Trojans Get Real Taste of Omaha

USC’s College World Series game against Florida State was rained out Tuesday, but not without an interesting twist.

Most of the team’s players and coaches were in their downtown high-rise hotel at 1:45 p.m. when sirens blared on the street and announcements over the hotel intercom advised guests and employees to congregate in a first-floor ballroom or the basement because of a tornado warning that lasted about an hour.

“It definitely adds to the Omaha experience,” USC pitcher Rik Currier said.

Second baseman Anthony Lunetta was in his room when the tornado warning was announced.

“Our room is on the 18th floor, so I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s going to do much good being up here,’ ” he said. “We wanted to get down near the ground.”

Fans at Rosenblatt Stadium, awaiting the start of the elimination game between Clemson and Louisiana Lafayette, were advised to take cover in the concrete-walled concourse. The press box also was evacuated.

Jim Wright, the NCAA’s media coordinator for the World Series, said he could recall only one other instance, in the mid-1980s, when the press box was evacuated because of a tornado warning.

The rainouts pushed the World Series schedule back a day for the second year in a row.

Clemson (51-16) will play Louisiana Lafayette (48-19) today at 10 a.m. PDT. USC (44-19) plays Florida State (52-18) at 4 p.m.

On Thursday, Stanford (49-15) will play the winner of the Clemson-Louisiana Lafayette game at noon. Louisiana State (50-17) will play the winner of the USC-Florida State game at 4.

If Stanford and LSU win Thursday, they advance to Saturday’s championship game. If they lose, they play the same opponents Friday in elimination games.

USC defeated Florida State, 6-4, in its opener on Saturday then had its 16-game winning streak end with a 10-4 loss to LSU on Monday.

“The loss to LSU was disappointing, but it wasn’t like a nail in the coffin or anything,” Lunetta said. “We know it’s a harder road we face, but we’re not really bummed about it. We know we can still come out on top.”

Freshman right-hander Anthony Reyes (6-6, 4.15 earned-run average) will start for USC against Florida State. Reyes has not pitched since May 28, when he started and went five innings in a victory over Cal State Fullerton in a regional final.

Reyes said Tuesday’s rainout will not impact his preparation or his performance against Florida State, which rebounded from its opening loss to USC with a 6-2 victory over Texas on Monday night.

“I just have to pitch like how the scouting report says,” Reyes said.

USC Coach Mike Gillespie said pushing the schedule back a day does not benefit the Trojans. If they reach the final, neither Currier, Mark Prior nor Reyes will likely be available to start.

“It means somebody other than Currier, Prior or Reyes [will] have to step up,” he said.

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College World Series

TODAY’S GAMES

* Clemson (51-16) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (48-19), 10 a.m.

* USC (44-19) vs. Florida State (52-18), 4 p.m.

All times Pacific