April 30, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - In what could end up being a defining week for the UCF baseball team where it defeated USF April 24 and swept Tulane in Conference USA play April 27-29, one Golden Knight was unstoppable. Lake Mary's Matt Horwath went 11-for-16 (.688) at the plate and hit for UCF's first-ever cycle en route to being named C-USA Hitter of the Week for the first time in his career.
With four C-USA weekly honors this season, UCF has already passed its total from a year ago when it received three (Dave DiNatale, Tyson Auer, Tim Bascom).
Horwath, who is one of just three seniors on this year's squad, had one of the best offensive weeks ever by a Golden Knight. In four games, besides hitting .688 overall he also scored eight runs, drove in three, stole a base and had four doubles, a homer and his first two triples of his career. The senior touched home twice and had at least two hits in all four games to help the Knights go 4-0 on the week.
But Horwath's shining moment came in game one vs. Tulane April 27, where he hit for UCF's first-ever cycle. Horwath was hit by a pitch in the first, singled in the third, tripled in the fourth and homered to lead-off the seventh. He came to the plate with the score tied at 6-6 in the eighth and delivered with a RBI double to complete the cycle and also give UCF a 7-6 win.
In C-USA-only games this year, the designated hitter is 19-for-42 for a .452 average and a .786 slugging percentage. Meanwhile, Horwath has a .330 average for the season. His previous career-high came in 2005 when he batted .276.
Horwath and the Knights finish their five-game home stand Wednesday when they host Stetson for a 6:30 p.m. showdown. UCF will not be home again until May 17-19 for the regular-season finale vs. Marshall. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF athletics.
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