Midland Park 11-year-old pitcher recovering after being struck in head by line drive Ralph Warner suffered a fractured skull and bleeding in his brain

Joshua Jongsma | NorthJersey

In mere moments, Ralph Warner of Midland Park went from the joy of pitching in his baseball team's big game to fighting for his life.

Ralph, 11, was on the mound for the 11-and-under Midland Park Panthers team, competing in the Cal Ripken Experience championship bracket in Maryland on Sunday. While pitching, he was hit by the ball on a line drive off the bat.

"It was a blur when it happened," said Ralph's mother, Nicky, "and I saw the other coach from the other team and our coaches surround him, and we could see him drop to the ground."

He was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and put in the intensive care unit. He had a fractured skull and bleeding in his brain, Nicky Warner said.

Ralph was in good spirits Monday, his mother said. He was named player of the game, and his teammates visited to bring his award.

Nicky Warner and her husband, Ralph Sr., are lifelong Midland Park residents, graduating from the high school in 1992 and 1991, respectively. The younger Ralph has a twin brother named Anthony and a sister named Trish.

"Our town of Midland Park is very special to us, because of the size of it is so small and everyone is so supportive," Nicky Warner said, "and that’s what we love about our town."

A representative from the Cal Ripken league gave the family tickets to an upcoming Baltimore Orioles game for seats right behind home plate and covered the hotel expense.

Ralph roots for the New York Mets and looks up to pitcher Noah Syndergaard. He had thoughts of growing his hair long, like Syndergaard's, but his mother nixed that idea, she said. Ralph wants to play again but will do so with more precautions.

"I know once he starts playing again," she said, "he won’t be pitching without face gear."

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Email: jongsma@northjersey.com