Ludwick in starring role with Team USA

By Damon Seiters
Review-Journal

     
     Ryan Ludwick is up to most challenges. Just don't ask him to return to Nicaragua.
      "It was pretty bad, a pretty poor country," UNLV's junior outfielder said from his hotel room in Tucson, Ariz. "You realize how lucky you are to live in the U.S. when you go to some of these poorer countries that have more poverty."
      Ludwick visited Nicaragua last month as a member of the U.S. national baseball team. The team finished second in the continental qualifier there, earning a trip to this summer's World Championships in Italy.
      Ludwick was hitting .409 for Team USA entering a Friday night game and leads the team with five home runs and 57 total bases. He's second in doubles (nine) and RBIs (18). He batted ninth in his first start, but homered and has hit cleanup since.
      "Pretty much every game I've been swinging a hot bat," Ludwick said.
      That he has played well is not surprising. His brother, Eric, is playing for the Florida Marlins.
      Ryan was an all-conference player three years ago at Durango, but he wasn't considered the city's best player. Bishop Gorman's Curt Anthony was named the conference's Player of the Year by the coaches, and Green Valley's Nick Day was named the Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year in Nevada.
      But while Anthony and Day have had their share of success in their first two years of college, it has been Ludwick who has stood out.
      He earned freshman All-America honors in his first year at UNLV and was second-team All-Western Athletic Conference this spring. He has established himself as one of the nation's top college players while playing for the U.S. national team.
      "If someone would have told me when I was in high school that I would have been here, well, I never expected to be one of the elite players in the country," Ludwick said. "I think through my dedication and hard work I've deserved it."
      Although he put up numbers this spring that most college players would drool over, Ludwick was disappointed with his sophomore season. A preseason second-team All-America selection by Baseball America, he hit .352 and led UNLV with 57 RBIs. He was second on the team in home runs (14) and doubles (21). In two seasons, he is hitting .353, 11th on UNLV's all-time list.
      "I was kind of angry with the year I had," Ludwick said. "I didn't have the year people thought I would have. I worked really hard after the season ended to come down here and prove people wrong. I just wanted to prove I'm still one of the better players in the country."
      Ludwick was one of 66 players invited to Tucson in the fall to try out for the national team. Despite being one of the last players invited, he did well and was one of 42 invited to return for training camp June 1.
      Those players had a week of tryouts before playing 10 games against Mexico and Canada. Ludwick said the players were given equal playing time, and 26 players were selected based on their performances.
      The U.S. team has had a busy schedule, playing 24 games since June 6, but Ludwick said he hasn't minded the hectic schedule. In fact, he said it probably has helped his hitting.
      "I love playing," Ludwick said. "I think playing every day is a lot easier than to go out every weekend. You get yourself into a groove. In college, you play every weekend. Unfortunately, you can have one bad weekend and have to wait six days to come back. In this type of atmosphere, you can come back and make up for it the next night."
      Ludwick said his family helped instill his love for the game.
      "I have a pretty baseball-oriented family," he said. "I grew up watching (Eric), and he was always successful. Just having an older brother and seeing what he did, and a real supportive mom and dad -- they just pushed me in the game of baseball. I've just always loved the game."
      Team USA, 16-7 entering Friday's game, has five more games in Tucson before heading east to play three games in New York. From there, the team will travel to Italy for the World Championships, July 21 through Aug. 2.
      "That's going to definitely be a challenge," Ludwick said. "But we're looking to go down there and medal."
      No matter what happens, Ludwick is just happy to play for his country.
      "It's a great feeling," he said. "I think every kid grows up wanting to play professional baseball or represent the country and go to the Olympics. It's not an Olympic year, but it's still a great feeling."