Legion Player Being Watched After Beaning

The parents and physicians of Kyle Beswick continued to monitor him closely Saturday after the 16-year-old American Legion baseball player suffered a fractured skull Thursday when hit by a pitch during a game.

The North Hollywood East player was admitted to Encino Hospital on Thursday evening and released Friday afternoon.

He was readmitted Saturday morning after experiencing increased nausea and dizziness and underwent further testing before returning to rest at his home in Encino on Saturday night.

The player who hit Beswick should not have been allowed to play in the game, said Mel Swerdling, who serves as North Hollywood East coach and as District 20 commissioner.

Agoura Oaks’ Steve Lyons was ejected from his team’s previous game and should have sat out Thursday’s contest under a one-game suspension, Swerdling said.

Swerdling said he knew of Lyons’ status before the start of Thursday’s game but that when he asked Agoura Oaks’ coaches to play without him, they refused. Swerdling said he informed Agoura Oaks that it would forfeit the game and allowed it to be played with Lyons in the lineup.

“The game didn’t mean anything except for [individual statistics] and we like to have the kids play ball,” Swerdling said.

Robert Beswick, Kyle’s father, said his son was paralyzed for “about 30 seconds” immediately after being hit in the left side of his batting helmet.

Kyle regained movement in his body and walked off the diamond at Franklin Field in Encino, said Robert Beswick, who arrived moments later after being called on a cellular phone.

Kyle Beswick was transported to Encino Hospital by ambulance Thursday and admitted to the intensive care unit, where two CAT scans revealed the fracture and hemorrhaging of the brain.

Beswick’s injury follows the June 28 beaning of Westlake Legion player Ryan Cope, who was also hit on the left side of his batting helmet and hospitalized overnight.

Swerdling said he felt badly for allowing the game to proceed with Lyons in the lineup.

“I’m sick to my stomach over the whole thing,” Swerdling said. “But our boys wanted to play.”

Agoura Oaks assistant Ed Aguilar, guiding the team in the absence of Coach Lorry Gershon, did not return a Saturday call from The Times.

Gershon was suspended indefinitely by Legion officials earlier this week for failing to follow proper protest procedure.

Robert Beswick said doctors have told him Kyle should not resume physical activity for at least two months.

“He wants to get back in the batting cage even now,” Robert Beswick said. “But if he’s played his last game, that’s fine with me as long as he’s OK.”