The third game of the College World Series Finals in Omaha, Nebraska between Arizona and Coastal Carolina has been postponed due to inclement weather, it was announced on Wednesday night.
The series finale is now scheduled to be played Thursday at 10:08 a.m. Arizona time and it will be televised on ESPNU.
“This was a very challenging decision for the [NCAA College World Series Committee],” Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne said on Twitter. “It was the right decision for the student-athletes and teams.”
Wednesday’s game was originally scheduled to start at 5 p.m., but thunderstorms in the area caused a two and a half hour delay and ultimately prevented the game from starting.
NCAA rules prohibit a game from beginning after 11 p.m. local time, and rain was forecasted in the area throughout the night, so waiting it out on Wednesday night was not an option.
“I think the scenario that is most likely to happen is that it [was] going to start raining again at 1:30 or 2 in the morning,” Arizona head coach Jay Johnson said. “With all the TV breaks and stuff like that, you’re looking at a delay until say the seventh inning, and now you’re finishing a national championship game at 5 a.m. I think they decided that’s probably not what’s best for the players.”
Johnson doesn’t believe the extra day between games will have an effect on the Wildcats’ preparation.
“Same thing that we do, which is have a good meal tonight and set the schedule for tomorrow – once we know what the schedule is,” Johnson said about his team’s plans. “Then we’ll get here and make it like every other game from preparation standpoint.”
Bobby Dalbec, who was going to be Arizona’s starting pitcher Wednesday had the game not been postponed, will likely start Thursday.
Dalbec has allowed just two runs in 15 innings of work at the College World Series.
Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina is expected to start junior right-hander Alex Cunningham, who has posted a 3.64 ERA in 116.1 innings this season, instead of ace Andrew Beckwith.
“Not really,” Johnson said when asked if he was caught off guard by CCU’s decision to start Cunningham. “We prepare for everybody. That’s how it goes this time of year. Both of them are good pitchers. We’ve seen both throw twice in Omaha, and that’s a good thing.”
The Wildcats’ time in Omaha will last another day, but it will finally come to an end on Thursday, and it remains to be seen if they’ll return to Tucson with a national championship trophy in hand.
“I feel great that we’re one of two teams still playing baseball today,” Johnson said. “I told [my players], and they were laughing at me, with the win tonight or tomorrow, everybody’s going to celebrate and go nuts and say that we’re the greatest thing in the world, and I’m going to sit in my hotel room at some point and be a little bit sad. I love these guys and I can’t wait to suit up with them tomorrow.”
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