A teenager was hospitalized after being beaten with a metal baseball bat on Friday, New Westminster police say.

Four teens were walking home in the 700-block of 20th Street around 8 p.m. when the soccer ball they were kicking around rolled onto the road and struck an approaching vehicle.

"At that point, the vehicle pulled over and a passenger got out of the car with a metal object believed to be a baseball bat and chased down the teenagers," Sgt. Jeff Scott told CTV News.

The man caught up with one of the teens, and allegedly hit him multiple times with the metal bat.

CTV News is not identifying the teen, but the 14-year-old spoke with reporter Maria Weisgarber and told her what happened was painful and frightening.

"[The car] caught up to me and the guy jumped out… he told me to get down on the ground and stuff and out of nowhere he just starts hitting me with a baseball bat," he said.

He was hit so hard he had to be hospitalized.

"I was hit in the ribs. I was hit in the arm. I also got hit in the knuckle on my right hand. It was very painful and a very scary position to be in," he said.

The teen says doctors told him he was very lucky not to have broken any ribs or a collapsed lung.

Police say the assault only stopped when a witness intervened. Afterwards, the man ran back to the car and left the area.

"I'm super happy that people came to help me," the teen said. He thinks they heard his screaming and then came to see what was going on.

Police released a statement Sunday calling what happened a "gross overreaction" on part of the motorist.

"To have someone react the way that this person reacted to a ball hitting a car is… certainly concerning," Scott said.

The teen's mother, Mary Carnrite, says she's shocked that someone would be so cruel over a soccer ball.

"It's no wonder parents drive their kids everywhere now, because it's not safe," she told CTV News.

Police are looking for a black four door sedan and say the assailant was white and bald and was wearing a blue T-shirt and blue jeans.

Police have not said whether they have any suspects, but ask any witnesses to contact them at 604-525-5411.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Maria Weisgarber.