Holmdel's Scamardella Recovering After Being Hit in the Head by Pitch

Following an incident in which he lost consciousness after being hit in the head by a fastball while batting against visiting Red Bank Regional on Tuesday, Holmdel junior first baseman Eric Scamardella is resting comfortably at home while recovering from a concussion, according to Holmdel head baseball coach Dan Mondelli.

Scamardella was batting with the bases loaded in the second inning with Holmdel leading 5-0 when Red Bank Regional lefty Jack Fowler hit him with an errant fastball just above the ear flap of his batting helmet near his left temple. Scamardella dropped facedown to the ground and was motionless as coaches from both sides and athletic trainer Shannon Lane rushed to his aid.

“When I got out there, his face was in the dirt,’’ Mondelli said. “I didn’t want to move him because I was afraid of a head or neck injury. I just wanted to make sure he was breathing, which he was.’’

Holmdel assistant coach Gene Crimoli rapidly dialed 911 from the dugout as Scamardella regained consciousness and then began to drift in and out of consciousness. Scamardella’s mother, who is a registered nurse, also was on the field.

“The rescue squad and the Holmdel police were there quickly,’’ Mondelli said. “They did a great job, and Shannon did a great job. My coaches also did an unbelievable job, and all six of them were at the hospital afterward.’’

As players from both sides took a knee and said prayers for Scamardella, he was put on a spine board and oxygen was administered to assist him in breathing. He was rushed to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, where it was determined that he luckily had only suffered a concussion and nothing worse. The game was delayed while Scamardella was being treated on the field and was eventually postponed. The game was replayed on Wednesday, with Red Bank winning 11-3.

Scamardella had been hit so hard that Mondelli said that the imprint from his batting helmet could still be seen on his face at the hospital that night. Scamardella was released Wednesday and is currently experiencing typical concussion symptoms like dizziness, nausea and sleepiness, according to Mondelli. The Fowler family also contacted the Scamardellas on Tuesday night following the incident to express their sympathy, according to Mondelli.

Mondelli has been coaching for 27 years and said he had never witnessed a player knocked unconscious on a baseball field. It was a sentiment shared by both sides, as Red Bank head coach Chris LeMore also rushed to Scamardella’s side to assist. LeMore had previously coached Scamardella at a baseball camp at Christian Brothers Academy.

 “That was one of the scariest days of coaching that I have endured in my 12 years,’’ LeMore wrote in a text message. “Mondelli and his staff did an excellent job.’’

“They talk about the Shore Conference like a brotherhood, and it showed on Tuesday,’’ Mondelli said. “Their kids were upset, and they were all praying for him in the dugout. It was great sportsmanship by them, and a real class act of compassion by them.’’

Scamardella needs to have seven consecutive days without concussion-like symptoms before he takes an impact test that would allow him to be cleared to return. If he goes three days without symptoms and then experiences some on the fourth day, he would again have to have seven straight days without symptoms from that date before he could return. It’s possible that he could be out for the rest of the season after having been one of Holmdel’s top hitters all season.