By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – A season that was showing signs of unraveling after the Iowa baseball team was swept in a three-game series at USC in April is now surging in the right direction, and at the right time.

The Hawkeyes hung on to defeat Illinois 6-5 on Saturday at Duane Banks Field, clinching their third straight series win.

Iowa also has won 10 of its last 12 games since being swept by USC in Los Angeles less than a month ago.

“I think it’s just guys kind of started just letting loose and there was obviously a point in the season where things weren’t going very good,” said Iowa senior second baseman Gable Mitchell. “But once you realize you just play free and play for the right reasons and play for each other, you go on a run.

“Obviously, the last two weekends have been great so far. And obviously a sweep tomorrow would be huge.”

Iowa swept Indiana last weekend in Bloomington, Indiana, but then fell to Illinois State 13-6 this past Tuesday at home.

The Hawkeye showed no effects from the Illinois State loss, though, as they defeated Illinois 9-3 in the series opener on Friday.

Iowa then bolted to a 3-0 lead in Saturday’s game as redshirt sophomore Jaixen Frost belted a three-run home run in the second inning.

The Hawkeyes expanded the lead to 5-0, but then Illinois answered with three runs in the sixth inning, trimming the deficit to 5-3.

Iowa then scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth, and that run would prove to be the difference as Illinois scored two runs in the eighth, pulling to within 6-5.

The Illini tried to steal home with two outs to even the score in the eighth inning, but the runner was tagged out at home plate.

Junior Maddux Frese started on the mound for the Hawkeyes, tossing six innings while allowing five hits and three unearned runs. Frese struck out three and walked two. Sophomore Jaron Bleeker and graduate student Joe Husak  followed in relief, pitching the remaining three innings with Husak earning the save.

“I thought Maddux gave us a great start, and Bleeker came in and went one‑two‑three with really good stuff. Husak is our closer, and he did exactly that,” said Iowa head coach Rick Heller said. “Today was Jaxien’s day, and he stepped up with a big home run to give us the lead. Maddux does a really nice job pitching with a lead and pounding the zone. I loved that we only had two walks today, and we definitely cleaned things up.”

Sunday’s series finale will mark the final appearance at Duane Banks Field for Iowa’s senior class, which includes Mitchell, an Iowa City native.

“Obviously, I’ve thought of it,” said Mitchell, who is the son of former Iowa baseball player Brian Mitchell and the grandson of former Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable. “But I try not to emotionally let it effect me too much because I’ve had a lot of great memories here, but I want to keep it going.

“But we’ve got a lot of work to do this season, so I’m not too focused on that. But once I maybe recognize, ‘hey, I’m not playing at Banks anymore,’ yeah, it might settle in a little but. But for now, it’s just sticking to playing hard.”

Iowa’s season could’ve easily unraveled after being swept by USC, which lowered Iowa’s record to 5-10 in Big Ten play.

But the players have stuck together and trusted the process and now Iowa is peaking at the right time with records of 12-11 in Big Ten play and 28-17 overall.

Following Sunday’s game against Illinois, the Hawkeyes will host St. Thomas on Tuesday before facing Nebraska in a three-game series beginning next Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Iowa will then face Purdue in the final series of the regular season May 14-16 at Principal Park in Des Moines.

“If you play your best ball now, that’s huge,” Mitchell said. “I know for our team we’re going to have to win the Big Ten Tournament to keep playing most likely. I doubt there’s any way we can sneak in (to the NCAA Tournament) without that.

“So we know if we play our best ball now, it gives us a chance to keep playing.”