Branden Comia lasered a two-run home run 106 miles per hour over the left field fence in the fourth inning Sunday to propel the Illinois baseball team to a 2-1 win against West Virginia at TicketReturn.com Field. The Illini finished the weekend 2-1 with wins over Coastal Carolina and the Mountaineers to get to .500 on the season (3-3).

First-time starter Cole Kirschsieper (1-0) was outstanding in six innings of quick work, scattering six hits, striking out four, and only allowing a first-inning run. The lefty threw 80 pitches (59 strikes) before giving way to sophomore Aidan Maldonado, who was equally as good. Maldonado earned a three-inning save by allowing only one hit in a shutout relief effort. The two combined to throw 66.7% strikes and finish the game in 1:57. 

West Virginia's Jake Carr (1-1) was the tough-luck loser after throwing a complete game and limiting Illinois to five hits and no walks in 85 pitches. Alex Steinbach had two of the Illini's hits for the second day in a row out of the DH spot. 

Illinois travels to the highly-touted Frisco Classic next weekend in Frisco, Texas, to face No. 20 Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, and No. 14 UCLA in one of the top round robin tournaments in college baseball.