CWS umpire Kellen Levy replaced due to possible concussion in Tennessee vs North Carolina matchup

There was an unexpected and lengthy delay heading into the bottom of the fifth inning in Tennessee and North Carolina‘s College World Series matchup on Sunday night due to an umpire change in Omaha.

Home plate umpire Kellen Levy exited the game with a potential concussion and will be replaced by second base umpire Scott Cline behind home plate. With alternate umpire Grady Smith now being moved to the second base umpire spot in a reshuffling that caused quite the delay in Omaha.

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It was never apparent when Levy suffered the injury, but ESPN’s broadcast crew believed that a pitch may have struck the umpire in his face mask in the fourth inning that led to his exit from the ballgame. And between the changing of umpire equipment and the other technicalities of an umpire change, there’s no question that there was a lull in Sunday’s game with multiple commercial breaks on ESPN’s broadcast and fans getting a little restless at Charles Schwab Field.

From a player’s perspective, there’s no question that the umpire could have had an impact as batters adjust to potential differences in the strike zone. But the change in Sunday’s game could have been particularly impactful for Tennessee, as the delay came right before North Carolina was changing pitchers.

North Carolina’s Matthew Matthijs took over on the mound for Shea Sprague heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. But Tennessee’s starter Drew Beam was firing on all cylinders ahead of the delay, allowing just one hit, zero runs, and striking out seven batters through five innings. Having to take a trip to the bullpen during the umpire change to keep his arm warm.

When Beam did appear back on the mound he gave up his first run of the game after North Carolina star outfielder Vance Honeycutt hit a solo home run to open up the sixth inning. Giving up two singles in the next two at-bats to put an end to his day in what was a solid showing for the junior right-handed pitcher.

“I mean, he’s just not throwing balls. He looks like he’s in complete control as well,” North Carolina head coach Scott Forbes said about Beam during the fourth inning on ESPN’s broadcast. “So you just gotta hang in there, make plays defensively, get a guy on base, and try to hit a ball in the gap right there.”

Kirby Connell took the mound for Beam and has allowed just one hit and zero runs in his two innings pitched, as North Carolina will look to generate some offense with Tennessee leading 5-1 following the seventh-inning stretch.