American Fork boy battling back from bat injury

AMERICAN FORK — Dalton Nielson is not dead.

His family is very happy to report that Dalton, the little boy hit in the head by a baseball bat Saturday morning in Lehi, is very much alive.

Many have incorrectly assumed the 7-year-old was the boy killed last week while playing baseball.

The case of mistaken identity could stem from the similarities of the last names of the boys in the two separate incidents — Nielson and Nielsen.

Last Friday, Ryan Nielsen, a Copper Hills High School baseball player, was killed when he was hit by a ball during batting practice.

In that incident, the high school athlete was pitching in a batting cage when his teammate hit a line drive that curved around the protective netting and struck Nielsen in the neck, rupturing his carotid artery.

Harlan Nielson, Dalton's dad, received phone calls of condolence.

"Some of my family were actually called by people and news media consoling us over our loss," Harlan Nielson said.

Harlan Nielson agreed it's bizarre to have two freak baseball accidents happen the same weekend to people with almost the same last name.

Dalton Nielson remains hospitalized at Primary Children's hospital.

His father says Dalton is fighting and starting to respond, although he has a long battle ahead before he'll be fully recovered.

Dalton was struck by a bat swung by a member of a men's softball team from Richfield. The team was in Lehi for a tournament at Lehi Memorial Park.

Dalton was hit in the head by the batter who didn't notice the boy was behind him collecting foul balls.

The child was knocked into the backstop. He was unconscious at the scene for several minutes, said Lehi Police Sgt. Jeff Swenson.

Harlan Nielson, who works for American Fork City, said he and his wife do not blame anyone.

The man who hit Dalton has stood watch at the hospital since the accident.

"We don't feel anybody was at fault," Harlan Nielson said.

The boy was treated by Lehi City paramedics at the scene and then transported by helicopter ambulance to the Salt Lake hospital.

Harlan Nielson said he expects once his son has recovered, he'll be "right back out there" on the baseball field.

"He loves sports. He loves baseball. He's adventurous," Nielson said.

Dalton will be in the hospital at least another four to six weeks, his father said.

He suffered major trauma to the front, right side of his head and until the swelling subsides, the doctors won't know if he has long-lasting damage.

"He's really a strong boy. He's really a fighter. He's been a trooper," Nielson said.

He probably will miss most of his first few months of second grade at Forbes Elementary School, though.

"He has a long process of rehabilitation ahead of him," his father said.

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E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com