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Jun 05, 2023

Hattiesburg Super Regional forecast: Rain expected for Tennessee

Pack the umbrella for the party at Pete Taylor Park this weekend during the

Pack the umbrella for the party at Pete Taylor Park this weekend during the Hattiesburg Super Regional.

The rain might be coming.

On Wednesday, the National Weather Service was forecasting scattered thunderstorms for Saturday and Sunday, which could impact the college baseball super regional between Tennessee and Southern Miss. The winner of the three-game NCAA Tournament series, which begins Saturday at 2 p.m. CT, will advance to the 2023 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, where a national champion will be crowned.

According to the NWS, there's a 20% chance of thunderstorms after 2 p.m. on Saturday and a 40% chance of thunderstorms after 2 p.m. on Sunday. If the series drags into Monday, a 40% chance of thunderstorms still exists.

Expect delays if the thunderstorms reach Pete Taylor Park. A lightning strike within 8 miles will trigger a 30-minute delay, even if precipitation is not falling. Such was the case during the Nashville Regional last weekend, when Vanderbilt and Xavier were delayed by four hours in the ninth inning for lightning in the area, including under partly cloudy skies.

Southern Miss is chasing its first College World Series berth since 2009 and second in program history. USM coach Scott Berry is set to retire at the end of the season.

Tennessee went unbeaten in the Clemson Regional to advance and was a candidate to host the super regional. The Vols are making their third straight super regional appearance.

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