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Why did umpire leave Tennessee-UNC game at College World Series? Kellen Levy has ‘possible concussion’

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No. 1 Tennessee baseball’s College World Series game Sunday against No. 4 national seed North Carolina was delayed due to an umpire change.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, home plate umpire Kellen Levy took a foul ball off the bat of Tennessee left fielder Dylan Dreiling that hit him straight in his face mask.

REQUIRED READING: Tennessee baseball vs North Carolina score updates in College World Series

Per Knox News Sentinel’s Mike Wilson, reporting from the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, the PA announcer at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha announced Levy left with a “possible concussion.”

With Levy leaving the game, Scott Cline, who was previously at second base, will take over behind the plate while alternate umpire Grady Smith will come in for Cline at second.

Action at the College World Series was halted for 17 minutes as Cline had to go back into the umpire dressing room to put on equipment.

Levy has some history with the Volunteers, and it is not on the good side: He ejected former Tennessee outfielder Drew Gilbert in the middle of an at-bat during the 2022 Knoxville Super Regional against Notre Dame after Gilbert showed his displeasure of a pitch call. Gilbert was suspended a game per the NCAA’s ejection rules.

“Tennessee No. 1 Drew Gilbert argued several pitches during the top of the second inning, steaming in from centerfield,” umpire crew chief Billy Van Raaphorst said in a pool report on why Gilbert was removed. “To begin the next inning I talked to the player between innings, warning him to direct his comments only to his team, not our crew or the other team. He said OK and that he just gets excited.

“During the fifth inning following strike one, Tennessee batter Gilbert yelled an expletive, followed by another expletive as he walked out of the box and was subsequently ejected.”

As things stand Sunday, Tennessee is currently leading North Carolina 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning. With a win over the Tar Heels, the Volunteers will move to 2-0 in the College World Series and the CWS semifinals out of Bracket 1. If Tennessee is unable to hold onto its lead and falls to North Carolina, the Vols will drop to the “loser’s bracket” and face No. 8 Florida State Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET in an elimination game.

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