Kansas University junior pitcher Kodiak Quick notched his seventh victory of the season Sunday when the Jayhawks held off Western Illinois, 3-2.

Quick, in his first year at KU, improved to 7-1 — already matching last year’s team victory leader, Ryan Knippschild.

In the first inning, it looked as though it would be a short stint on the mound for Quick, as the Leathernecks (4-17) roughed him up for two runs on five hits. It was a far cry from the dominance the Belton, Mo., native showed in five shutout innings March 13, but after a visit from pitching coach Steve Abney, Quick got the last two outs of the inning, and Western Illinois never scored again.

KU improved to 20-8.

“The first inning was pretty rough,” Quick said. “I felt like I was throwing pretty good pitches. They were just finding holes in the infield.”

“I was really pleased with how competitive he was,” KU coach Ritch Price said. “He gives up two in the first, and he has runners in scoring position several times, and he found a way to get into trouble, and get out of trouble, and that’s what pitching’s all about. And if he doesn’t put the six zeros up after that, we might not hang on to win today.”

Work out of trouble he did, stranding nine Leatherneck runners on base in his seven innings.

KU was relatively quick to make up the difference after the minor first-inning slip.

In the bottom of the second inning, junior outfielder Gus Milner drew a lead-off walk, and then took third on a beautiful hit-and-run off of a single by freshman outfielder John Allman. Then, completing the small-ball execution, KU pulled off a double-steal, as Milner scored when Allman bolted for second.

KU batter Jake Kauzlarich attempts to put down a bunt against Western Illinois. The Jayhawks completed a sweep of the Leathernecks with a 3-2 victory Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.

Kansas took the lead for good in its next at-bat. Freshman third baseman Erik Morrison led the third off with a base hit, and then took second and third on back-to-back wild pitches by Western starter Bobby Mahon. He scored on an RBI single by junior second baseman Matt Baty, and Baty scored three batters later on a sacrifice fly to right by Milner.

But by far the most impressive note of the day for KU was that it was the longest the team had sustained a one-run lead this season. After Quick left the game, senior Clint Schambach and junior Don Czyz shut the door in the eighth and ninth innings.

The only base-runner the duo allowed was on an Erik Morrison error.

KU pitcher Kodiak Quick delivers against Western Illinios. Quick improved to 7-1 with the 3-2 victory Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.

“It’s great being able to hand the ball over to the bullpen and know they’re not going to score,” Quick said.

The Jayhawks will travel to Springfield, Mo., to face Southwest Missouri State on Wednesday for their final contest before Friday’s Big 12 Conference opener against Nebraska.

Note: Kansas freshman second baseman Ryne Price, who as been hot of late, was held out of Sunday’s contest after suffering a severely sprained ankle in a collision at first base on Saturday. His status is questionable for Wednesday’s game.