Alabama fans have been playing the waiting game for a trip to Omaha for the College World Series for the last 27 years. Thanks to the NCAA, they've had to wait a little bit longer.
Alabama's matchup against St. John's in Game Two of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional has been in a delay for over two hours now. The Crimson Tide leads 7-2 in the 8th inning, but lightning and heavy rain have things in a holding pattern.
You can thank the NCAA for that.
First pitch was originally scheduled for 2pm at The Joe, but the NCAA elected to push the start time back an hour for the threat of inclement weather that never came. Had the game started on time, it could have finished before the real weather actually hit. Leave it to the NCAA to step in and put a damper on what should have been a triumphant Sunday in Tuscaloosa with the Crimson Tide exorcizing a lot of diamond demons.
Alabama baseball in a weather delay just six outs away from Omaha
The latest update is that the game won't restart any earlier than 8:30pm:
Tonight's contest will not resume before 8:30, as we continue to be delayed by lightning within eight miles of Sewell-Thomas Stadium. https://t.co/0ZNk8nRIC8
— Alabama Baseball (@AlabamaBSB) June 8, 2026
Leading by five with only six outs to get makes Alabama a massive favorite to win and advance to Omaha for the College World Series for the first time since 1999. Unfortunately, they'll have to do so in front of what will be a much sparser crowd at The Joe than the raucous environment they have enjoyed so far this weekend.
That's a disservice to this team, too, because they deserve a grand send-off in what should be the final game of the season in Tuscaloosa. Thanks to NCAA incompetence, that won't happen.
It's hard to blame fans for leaving, too. This game has been at a standstill for over two hours, and tomorrow is a workday.
Those who were at The Joe prior to the delay, however, were treated to one of the biggest moments in Alabama baseball history this century. Nursing a 3-2 lead in the 7th, senior third baseman Jason Torres hit an opposite field grand slam into the Ragers to send the crowd into an absolute frenzy. It's a moment that will never be forgotten, no matter how long the game is ultimately delayed:
GO CRAZY, FOLKS!#RollTide pic.twitter.com/AcHIUOJxQ7
— Alabama Baseball (@AlabamaBSB) June 7, 2026
It was an incredible moment for Torres, straight out of a sports movie. It has been a challenging year for the Miami transfer, but he's stepped up in the postseason and has the Crimson Tide on the precipice of a first this century.
Whenever the game finally restarts, the final six outs will be worth the wait, assuming Alabama can maintain the momentum and finish.
It's been 27 years since this program made it to Omaha. What's a few extra hours?
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