StarBulletin.com

Super regional opener rained out


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POSTED: Saturday, May 29, 2010

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. » How do you spend a rain delay on the mainland?

The University of Hawaii softball team sat it out in its hotel — watching softball, of course.

The first game of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Super Regional between the 16th-seeded Rainbow Wahine and top-seeded Alabama never got started yesterday. Lightning and rain settled in around the Alabama Softball Complex before the first pitch, and the game was finally called after a delay of more than 3 hours.

Hawaii (44-13) and Alabama (51-9) will play a doubleheader today. The first game is scheduled for 6 a.m. Hawaii time, with an 8:30 a.m. start for the second game in the best-of-three series.

The doubleheader will be televised on ESPNU.

A third game, if necessary, will be played tomorrow at a time to be determined.

The winner of the series will advance to the Women's College World Series, which starts next week in Oklahoma City.

After waiting at the stadium for more than an hour to see if the thunderstorms would subside, Hawaii packed up and took the short drive to its hotel. Players munched on sandwiches and chips and soft drinks while they waited to see if they would be playing.

“;Being 5 minutes away has its advantages,”; Hawaii coach Bob Coolen said. “;We just hunkered down at the Hampton Inn and watched the Arizona-BYU and Washington-Oklahoma (super regional) games.”;

The overnight delay changes the format of the super regional. Instead of a single game on the first day and a doubleheader, if necessary, on the second day, the teams will now play a doubleheader on the first day.

               

     

 

 

SUPER REGIONAL

        In Tuscaloosa, Ala.

       

Today
        » Alabama (51-9) vs. Hawaii (47-13), 6 a.m.
        » Alabama vs. Hawaii, 8:30 a.m.
        Tomorrow
        » Alabama vs. Hawaii, TBA, if necessary

       

To Hawaii, it makes no difference.

“;Not at all,”; Coolen said. “;Playing a doubleheader is your normal thing.”;

In fact, the Rainbow Wahine have played twice on the same day 18 times in the 2010 season, sometimes playing two different opponents in one day in early-season tournaments, but also playing the same team twice on the same day in Western Athletic Conference play.

In the WAC, Hawaii swept doubleheaders six of seven times, splitting only against Fresno State on the last day of the regular season.

Playing two games in one day likely will bring pitching depth into play. Sophomore Stephanie Ricketts (27-7, 2.35 ERA) and freshman Kaia Parnaby (19-6, 2.89 ERA) could both be called into action for the Rainbow Wahine.

“;We have two pitchers,”; Coolen said. “;Everyone's healthy. We're ready.”;

The teams took batting practice yesterday before a series of lightning strikes in the area forced a delay. Sporadic lightning continued for more than an hour before the rainfall started, slowly at first and building to a downpour.

After a delay of more than 3 hours, officials finally called the game and announced the postponement.

Hawaii actually walked onto the field, ready to take infield warm-ups, at one point after it appeared the delay would only be about an hour. But another lightning strike in the area prompted the game to be postponed.

Hawaii players decided to break the monotony of sitting in the dugout and walked across the field to sit in their rental vehicles for a while. They went back to the dugout, then headed to the team hotel to wait it out and see if they would play.

“;It just became unfortunate because nobody was telling us what was going on,”; Coolen said. “;We left ourselves. No one came back and said anything to us.

“;We saw Alabama getting out of their dugout. There was rain and lightning and we decided to leave.”;

An overnight rain delay will not dampen the drive of a Hawaii team that has been on the road since May 10 in its quest to reach the World Series.

“;I think half my team is going to sleep in our uniforms, they're so ready,”; Coolen said. “;We have to get up early.

“;We're just hopeful the rain dissipates and the sun comes out and dries things up and we can play.”;