Gators brace for must-win contest
Florida to face Texas during CWS elimination game
OMAHA, NEB. – Nick Horvath knows the end is near, though he’s trying his hardest not to think about it.
Horvath and the No. 1 Florida Gators (47-20) will play Texas at 2 p.m. today in an elimination game at the College World Series.
Horvath, a senior center fielder, is known for getting a great jump on fly balls. The route he took to that position, though, was anything but a straight line.
He played at Palm Beach Gardens High School along with current teammate and fellow senior JJ Schwarz. While Schwarz was heavily recruited, Horvath was not. He settled at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, where after one season he was contacted by Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
“They were probably here at the College World Series,” Horvath said of the call.
O’Sullivan offered Horvath a spot on a team that had just fallen one game short of the
“It’s certainly doable, but we’re going to have to have some other [pitchers] step up.” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan on Gators’ challenge winning a title from CWS loser’s bracket
CWS final.
“Out of high school, I didn’t have too many offers. Thankfully Sully gave me that opportunity,” Horvath said.
Initially that opportunity was on the mound. In 2016, Florida had Buddy Reed in center field and last year Ryan Larson moved into that spot. For those two years, Horvath pitched in 42 games, all in relief, including two games at the CWS. He was 5-1 with two saves and a solid earned-run average of 3.19. He did, though, see some time in the outfield, notably starting the national championshipclinching win last season against LSU. He was 1-for-3 with a run batted-in and two runs scored.
This season, Horvath pitched three times, all early in the year, as he took the reins in center field.
“I miss it sometimes, but I’m just trying to help the team win,” Horvath said.
He’s started 61 of Florida’s 67 games in the outfield, and has proven a quick study.
“He’s about as good as we’ve had defensively,” O’Sullivan said. “His jumps are phenomenal; very accurate arm.”
His jump, Horvath admitted, was a little off in the fifth inning of Sunday’s 6-3 loss to Texas Tech. Brian Klein hit a sinking line drive that Horvath eventually caught with a last-second dive.
“The wind kinda killed it. I thought it was going farther than it was. I broke deeper I guess, and I had to slide at the very end,” Horvath said.
His fondest memory of the past three years is reuniting with Schwarz. Schwarz broke his hand during a late-regular season game against Mississippi State. After missing 11 games, he played Sunday.
“It’s been fun to see him develop as a player and a person. We’ve made some great memories together; that guy’s like a brother,” Horvath said. “It’s great to know he didn’t play his last game at Mississippi State.”
To repeat as national champions, Florida must to something that only eight teams have done in the 71-year history of the CWS — win it all after losing its first game. The last was South Carolina in 2010. To equal that coup, Florida must win four straight games this week to return to the final. Florida will start Jackson Kowar (9-5, 3.24 ERA) against Texas, and possibly Jack Leftwich (4-5, 4.32) if it advances to Thursday. After that, the game plan is unsettled.
“It’s not impossible, but we’re going to have to have Jackson pitch really good,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s certainly doable, but we’re going to have to have some other [pitchers] step up.”