Donnie Ladas’ go-ahead single helps Coal City stay perfect in ICE at Herscher

While serving as perhaps the most pivotal piece of a baseball team defensively, catchers aren’t often looked upon to be one of the key offensive figures in a lineup.

Don’t tell that to Coal City senior Donnie Ladas.

Half an inning after the Coalers saw a three-run lead turn into a three-run deficit in Monday’s pivotal Illinois Central Eight tilt at Herscher, Ladas connected on a two-out, two-strike, two-run go-ahead single to put the Coalers (12-4, 7-0 ICE) back on top for good in an 8-7 frenzy.

“Two strikes, you’ve got to put it in play,” Ladas said. “You’ve got runners on base and the worst thing is leaving runners on base. Just got to put it in play.”

After a 2-0 lead after the top of the first could have been much bigger had the Coalers made all three of their outs on the bases, the Tigers (15-5, 4-3) turned a 3-0 deficit into a 6-3 lead with their mammoth fifth. But through it all, the Coalers have won six in a row and remain the lone unbeaten team in a stacked ICE.

1 of 10

Coal City's Ethan Donnelly, left, is tagged out at home by Herscher's Cooper Meredith during a game at Herscher Monday, April 20, 2026. (Mason Schweizer)

“They all can’t be the Mona Lisa,” Coalers coach Greg Wills said. “But we’ll hang it up anyways.”

Following the Coalers’ two-run first, Tigers senior Tanner Jones settled in nicely to allow three runs (two earned) on six hits and three strikeouts through five innings. He was in line for the win after the Tigers’ six-run fifth that opened with three straight singles from Mason Roberts, Gaige Brown and Jones, and was highlighted by Cooper Meredith’s tying single and Brock Berns’ go-ahead double.

But as Connor Sharper came in to relieve Jones, the Coalers found a second surge, primarily with two outs. After Lance Cuddy’s base knock tallied a run, Henline reached on a Herscher error that brought in another.

Gavin Berger followed that up with a game-tying single before Ladas took a 1-2 offering and sent it back up the middle to drive in a pair, with Berger scoring an insurance run that proved vital after Colton Carson’s moonshot to dead center in the bottom of the sixth.

Herscher's Colton Carson, right, is congratulated by Tanner Jones after hitting a home run in a home game against Coal City Monday, April 20, 2026. (Mason Schweizer)

“I’m always confident in my teammates,” Henline said. “I know we put great at-bats together, especially when we’re down.”

Whether it’s catching one of the area’s deepest pitching staffs or at the dish, where he and Berger are tied with a team-best 12 RBIs, Ladas takes pride in helping the Coalers win however he can.

“It means a lot to me,” Ladas said. “My pitchers, every single one of our pitchers, we have a close connection. Earlier in the season I started batting in the six or seven hole. Then I came up to five and started finding my barrel, having a good connection.”

Coal City's Connor Henline throws a pitch during a game at Herscher Monday, April 20, 2026. (Mason Schweizer)

Cuddy, Bobby Rodriguez and Berger had two hits apiece for the Coalers. Berger scored three runs, Cuddy scored twice and Rodriguez’s double was the Coalers’ lone hit for extra bases. Henline allowed six earned runs in 4⅓ innings on 11 hits, a walk and five strikeouts. Kellen Forsythe earned the relief win after allowing an earned run on a hit and four strikeouts in 2⅔ innings.

Meredith had a 3 for 4 day with a run and RBI apiece for the Tigers. Nash Brubaker went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Brown also had a two-hit day and scored, with Carson adding an additional run and RBI to his solo homer. Jones allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, two walks and three strikeouts in five innings.

While he hopes his Coalers return for a Class 2A Sectional this spring, Monday was the last regular season game Wills, who is retiring after the season, will coach at Herscher and against longtime coaching friend Eric Regez.

Herscher's Tanner Jones throws a pitch during a home game against Coal City Monday, April 20, 2026. (Mason Schweizer)

“They’re just great games every year,” Wills said. “Whether we’re really good, they’re really good, they just seem to be great games when we get together.

“Eric and I text back and forth all year, even in the winter. There’s a friendship there, and we have a lot of respect for that coaching staff. They play the game the right way, and we always look to them as a program we want to be like. I hope they think the same of us too.”

The two teams will head to Coal City Tuesday for the second game of their series.