By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY. Iowa – There is only one way to make up for being swept in a three-game Big Ten series and that is to deliver the same decisive blow to your next Big Ten opponent.

The Iowa baseball players can speak to that after having defeated No. 23 Illinois 3-1 on Sunday at Duane Banks Field to complete a three-game sweep.

The sweep over Illinois came just one week after Iowa was swept at Indiana in a three-game series and outscored 23-4 in the three-games.

“It’s the ultimate bounce back week for us,” said Iowa senior Chris Whelan. “It couldn’t have gone any better. I don’t want to say we planned this, but it was definitely something we had our sights set on.

“Going into practice last week, we were just trying to have a lot of fun and trying to get back to the basics of baseball and why we all started playing the game, and kind of taking added pressure away from ourselves.”

Even though it was only late March and the first home series in the Big Ten, there still was a sense of urgency heading into the Illinois series.

At worst, Iowa had to win the three-game series just to stay within striking distance of the top.

But now after winning all three games, Iowa has climbed back to .500 in the Big Ten at 3-3 and is 15-10 overall.

“It’s really important, it gets us back in the fight and back in the race,” said Iowa coach Rick Heller. “We’ve got at least five or six more home games coming up here, and hopefully, we can steadily, readily get healthier so we have some more options.

“But the guys who were out there did a super good job. We’ll get some work for the guys that didn’t throw this weekend because they’re going to have to really step it up. And hopefully, we can get on a roll here.”

Iowa’s next five games are at home beginning with a single game against Grand View on Tuesday followed by a game against Illinois State on Wednesday.

Iowa will then host Rutgers in a three-game series next Friday through Sunday.

Junior southpaw Grant Judkins gave Iowa its third quality start against Illinois by allowing just one run and scattering six hits over seven innings.

Judkins also walked just one batter while improving to 3-2 on the season.

“I saw the wind was blowing in so my goal for the game was to command the zone, pound it and let them get themselves out and just let my defense work, and they did a great job behind me,” Judkins said. “The goal was just to pound the zone all game.”

Cole McDonald started on the mound on Friday and lasted six innings as Iowa prevailed 8-4 in the first game of the series.

Cam Baumann then got the start in game two on Saturday and allowed just one run in six innings as Iowa hung on to win 2-1, thanks partly to some solid relief pitching.

Trace Hoffman and Grant Leonard also pitched well in relief on Sunday, with each pitching a scoreless inning.

“All weekend, our pitching staff was solid,” Judkins said. “We pounded the zone and got big, big pitches and got outs. And our defense was great behind (us).”

Judkins said he gained confidence from watching McDonald and Baumann have success against Illinois on the mound.

“It gives me a lot of confidence seeing what they’ve done and seeing how they’ve pitched to different batters and just being able to go out there and get the team a sweep,” Judkins said. “That was the goal today.”

Heller always talks to his players about trusting the process and about doing things the right way on a daily basis no matter the circumstance.

That mindset is a big part of the culture that Heller has built within the Iowa baseball program, and it was apparent this weekend as Iowa dug out of an early hole.

The players were down after the Indiana series, but they didn’t have time to sulk or feel sorry for themselves because Iowa had to play Bradley on Tuesday at Banks Field.

Iowa rallied late to win that game 4-2 and it was just what the players needed from an emotional standpoint heading into the Illinois series.

“It was really a make-or-break week for me with the process because if we were going to pout and worry about what happened last weekend at Indiana, I mean these guys were coming to town, Illinois was coming to town and we had no time to feel sorry for ourselves,” Heller said. “So it was a big week for this team, especially with all the injuries and all the other things to go along with what happened last week to see if they’re bought in or not. And I think this was a great sign that they are.”

Whelan said the come-from-behind victory over Bradley lit a much-needed spark.

“I thought we were kind of down in the dumps for most of that game and we couldn’t get anything going offensively,” Whelan said of the Bradley game. “The pitching was great and the defense was great. But offensively, we were putting good swings on the ball, but we just didn’t have it.

“But yeah, I think I think that sparked the whole thing. And it kind of goes back to the magic at (Banks Field) and all the stuff that brings. We believe that we’re unbeatable at home”

Judkins struggled with his control earlier in the season, but in Sunday’s game he consistently got ahead of the hitters and pounded the strike zone.

And it was important that he did because the Iowa offense only produced four hits in Sunday’s game.

“He’s really cleaned that up and his command of the strike zone has been much, much better,” Heller said of Judkins. “His demeanor is good. He’s got good composure and control on the mound.

“He’s developed the slider that has been a real good pitch for him. It’s really been a good pitch for him. And his ability to throw a change-up when he needs to.”

Illinois scored the first run in Sunday’s game in the top of the second on a two-out single to center with runners on the corners.

Iowa right fielder Connor McCaffery smacked a single to left with one out in the bottom of the second, but was then thrown out while trying to steal second base.

Tanner Wetrich then struck out to end the inning.

Judkins cruised through the top of the third by going three-up and three-down against the top of the Illinois order.

In the bottom of the third, Zeb Adreon and Mitchell Boe both reached base on consecutive walks with one out, and then they both scored on a triple by catcher Austin Martin.

Martin then scored on a wild pitch to give Iowa a 3-1 lead.

McCaffery walked to load the bases, but the inning ended when Wetrich flew to out to shallow right field.

The fourth inning started with Ben Norman losing a ball in the sun that was hit by Illinois first baseman Kellen Sarver, who then raced into third for a triple.

Sarver was left stranded, though, as Judkins quelled the potential rally by retiring the next three batters.

Adreon then led off the bottom of the fourth with a double, but was left stranded on base.

Illinois had runners at the corners with one out in the sixth, but Judkins worked out of another jam by recording a strikeout and a pop up to shortstop for the final two outs.

In addition to sweeping the 23^rd-ranked Fighting Illini, Iowa also allowed just six runs in the three games.

“That’s big for us,” Judkins said. “Like I said, last weekend was a little disappointing, but coming back and taking all three from a top-25 team, that’s huge for us.”

Illinois 010 000 000 – 1 9 0

Iowa 003 000 00x – 3 4 1