UNC Baseball: Diamond Heels’ Coastal Plain League Recap

With the college baseball season ending as the Florida Gators defeated the LSU Tigers for the national championship, the only source of college-level baseball remaining is in the collegiate summer leagues across the country.

The Coastal Plain League (CPL) was founded in 1997 to bring collegiate summer baseball to the Southeastern United States. The CPL features teams in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The league features a 56-game schedule, playing from mid-May to mid-August, and includes an annual Pro Scout Day, All-Star Game, and the championship playoff system.

With the Coastal Plain League season in full swing, the four Tar Heels playing in the league are playing every day and getting more opportunities as they prepare for their upcoming season in Chapel Hill.

A refresher on where the four Diamond Heels are playing in the Coastal Plain League for the summer:

• Ike Freeman - High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms
• Jake Holtzapple- Wilson Tobs
• Utah Jones - Savannah Bananas
• Josh Ladowski- Wilson Tobs

Now let’s take a look at how the Diamond Heels are doing this summer.

All stats are courteous of the Coastal Plain League and are as of 7/7:

• Ike Freeman: 8 G, 28 AB, 12 H, 3 RBI, 6 R, 5 BB, 6 K, .429 AVG, .543 OBP
• Jake Holtzapple:

Previous week: 4 G, 10 AB, 3 H, 3 RBI, .300 AVG

2017 Totals: 11 G, 23 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 BB, .217 AVG, .345 OBP

• Utah Jones:

Previous week: 3 G, 10 AB, 1 H, 3 BB, .100 AVG

2017 Totals: 20 G, 62 AB, 17 H, 5 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB, .274 AVG, .361 OBP

• Josh Ladowski:

Previous week: 2 G, 4 AB, 3 H, . 750 AVG

2017 Totals: 13 G, 26 AB, 12 H, 5 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, .333 AVG, .385 OBP

The pair of Wilson Tobs’ in Jake Holtzapple and Josh Ladowksi both had strong weeks to improve their season statistics. Holtzapple raised his batting average over 60 points and recorded a hit in three of his four at-bats for the week.

While Ike Freeman did not see action on the diamond this week, he was part of the Fan Vote for the final All-Star spot in the West. Fellow Diamond Heel Josh Ladowski was nominated for the Final Vote in the East.

Sam Griggs (Peninsula/Southern Indiana) earned the final All-Star spot out of the East and Zach Michalski (Martinsville/North Carolina Central) received the final All-Star spot out of the West.

The Coastal Plain League All-Star Game will take place on July 10th in Holly Springs, N.C.

Check back in the weeks to came to catch up with the Diamond Heels in the Coastal Plain League.