UNC baseball coach Scott Forbes ejected against VCU in NCAA Tournament after arguing call
CHAPEL HILL — Home plate umpire Jeff Henrichs ejected North Carolina baseball coach Scott Forbes during the Tar Heels’ game against VCU on Saturday night in the NCAA Tournament.
Forbes argued what he believed should’ve constituted an infield fly that would’ve benefitted UNC, after the Tar Heels missed an opportunity in the top of the third inning with VCU leading 1-0.
Danny Serretti’s one-out pop-up with runners at first base and second base wasn’t caught by VCU second baseman Marcus O’Malley, sliding on the infield grass behind the pitcher’s mound.
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The Rams then got Mac Horvath out at second base and Colby Wilkerson out at third base. Both the North Carolina runners had frozen under the assumption that O’Malley would make the sliding catch. The double play ended the top of the third, with Forbes arguing that O’Malley intentionally dropped the pop-up to then give VCU a chance at the double play.
The ejection of Forbes, the second-year coach, marked the second time he has been tossed. He was ejected in a March 5 victory against Coastal Carolina.
Second base umpire Mark Wagers was involved, the second time in as many innings that UNC missed an opportunity amid controversy.
In the bottom of the second inning, North Carolina loaded the bases, but Johnny Castagnozzi grounded into an inning-ending double play. Tar Heels runner Tomas Frick was ruled to have committed interference with VCU shortstop Connor Hujsak as he tried to turn the potential double play, allowing the Rams to escape and denying UNC a run in the form of Alberto Osuna coming home from third base.
Frick took a knee from Hujsak in the side of the head during the collision at second base. Castagnozzi would’ve beaten Hujsak’s throw to first base.
Hujsak’s knee appeared to be fine after the collision with Castagnozzi. He homered off North Carolina starter Brandon Schaeffer to open the bottom of the second, moving VCU ahead 1-0.
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Adam Smith is a sports reporter for the Burlington Times-News and USA TODAY Network. You can reach him by email at asmith@thetimesnews.com or @adam_smithTN on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Times-News: Scott Forbes ejected: UNC baseball coach tossed in NCAA Tournament
