OU softball vs Florida in weather delay before Women's College World Series semifinal
UPDATE: The WCWS semifinal game between OU and Florida started at 2:06 p.m.
For the second straight day, the Women's College World Series will push back its opening game due to weather concerns.
The first NCAA softball semifinal between OU and Florida will not start at 11 a.m. Monday as scheduled. With expected lightning and storms in the area at that time, the NCAA pushed back the first pitch to 12:36 p.m. at Devon Park.
The Gators must beat the Sooners twice to advance to the best-of-three WCWS championship series.
Texas faces Stanford in the other semifinal, set for 6 p.m. Monday.
From the NCAA: "Game 11 start time will be delayed. First pitch is expected to be 12:36 p.m. Gates will be open for fans at 11:30 a.m. Shuttle buses from Remington Park will begin at 11:20 a.m."
More: Oklahoma softball assistant JT Gasso's 'Boone slap' gives Sooners another offensive weapon
What is the NCAA rule on lightning?
If there is a lightning strike within six miles from the sporting venue, a game will stop for at least 30 minutes.
"To resume athletics activities, lightning safety experts recommend waiting 30 minutes after both the last sound of thunder and after the last flash of lightning is at least six miles away, and moving away from the venue. If lightning is seen without hearing thunder, lightning may be out of range and therefore less likely to be a significant threat. At night, be aware that lightning can be visible at a much greater distance than during the day as clouds are being lit from the inside by lightning. This greater distance may mean that the lightning is no longer a significant threat. At night, use both the sound of thunder and seeing the lightning channel itself to decide on when to reset the 30-minute return-to-play clock before resuming outdoor athletics activities."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU softball vs Florida in weather delay before WCWS semifinal
