IOWA CITY, Iowa (Interstat) — Sam Nerat drove in the tying run and then scored the go-ahead run on a daring double steal in the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday, lifting the Iowa Hawkeyes to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a Big Ten Conference baseball game decided by a chaotic final play.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded under evening lights at Duane Banks Field, saw Iowa erase an early four-run deficit before surviving a dramatic, three-run Minnesota rally in the top of the ninth that ended with the potential tying run being thrown out at second base.

The victory gave Iowa (15-12) the series win after the teams split the first two games. Minnesota fell to 18-13.

The most critical sequence came with the Hawkeyes trailing 4-3 in the seventh. Caleb Wulf was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a passed ball. After a walk to Kellen Risley, Minnesota reliever Tyler Hemmesch was replaced by Ben Gregory. Nerat greeted Gregory with an RBI single through the right side, scoring Wulf to tie the game at 4-4.

Nerat then stole second base, and on the throw, Risley broke for home, stealing it successfully to put Iowa ahead 5-4. The twin thefts provided the decisive margin.

Iowa’s comeback was necessary after Minnesota struck for all four of its runs in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. The Golden Gophers loaded the bases on a walk and a hit batter before Iowa starter Logan Runde hit two more batters to force in a pair of runs. A wild pitch and a sacrifice fly accounted for the other two runs.

From there, Runde settled in brilliantly, delivering the top performance for Iowa. The right-hander silenced the Minnesota bats after the rocky first, ultimately pitching seven strong innings, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out five. The only damage against him after the first was a solo home run by Easton Richter, his 10th of the season, in the sixth inning that gave Minnesota a 4-3 lead.

Minnesota’s pitching was effective but ultimately undone by free passes. Starter Marcus Kruzan did not allow a hit in 3 2/3 innings but walked four, hit a batter and was charged with three earned runs. Hemmesch followed with 2 1/3 hitless innings, striking out seven, but he walked two and hit a batter, leading to the two Iowa runs in the seventh. Gregory provided two scoreless innings of relief.

The Golden Gophers mounted a serious threat in the ninth against Iowa reliever Jack Husak. After a close play at first base led to the ejection of Minnesota head coach Ty McDevitt, Jake Neels and Davis Hamilton hit back-to-back singles. Charlie Sutherland then launched a three-run homer, his seventh of the season, to suddenly cut Iowa’s lead to 5-4.

After a walk put the potential go-ahead run on base, Iowa brought in closer Beau Leisure. He struck out pinch-hitter Sam Hellum looking for the second out. On the next pitch, Leisure and the Hawkeyes caught Drew Lippe attempting to steal second base, with catcher Ben Wilmes applying the tag to end the game.

Hamilton led Minnesota’s seven-hit attack, going 3 for 4. Gable Mitchell had two of Iowa’s six hits.

The result defied a late rally by the Golden Gophers and secured a pivotal conference series win for the Hawkeyes as both teams continue their Big Ten schedules next weekend.