University of North Carolina Athletics
Josh Ladowski
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
GoHeels Exclusive: Seizing The Limelight
June 3, 2018 | Baseball, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
Before each North Carolina baseball game, Mike Fox gathers his players and reads the lineup card. He then turns it over and offers those who are listed on the back, the ones who aren't playing, the same reminder.
"There are some guys on the back of this card who are probably going to affect the outcome of the game."
That's especially been true this season.
Whether it's been Jackson Hesterlee, Clemente Inclan or Ben Casparius, among several others, the Tar Heels have received significant contributions off their bench all season. And that was once again the case in Saturday's 4-3 win over Houston in the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional.
Josh Ladowski entered the game as a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh inning. He grounded out on the first pitch. But in the bottom frame, he made the play of the night.
With one out, a runner on third and UNC clinging to a 3-2 lead, Houston's Kyle Lovelace hit a fly ball to right field. It appeared deep enough to be a game-tying sacrifice fly. Yet Ladowski, the former high school quarterback who was named the 2014 N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year in football, settled under it and fired a strike to home plate.
Cody Roberts received the throw. He then applied the tag, preserving Carolina's lead and sending the fans, the Tar Heels and Ladowski – perhaps more than anyone else – into a frenzy.
"Before the play, I pictured it in my head," Ladowski said, "and I told myself I wasn't going to get really excited if I did it; I was just going to try to act cool. It happened, and I saw Ike Freeman's face just freaking out and I had no choice but to go crazy."
Ladowski screamed incessantly as he sprinted toward the UNC dugout. Along the way, he almost knocked Josh Hiatt to the ground when he suddenly left his feet for a chest bump.
"It was a little scary," said Hiatt, who went on to complete a three-inning save, the longest by any Carolina pitcher in an NCAA Tournament game during Fox's tenure. "I didn't know what was coming from Josh; he's pretty crazy.
"That was an unbelievable play right there, just catching the ball and then throwing in a strike. That's one of the best defensive plays I've ever seen."
And largely because of it, as well as some timely hitting and stellar pitching by Gianluca Dalatri and Hiatt, the Tar Heels stand just one win away from reaching the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time since 2013.
Saturday's game featured one of the best crowds in recent memory. The boisterous throng of 3,186 played an integral part in the win, said senior Zack Gahagan, whose two-run home run in the second inning brought Boshamer Stadium to life. Sunday night's game against the winner of Houston and Purdue should be rowdy from the start. Tickets are still available.
Before that game, Fox will gather his players and recite the starting lineup, as he always does. He'll then issue his regular reminder to the bench players. And at that point, maybe, just maybe, he'll reference Ladowski as the latest example of how they could still contribute.
"He practices hard, and he's the most well-liked player on our team; I'm not quite sure why, but he is," Fox said, jokingly. "Our guys just love him. … I'm happy for Josh because he's put in a lot of work here. For him to get a little bit of the limelight and make a play like that to help us win, that's pretty cool."
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Before each North Carolina baseball game, Mike Fox gathers his players and reads the lineup card. He then turns it over and offers those who are listed on the back, the ones who aren't playing, the same reminder.
"There are some guys on the back of this card who are probably going to affect the outcome of the game."
That's especially been true this season.
Whether it's been Jackson Hesterlee, Clemente Inclan or Ben Casparius, among several others, the Tar Heels have received significant contributions off their bench all season. And that was once again the case in Saturday's 4-3 win over Houston in the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional.
Josh Ladowski entered the game as a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh inning. He grounded out on the first pitch. But in the bottom frame, he made the play of the night.
With one out, a runner on third and UNC clinging to a 3-2 lead, Houston's Kyle Lovelace hit a fly ball to right field. It appeared deep enough to be a game-tying sacrifice fly. Yet Ladowski, the former high school quarterback who was named the 2014 N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year in football, settled under it and fired a strike to home plate.
Cody Roberts received the throw. He then applied the tag, preserving Carolina's lead and sending the fans, the Tar Heels and Ladowski – perhaps more than anyone else – into a frenzy.
"Before the play, I pictured it in my head," Ladowski said, "and I told myself I wasn't going to get really excited if I did it; I was just going to try to act cool. It happened, and I saw Ike Freeman's face just freaking out and I had no choice but to go crazy."
Ladowski screamed incessantly as he sprinted toward the UNC dugout. Along the way, he almost knocked Josh Hiatt to the ground when he suddenly left his feet for a chest bump.
"It was a little scary," said Hiatt, who went on to complete a three-inning save, the longest by any Carolina pitcher in an NCAA Tournament game during Fox's tenure. "I didn't know what was coming from Josh; he's pretty crazy.
"That was an unbelievable play right there, just catching the ball and then throwing in a strike. That's one of the best defensive plays I've ever seen."
And largely because of it, as well as some timely hitting and stellar pitching by Gianluca Dalatri and Hiatt, the Tar Heels stand just one win away from reaching the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time since 2013.
Saturday's game featured one of the best crowds in recent memory. The boisterous throng of 3,186 played an integral part in the win, said senior Zack Gahagan, whose two-run home run in the second inning brought Boshamer Stadium to life. Sunday night's game against the winner of Houston and Purdue should be rowdy from the start. Tickets are still available.
Before that game, Fox will gather his players and recite the starting lineup, as he always does. He'll then issue his regular reminder to the bench players. And at that point, maybe, just maybe, he'll reference Ladowski as the latest example of how they could still contribute.
"He practices hard, and he's the most well-liked player on our team; I'm not quite sure why, but he is," Fox said, jokingly. "Our guys just love him. … I'm happy for Josh because he's put in a lot of work here. For him to get a little bit of the limelight and make a play like that to help us win, that's pretty cool."
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