A two and a half hour rain delay couldn’t cool off Kaitlin Colosimo. The third team Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-American hurled a no-hitter Saturday night to lead SIU-Edwardsville to a 4-0 win over Lock Haven and Monday’s national championship game.
The Cougars (48-8) await their opponent in Monday’s 11 a.m. EDT game. Saturday night’s elimination game between Florida Southern and Columbus State got pushed back to Sunday at Noon EDT due to the extended rain showers. The winner of that game will face Lock Haven at 2:30 p.m. EDT Sunday for the right to face SIUE Monday in a game that will be televised by CSTV.
Colosimo couldn’t miss Saturday night, as she finished a hit batsman and a walk away from a perfect game. Her no-hitter made her just the third pitcher in Division II history to hurl two no-no’s in the same NCAA tournament after she tossed one in the Great Lakes Regional.
“I didn’t notice it (the no-hitter) until the last inning,” Colosimo said. “Coach (Sandy Montgomery) just told me to keep the ball down.”
Her offense staked her to an early lead off first team all-American Kristin Erb as Jodie Ohlau, who picked up two hits in the game, led off with a single and ended up scoring on an LHU error. Kayleigh Rousey then capped the inning as she doubled down the line in left to score Courtney Mall and put the Cougars up 2-0.
SIUE would add two more runs in the second, as Nicole Beecher was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and scored on Ohlau’s two-out home run that capped the scoring and made it 4-0.
The Cougar half of the inning was halted by the rain, and following the extended delay, Erb returned to top form, holding the Cougars to a couple of hits the rest of the way.
The problem for Lock Haven, however, was Colosimo didn’t miss a beat following the rain delay, only walking one the remaining five frames.
“I told my team that I was amazed by them,” Montgomery said. “I cannot believe how well they played and the heart they showed.”