'Hawk Tuah Girl' responds after drawing fierce reaction from Mets fans after throwing first pitch

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Haliey Welch, who rose to internet fame this summer after her viral "Hawk Tuah" remark, has responded to the overwhelming backlash the New York Mets received after she was selected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Thursday’s game against the Oakland Athletics. 

Mets’ fans were less than impressed with the team’s decision to invite Welch to throw out the first pitch because the internet personality’s popularity is centered around a viral video from June in which she used the phrase to describe sexual acts.

Haliey Welch throws out the first pitch during a game between the Oakland Athletics and the New York Mets at Citi Field Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 in New York, N.Y. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

"So the Mets decided to get the Hawk Tuah Girl to throw out the 1st pitch for a summer ‘camp day’ day game where the vast majority of fans are 11 year old kids at the ballpark on camp trips. Seriously what were they thinking? Be better than this," one user wrote on X.

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Welch took to social media to acknowledge the criticism Friday and pointed out that her appearance at the game was meant to help spread an important message. 

Viral internet personality Haliey Welch, left, reacts with a friend after combining for the ceremonial first pitch prior to a game between the New York Mets and the Oakland Athletics at Citi Field Aug. 15, 2024, in New York City.  (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

"So I guess some of the baseball community wasn’t too happy to see me yesterday," she wrote in a post on X. "The main reason I went to the game was to spread awareness and donate to America’s