UPDATED: Former Bishop Amat pitcher Brady Zuniga recovering after getting hit by a line drive while playing for UNLV

"He's been released and he's on his way back to UNLV to see a specialist," Amat baseball coach Andy Nieto said after making contact with Zuniga and his family.

"He's in good spirits. I'm sure better assessments can be made when the swelling goes down, but he's got three broken bones to the orbital area of his eye socket."

Zuniga graduated from Amat in 2009 after being part of CIF championship teams in 2007 and '08. He's 1-3 in 14 appearances for UNLV this season.

Zuniga expressed disappointment when told his team lost the game after he left for the hospital with a 5-3 lead, but that reaction was enough to make Nieto more certain everything would be all right with his former ace.

"Brady chuckled and was mad when he found out they lost the game," Nieto said. "That kind of made me feel better, with what little sense of humor he had."

Zuniga's injury marred what otherwise was a big day for Amat baseball. Earlier Tuesday, Amat defeated La Salle 3-2 in extra innings to take command of the Del Rey League standings, but any joy from the win quickly turned to concern for a former teammate.

Fortunately for Zuniga, who's from Monterey Park, his parents were at the game and with him at the hospital until his release.