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WCWS weather updates: Sunday's elimination games delayed due to inclement weather

john leuzzi, usa today network
·6 min read

Mother Nature continues to make an appearance at the Women's College World Series, as Sunday's elimination games are starting in a weather delay.

Due to inclement weather around Devon Park and Oklahoma City, the NCAA pushed back the start of Sunday's first game between No. 4 Florida vs. No. 14 Alabama to 5 p.m. CT on Sunday. The Gators and Crimson Tide were originally slated for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch.

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Since Florida-Alabama was delayed by three hours, it will truly provide softball fans with one last go-around of Pac-12 After Dark as No. 6 UCLA and No. 8 Stanford are slated to battle against each other in the nightcap. The NCAA has not released an official start for the Bruins vs. Cardinal, but it won't begin at its original 6 p.m. CT start.

It is the second time that the WCWS has started in a weather delay since play began on Thursday.

All four teams face elimination from the WCWS on Sunday, with the winner of each game advancing out of the loser's bracket back into the winner's bracket.

Women's College World Series weather updates

All times Central

5:06 p.m.: After a lengthy three-hour weather delay, the WCWS has resumed play as Alabama's Kayla Beaver delivers a strike on the first pitch.

5 p.m.: The start of Alabama-Florida will begin on ESPNNews as Texas vs. Louisiana in the NCAA Baseball Tournament is finishing up on ESPN2.

4:52 p.m.: Florida has released its starting lineup for Sunday's elimination game against Alabama. First pitch is just over 10 minutes away! Softball loading....

4:40 p.m.: Alabama has released its starting lineup for Sunday's elimination game against Florida. First pitch is quickly approaching at Devon Park!

4:35 p.m.: According to ESPN.com's TV schedule, No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 8 Stanford is slated to begin approximately around 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

4:27 p.m.: Alabama has arrived to the field. First pitch is a little over 30 minutes away.

3:50 p.m.: The tarp is completely off the field at Devon Park, as captured by The Tuscaloosa News' Alabama beat reporter Anna Snyder.

3:40 p.m.: What do you do during a weather delay when you are a broadcaster? Well, play Heads Up of course! At least that is what the ESPN crew of Beth Mowins, Jessica Mendoza, Michele Smith and Holly Rowe are doing to kill time in the press box at Devon Park during the weather delay.

3:33 p.m.: The tarp is coming off at Devon Park!

3:22 p.m.: According to a live look at Devon Park during ESPN's in-studio show "Squeeze Play" for the NCAA Baseball Tournament, the grounds crew has come onto the field to begin pushing water off of the tarp. Looks like field preparations are slowly starting in Oklahoma City!

3:20 p.m.: It looks like the rain has moved out of the OKC area according to both The Weather Channel's radar and video provided by Rounding Third Softball on X (formerly known as Twitter).

2 p.m.: According to the NCAA, shuttles from the Remington parking lot will begin at 3:50 p.m. CT.

1:34 p.m: PER ESPN PR, ESPN2 will air No. 4 Florida vs. No. 14 Alabama due to the delayed start of the WCWS on Sunday. UCLA-Stanford will follow on ESPN2 afterward.

1:30 p.m.: The NCAA announced that the first pitch between No. 4 Florida and No. 14 Alabama is delayed to 5:06 p.m. CT. ESPN family of networks will still handle the broadcast duties.

Weather forecast in Oklahoma City

As of 3:16 p.m. CT, The Weather Channel is showing it looks like Mother Nature and the thunderstorms have made their way through Oklahoma City and Sunday's games will be clear of any potential rain. According to the hour-by-hour forecast given by The Weather Channel, it doesn't look like there is any threat of rain until 11 p.m. CT when scattered thunderstorms make a return.

Here's a hour-by-hour forecast for Oklahoma City through the rest of the night according to The Weather Channel as of 3:16 p.m. CT:

Note: Rain percentage is in parentheses

  • 3 p.m.: Mostly Cloudy (15%)

  • 4 p.m.: Mostly Cloudy (15%)

  • 5 p.m.: Mostly Cloudy (15%)

  • 6 p.m.: Partly Cloudy (7%)

  • 7 p.m.: Mostly Cloudy (15%)

  • 8 p.m.: Mostly Cloudy (15%)

  • 9 p.m.: Mostly Cloudy (15%)

  • 10 p.m.: Mostly Cloudy (15%)

  • 11 p.m.: Scattered Thunderstorms (43%)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Weather updates: WCWS elimination games delayed due to rain