Mac Horvath hits game-tying home run in ninth inning against Iowa
North Carolina center fielder Mac Horvath smashed a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday to stave off elimination against Iowa.
Down 5-4 with one out in the ninth, Horvath smashed a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall.
Head coach Scott Forbes talked about Horvath during his mid-game interview with the ACC Network broadcasters. He had started the regional 0-for-7 but is now 4 of his last 6 with two homers.
“You don’t need to say much with Mac,” Forbes said. “That’s what makes him so good. He’s gonna be level headed. He works his tail off. Every hitter has struggles and he’s grown through that. He’s had his fair share like all have and that’s why he is who he is.”
North Carolina had been one of Jonathan Wagner’s sleepers to make a run to the College World Series.
“Right off the bat, North Carolina will face a tough test against the stout Iowa pitching staff,” Wagner said ahead of Regional Weekend. “But the Heels, who will be without star center fielder Vance Honeycutt, can still hit. Third baseman/outfielder Mac Horvath is one of the top hitters in the country, with a .305 average to go along with 22 home runs and 62 RBI. The depth from 1-9 in the lineup, even without Honeycutt, is still impressive. The biggest concern with North Carolina is pitching, as the staff has struggled with inconsistency throughout the season.”
Michael Seegers won the game in extras on a triple that Mac Horvath couldn’t grab
Michael Seegers had the eventual game-winning hit in the top of the 13th inning when he connected on an RBI, two-out triple to go up 6-5.
Seegers smashed the offering from Dalton Pence into center, where Mac Horvath tried to make a diving catch to end the inning. However, he couldn’t make it happen and it hopped to the wall, allowing pinch hitter Blake Guerin scored on the play.
Earlier in the game, Iowa head coach Rick Heller had explained his message to the team coming into the game.
“If you don’t find a way to get it done the season’s over,” Heller said on the ACC Network broadcast of the game in the middle of the fourth inning. “All of us want to keep playing. We’re going to go out and give it our best shot, play as hard as we can and be as focused as we can and see if we can get hot.”