Today is probably one of the greatest days of my son Zach Jadofsky Life. He pitches for University of West Florida and they are 27....yes 27 outs away for the colleges first trip ever to the finals of the Div 2 world series...wooooo,,,,all the years of hard work might just finally pay off... As a Parent I cant believe this is happening for him..
In high school I tried to get him to go to camps I always told him he had more natural talent then he could imagine if you just found the heart to go with it...He was not born and raised in Chipley Fl and he was a very shy kid. He was never aggressive enough...Every year he was picked by the odd team. always had to play against the stacked local team...Every year he lead his team.. making the All Star Team.....The All Stars would come and the only time he would play was when they needed a hit or an out to win the game.
Zachs 8th grade year summer. In the local regional tournament our team was getting clobbered and the coach played every kid on the team. Even the alternates in the game but Zach.. He was so upset..he actually quit the team...and didnt play the next summer either..even though the all star coach called him every day and begged him to play.
Zachs 10th grade year he was the only boy of this group that played together for almost 10 years in the all stars that played JV ball..Once again he was the star and the leader...His Junior year on Varsity he didnt play alot. Again Just hen they needed something.
Then it happened......The summer before his senior year..We were going to Orlando to play in the Dixie League world series state tournament. Zach had practiced hard for this. The day before we are leaving for the tournament the coach tals to Zach and tells him since he is the youngest guy on the Varsity team and quailifed to play with the little team they were putting him with the JV team for the Tournament...ouch......I thought this would break him....he is such an awesome ball player.....Then we show up at the tournament and find out Andy the coach had got some young 14 year old kid from south FL to play with the varsity in place of Zach...he was suppose to be some pitching phenom....slapped in the face again.....come to find out this was the coaches college room mates son...God I was so pised. I always resented Andy after this... Well the phenom was Karsten Whitten.. Last years #9 pick in the MLB draft.. But back then he was just vfast no control.....Well He pitched the big kids first game and lost.. then they lost the second game was out of the tournament...To say I was elated might be very nice......
Well for the younger kids, Zach took the mound throwing a 1 hit shoutout...going 3 for 5 with 4 RBI's.....
we lost the next game as Zach continued banging the ball, by one run... Zach pitched the next game and we won 5 to 2.....The we lost the next one....but we made it 4 games with the younger team as the big boys sat at the hotel....The coach was all over Zach promising him he earned a starting position at Centerfield and pitching for his senior year.
Low and behold...Zach started at center.. He was tearing it up hitting around 500....Karsten was doing most of the pitching...Zachs first game he thru a 1 hitter against Graceville....Funny thing My other son Jake pitched a 1 hitter the same night for the JV team.. boy I was so proud... We have had a great team for a long time...and had won the district several years in a row....We are a 2A school and Zach got to pitch against al the 4A and 5A schools we played while Karsten a 10th grader started every single district game for us....Zach got slapped again.....we only won 1 District game all year and that was won we were down 3-1 and they pulled Karsten and Zach came in shut the down and we came back and won 4-3. Zach best moment was probably against Houston Acadamey.. Down 7-0 in the 4th they brought Zach in the pitched a 1 hitter the rest of the way and had the game winning hit to win 8-7.....wow it was awesome.....Then the playoffs came and Karsten pitched and lost.. the next game we won then in the finals Karsten pitched and lost again....but we got second place and a trip to the regionals...Once again.. Karsten is called on to pitch....Zach had the best pichting stats on the team and was the only real senior pitcher and should of gotten the call....But he didnt....and even though he had never hiy under 400 for the year he was still batting 9th every game...Zach was not a power hitter...he had never hit a home run in his life......at any age that I can remember....but he could put it anywhere...he lead the team in triples and doubles in hits was second in BA and RBI's all out of the 9th spot.. He lead his team in era, k's, only had given up 4 walks all year he was averaging 12 k's a game...but he only trough in the mid 80's....
Well we came against the best team in 2A a private catholic school out of Pensacola who I dont think Chipley has ever beaten in baseball.. we faced their best pitcher who had already signed with a Div 1 school..Actually they had 5 boys who had already signed to play college ball....Of course Karsten gets the call the freshman pitcher.. Yea I know he throws 90 Plus but he cant throw strikes....His walks and Hit batters counts are high... anyway we start the game Karsten will usually give you 2 good innings unless you rattle him....Both teams have no hitters going thru the 3rd 0-0 with 2 outs in the third Zach comes up and he is battling....fouling off pitches....the bam.........the place goes silent.......he hit his only home run of his life sailing a good 30 feet over the right field wall............i was in tears.......were up 1-0 over the #1 team in the state in our division off a pitcher that will be pitching Div 1 next year...... now is where it ends...with a lead I guess Catholic got mad.. The cam out and beat the tar out the ball in the 4th taking a 3-1 lead. Karsten was pulled and we lost 3-1. our team had like 5 hits Zach had 2 of them....
I thought for sure Zach would get some post season acculades..His coach never nominated him for anything...the only person on our team that made all state was our DH how only hit 325....go figure.. them we come to the awards banquet at the school...I thought for sure Zach would get our pitching award.. He had the best stats. He had the lowest era by over an run and inning his K/B was like 7/1 his whip was under 1....and the winner is.....Karsten Whitston........the freshman.....I asked the coach whats up.. he said Karsten had the most wins......he was 5-7 with one of the highest era's on the team.. Zach was only 4-2......... now come on.......
Zach really didnt have any offers for college I wrote over 30 teams...he went to try out for the local summer league....and Mr Roberts...our catchers dad who had played in college..knew Zach had something... if it wasnt for him Zach would not be here today.....his baseball life would of been over......He got on with a JUCO team. They hadnt had a playoff season in over 30 years........Well they played in the 2010 Alabama Juco playoffs.. Zach had our only win........The all of a sudden Zach started throwing 90's..92...94.......wow......The funny thing is he was offered his scholarship for centerfield......and we never considered pitching in college.. but the team was short pitchers and the coach had clocked him throwing in from center and asked him had he ever pitched..lol.. well the life time 400 hitter has never swung a bat in college......and he may make it to the pros one day.....
AND WE OWE IT ALL TO CRAIG ROBERTS...........
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