Calif. teen hit by baseball clings to life; injury prompts school to study metal bat safety

Calif. teen hit in head by baseball clings to life

KENTFIELD, Calif. — A Northern California high school baseball player is clinging to life after a line drive hit his head during a practice game.

Sixteen-year-old Gunnar Sandberg remained in critical condition Tuesday at Marin General Hospital.

He is a student at Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield. Educators there say Sandberg was removed from a medically induced coma on Friday and underwent a brain scan Monday because doctors didn’t see progress.

He was hit by the baseball March 11 while pitching during a practice game against Concord’s De La Salle High School.

His injury has renewed concerns about the safety of metal baseball bats.

Marin Catholic Principal Chris Valdez says players on the school team will switch to wooden bats for the rest of the season.