After Iowa junior Trenton Wallace took a step back to begin last weekend’s four-game weekend set turning in his worst starting pitching performance of the season, the Rock Island, Illinois, native rebounded in Friday’s series-opener against Purdue.

In Wallace’s six and 2/3 innings of work, the lefty surrendered two runs on six hits. That was a far cry from last weekend’s showing when he completed only three innings and allowed three runs and four walks.

And the Iowa bats created just enough firepower for the Hawkeyes to pay off Wallace’s quality start Friday, defeating the host Boilermakers, 4-2, in 10 innings. That gave Iowa its fourth straight win.

After falling behind 2-1 after the first three frames, the Hawkeyes pushed one more run across in the fifth to tie it at two apiece and both teams were shutout until the tenth.

“It was a good Friday night win,” head coach Rick Heller said in a release. “Purdue played hard and competed, but our defense and pitching were both sound and gave us a chance to hang around long enough to win.”

Iowa had a chance to take the lead in the ninth, but a strikeout by Iowa’s Ben Norman followed by a groundout by Hawkeye third baseman Matthew Sosa ended the threat with the bases loaded.

In the tenth, the Hawkeyes didn’t squander their opportunity.

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To begin extra innings, Iowa first baseman Peyton Williams drew a leadoff walk. Following a groundout to advance Williams to second with one out, Purdue decided to intentionally walk Iowa’s Tyler Snep to potentially turn an inning-ending double play.

The decision backfired.

Purdue hurler Nolan Daniel threw a wild pitch during the next at bat and both Williams and Snep moved up 90 feet.

The Boilermakers decided to try it again. This time, Daniel intentionally walked Hawkeye right fielder Zeb Adreon.

Just like that the bases were loaded with one away, just as they were an inning ago.

But this time Iowa capitalized.

Hawkeye catcher Brett McCleary stepped into the batter’s box and delivered in the clutch.

On a 1-1 pitch the righty connected on an opposite-field single down the right field line to drive in the two eventual game-winning runs.

Though the Hawkeyes couldn’t make it five straight victories, losing 10-8 on Saturday after the Boilermakers had a six-run sixth inning, Iowa came back on Sunday to win the series and get back to the .500 mark.

The Hawkeye bats exploded in the eighth inning of Sunday’s matinee as Iowa put up seven runs in that half-inning alone en route to an 8-5 victory.

In the penultimate inning, Iowa cashed in five hit before a single out was recorded and sent 11 men to the plate. Williams reached base twice in the frame.

After Iowa’s terrific eighth inning, three Purdue runs in the bottom of the ninth didn’t make a difference in the outcome.

“They made things interesting, and we held on,” Heller said. “It was good to get a series win.”

The Hawkeye will try to keep their hot streak alive as they welcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers to Duane Banks Field Friday night to begin a three-game weekend set. Minnesota has a 4-14 record on the year.