Skip To Main Content

University of Illinois Athletics

Comia
0
Texas A&M TAMU 10-1
1
Winner Illinois ILL 4-3
Texas A&M TAMU
10-1
0
Final
1
Illinois ILL
4-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Texas A&M TAMU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Illinois ILL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 X 1 4 0

W: Kutt, Ryan (1-0) L: MILLER (0-1) S: Acton, Garrett (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Illinois Wins 1-0 Thriller Over No. 13 Texas A&M

FRISCO, Texas — Branden Comia had the game-winning RBI in the eighth inning Friday to finish off a thrilling 1-0 win over No. 13 Texas A&M at Dr Pepper Ballpark. Ty Weber threw 6 2/3 shutout innings to duel with Texas A&M ace Asa Lacy, a projected top-five overall MLB Draft pick. 

"This proves we can play with anyone in the country," said head coach Dan Hartleb. 

Illinois (4-3) beat the previously undefeated Aggies (10-1) on Comia's two-out single to right field to score Taylor Jackson, who had singled and stole second. Closer Garrett Acton shut the door in the ninth with a 1-2-3 frame to finish off the upset. 

Weber was brilliant in holding Texas A&M, which was averaging 11.5 runs per game, to only three hits while striking out three. It was the longest shutout outing of his four-year career in Champaign. 

Then the bullpen was just as good, as Ryan Kutt (1.1 IP, 0 H) and Garrett Acton (1.0 IP, 0 H) combined to keep the Aggies hitless over the final seven outs. Kutt entered in the seventh with two runners on and got Illinois out of a jam with a fly out. Acton, last year's national leader in saves, picked up his third save of the season. 

Both teams struggled to get base runners against the opposing aces. The teams combined to go 0-17 leading off, 3-16 with runners on, and 3-18 with two outs. Lacy struck out 11 in six innings of work, while allowing two hits and walking three. Texas A&M closer Bryce Miller (0-1) took the loss by allowing the one run in 1 2/3 innings. 

Illinois is back at Dr Pepper Ballpark on Saturday against No. 23 Oklahoma State. Ty Rybarczyk is scheduled to start for the Illini. 

Notes

• Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb won his 450th game. He is 450-325-1 in 15 seasons as the Illini's head coach. 
• Ty Weber had his longest career shutout outing (6 2/3 IP).
• No. 13 Texas A&M is Illinois' highest ranked win since beating No. 11 UCLA in 2018.
• No. 13 Texas A&M is the eighth-highest ranked win of Dan Hartleb's head coach career.
• Illinois is 3-8 all-time against Texas A&M. The Illini beat Texas A&M for the first time since 1995, snapping a two-game losing streak. 
• Illinois shut out a ranked team for the first time since April 29, 2015 vs. #19 Minnesota (W, 2-0).
• Illinois has four wins and four saves (Acton 3, Maldonado 1). 
• Branden Comia is on a four-game hitting streak and a career-long 12-game reached base streak. 
• Taylor Jackson has hit safely in all seven games this season. 
• Alex Steinbach is on a four-game hitting streak.
• Frisco Classic opponents' rankings...
     » Texas A&M - #13 (NCBWA), #15 (Collegiate Baseball), #18 (D1Baseball), #18 (Perfect Game)
     » Oklahaom State - #23 (Baseball America), #24 (Perfect Game), #28 (NCBWA), #28 (Collegiate Baseball)
     » UCLA - #1 (Collegiate Baseball), #7 (NCBWA), #7 (Perfect Game), #10 (D1Baseball), #11 (Baseball America)

Hartleb Highest Ranked Wins

• March 6, 2009 at #1 LSU W, 3-1
• March 8, 2009 at #1 LSU W, 6-2
• March 6, 2015 at #10 Oklahoma State W, 6-2
• March 8, 2015 at #10 Oklahoma State W, 4-2 (10)
• March 2,2018 vs. #11 UCLA W, 5-3
• June 5, 2011 at #11 Cal State Fullerton W, 7-5
• March 12, 2010 at #12 Coastal Carolina W, 11-10
• Feb. 28, 2020 vs. #13 Texas A&M W, 1-0

Highlights

Print Friendly Version