OMAHA, Neb. — Florida's second game of the College World Series was suspended and then postponed, first because of gusting winds and then because of an incessant rain and nearby lightning.
The game will continue today at 11 a.m. with Vanderbilt batting in the bottom of the sixth inning and Florida leading 3-1.
Vanderbilt was batting with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning when sirens began to go off in downtown Omaha. After a Mike Yastrzemski flyout to left, the sirens continued to sound and the Florida players left the field.
Fans streamed for the exit. Swirling winds blew the trash from the stands onto the field after the grounds crew put a tarp on the infield.
A few minutes later, members of the media were evacuated from the press box. The National Weather Service said winds gusted as high as 69 mph as the storm front passed through Epply Airfield, which is three miles from TD Ameritrade Park. A funnel cloud was spotted in nearby Aurora, Neb.
Once the high winds passed, a torrential downpour pelted the field and lightning flashed around the stadium for two hours.
Some fans were rushed to the Qwest Center across the street while others ducked under the second deck of seats. The ones who stayed were treated to an imaginary baseball game played by the grounds crew.
The Gators took a 3-1 lead before play was suspended thanks to a three-run homer by Preston Tucker.
Grayson Garvin, the SEC pitcher of the year, held Florida hitless through the first three innings. But in the fourth, Nolan Fontana walked and Mike Zunino hit a slow grounder to first that Garvin tried to scoop with his glove toward the base. The ball sailed high and Fontana advanced to third.
On a 2-1 pitch, Tucker then hit his no-doubter off a hanging curve ball to right field, giving Florida a 3-0 lead. It was his 15th homer of the season and fifth of the NCAA Tournament.
Vanderbilt threatened in the first and third innings against Karsten Whitson, getting a runner to third base each time. But twice he struck out Aaron Westlake, one of the league's top hitters, to help him get out of jams. Whitson's fastball was clocked at 96 mph several times during his outing.
Whitson struggled with his control in the fifth, falling behind two batters and walking a third. With runners on first and second, he gave up a run-scoring single to Anthony Gomez, the SEC leader in hits.
It was the first run Vandy had scored in 22⅔ innings against Gator pitching. That shutout streak spanned three cities — Nashville, Hoover and Omaha. Coincidentally, the last Vandy runs were also given up by Whitson during the regular season.
The single knocked Whitson out of the game, but Stephen Rodriguez came in to strike out Westlake to end the threat.
Tucker doubled in the top of the sixth to tie the school record with 23 doubles in a season.
The winner today will not play again until Friday at 2 p.m., while the loser returns to action Wednesday in an elimination game against North Carolina.
