Little League World Series Player Fractures Skull In Bunk Bed Fall

WILLIAMSPORT, PA — A Little League World Series player from Utah is in critical condition after he fell from a bunk bed at a player's dorm in Pennsylvania and fractured his skull.

Easton Oliverson, 12, of Utah's Snow Canyon Little League team was injured when he fell out of bed in his sleep, according to St. George News. Oliverson suffered a brain bleed and fractures to his skull and cheekbone.

"We're just at a point now where he's just in recovery," the boy's uncle, Spencer Beck, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "The teammates heard him fall, thank goodness. When they got into surgery, the doctor talked to Jace and said had he not gotten into surgery but 30 minutes later, he would have been dead."

Oliverson, who pitches and plays outfield for the team, was in Williamsport for the Little League Baseball World Series. The tournament is scheduled to kick off Wednesday and continues through Aug. 28.

Oliverson was airlifted to Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville, Little League International said in a statement released Monday. The organization confirmed Oliverson was injured but did not elaborate on how.

The boy's father, Jace Oliverson, is an assistant coach with the team. Snow Canyon is the first team from Utah to ever reach the Little League World Series, according to The Associated Press.

At the hospital, Oliverson underwent surgery to stop the bleeding in his brain.

"(The doctors) said that there was a lot of blood in his brain and a lot of pressure being caused. He had what was called an epidural hematoma," Oliverson's father, Jace, said in a statement posted to an Instagram account tracking the boy's progress. "He fractured his skull and punctured an artery outside the brain which caused the bleeding."

On Tuesday, doctors removed Oliverson's breathing tube and an MRI showed "very promising" results, according to an Instagram post. He also responded to stimuli while spending time on the phone with a friend.

"Last night, Easton's friend was able to talk to him over the phone. He told Easton to put his thumb up — and he did!" according to an Instagram post. His friend then told him to put his other thumb up — and he did that as well!"

Meanwhile, Little League International said it would use "all available resources" to support Oliverson, his family, his coaches, and teammates.

"At the request of his family, Little League International encourages all to join us in keeping the Snow Canyon Little League player and his family in our thoughts and prayers, as we wish for a full and complete recovery," the statement read.

The Snow Canyon team is scheduled to play its first game on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. The team will play against the winner of teams from Massachusetts and Tennessee. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

"As hard as it will be to not have Easton out there playing, they're still from this community, this is still a historical moment for the state, for Little League and for our community," Beck told The AP. "We're cheering them on and maybe they'll have a little inspiration from Easton and they'll go win it all. That would be awesome."