OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — Jaron Bleeker pitched five innings of one-run relief and Joey Nerat delivered a tie-breaking three-run homer in the seventh inning to lift Iowa past Illinois 10-6 on Tuesday in a Big Ten Conference game at Sapp Fieldhouse.

The Hawkeyes improved to 30-21, while the Fighting Illini dropped to 27-26.

Iowa trailed 6-5 entering the bottom of the seventh after Illinois first baseman AJ Putty hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth, his third hit of the game. But the Hawkeyes erupted for five runs in the frame, sending 10 batters to the plate.

Risley singled and Wulf followed with a single to put runners at the corners. J. Frost’s sacrifice fly to center scored Risley to tie the game at 6-6. White then singled to center, moved to second on the throw and Wulf advanced to third. Swails walked to load the bases. Max Burt’s sacrifice fly to center brought home Wulf, giving Iowa a 7-6 lead. Nerat, who entered the game in the sixth as a pinch hitter and stayed in left field, then crushed a 3-1 pitch over the right-center wall for a three-run homer, scoring Swails and White to make it 10-6.

Nerat finished 1-for-2 with the homer and three RBIs. Burt drove in three runs on a double and a sacrifice fly.

Illinois had built an early lead with a four-run first inning. After Nick Groves singled and M. Farina grounded out, J. Zebig singled to drive in Groves. Putty singled, and Kyle Schupmann’s sacrifice fly scored Zebig. Collin Jennings then homered to right, driving in Putty and himself for a 4-0 advantage.

Iowa answered in the second. Wulf and Swails singled, and Burt doubled to right-center for two RBIs. Ziegler singled to left to make it 4-3. The Hawkeyes tied the game in the third when Mitch stole home after a balk.

Illinois regained the lead in the fourth when JR Nelson singled home Schupmann, who had singled earlier. Putty’s homer in the fifth made it 6-4. Iowa cut the lead to 6-5 in the bottom of the fifth on Frost’s RBI single.

Bleeker entered for Iowa in the fifth with Illinois leading 6-4. He allowed one run on three hits while striking out five over five innings, earning the win. He retired 11 of the final 13 batters he faced. Bleeker extended a strong stretch, having allowed only one earned run over 10 1/3 innings combined in his previous two starts.

Iowa outhit Illinois 13-11. Putty led the Illini with three hits, including a homer and an RBI. Jennings also homered, driving in two runs. Nelson had two hits and an RBI, and Schupmann had two hits and an RBI.

Illinois used four pitchers. Regan Hall started and lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out six. Sam Mommer relieved and gave up five runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. Ben Plumley recorded one out and did not allow a run.

The game marked the fourth meeting between the teams this season. Iowa took two of three in a series earlier in May, and Tuesday’s result gave the Hawkeyes a 3-1 edge in the season series.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Iowa 7, Illinois 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave Iowa a 53.90 percent probability to win.