of the independent Pecos League.
“Our entire team is devastated. Even though we went our separate ways after the season, we’re still a close knit group,” manager Bill Rogan said. “We’re having trouble dealing with this. Nick was a gentleman off the field and a terrific pitcher on the mound with a bright future.”
According to WAVY, state police said Danbrowney was a passenger in a 2023 Ford Explorer traveling north on North Carolina Highway 12 around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday when the vehicle veered off the road to the right, struck an embankment and flipped several times.
The driver, 65-year-old Rosario Edgar, of Marietta, Ga., was killed in the wreck alongside Danbrowney, local ABC affiliate WVEC reported. Another passenger, who has not been publicly identified, was injured.
North Carolina police said Danbrowney was not wearing a seatbelt when the car crashed.
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