Iowa's spring athletes had another great week last week, continuing one of the better athletic seasons in recent memory. Track and field continues to break records almost weekly, scrappy softball and tennis teams are outperforming preseason expectations, and Hawkeye baseball has grinded its way to the best record in the Big Ten.

Let's take a closer look.

Iowa baseball (31-12, 20-4 Big Ten) swept Indiana (23-21, 12-12 Big Ten) last weekend, coming away with a thrilling 2-1 win on Friday before exploding for a pair of run rule wins, 13-2 and 10-0.

Friday's series opener was a thrilling pitcher's duel. The Hoosiers struck first with a run in the game's opening frame, but from there Cade Obermueller was electric on the mound. He threw 5.2 innings and racked up six strikeouts while allowing just two hits. In the bottom of the sixth inning Daniel Rogers pulled the Hawkeyes even with a solo homer.

The Hawkeye bullpen took care of business in the final four innings, as Chas Wheatley and Brant Hogue combined for eight strikeouts (six from Hogue over 2.1 innings) to keep the game deadlocked. Iowa couldn't find a winning run of their own and the game continued to extras, deadlocked at one. Anthony Watts came in after one out in the tenth and kept the Hoosiers off the scoreboard, setting the stage for Hawkeye Heriocs.

In the 10th, Miles Risley walked and Rogers moved him to third with a single to right field. Slugger Blake Guerin came to the plate next, with the opportunity to send the Hawkeyes home with a bang. Instead, Guerin laid down a beautiful two-strike squeeze and Risley scampered home to give Iowa the thrilling 2-1 victory.

The Hawkeye offense removed any room for doubt in the series' final two games. On Saturday, the Hawkeyes scored early and often, putting the game out of reach long before the run rule win. Jaixen Frost put the Hawks on the board with a two-run shot in the second inning and Moore and Risley each drove in a run in the third to double the Hawkeye lead.

Ben Wilmes and Gable Mitchell combined for three RBIs in the fourth inning and the Hawks plated another in the fifth, pushing their lead to 8-2. Wilmes put an exclamation on the game in the bottom of the seventh, mashing a grand slam to clinch the run rule win. He finished the game 3-4 with six RBIs, a career-best.

Aaron Savary continued the Hawkeye hot streak on the mound, putting together a 6.2-inning gem, striking out six.

Sunday's sweep was even more impressive for the Hawkeyes, as they swept the Hoosiers with a dominant 10-0 shutout. Caleb Wulf got the Hawks started with an RBI single in the bottom of the second and Andy Nelson followed behind with a two-run shot. The Hawks added three more in the 3rd and then blew the game open with a four-run sixth that included Nelson's second home run of the game. Reece Beuter was near-perfect on the mound, throwing six shutout innings while striking out seven.

Indiana's offense ranks second in the Big Ten in batting average, slugging, and OPS, but you wouldn't know it from the way the Hawkeyes shut them down this weekend. The starters were on from first pitch and when the bullpen was called upon, they were absolutely lights out. Add in a Hawkeye offense that continues to rake--and find ways to manufacture runs when they have an off night--and the recipe for success for these Hawkeyes is clear.

The group has the highest batting average in the Big Ten, the best ERA by almost a full run and they've stuck out more batters than any other Big Ten team. The Hawks' RPI doesn't match the results and it's partially due to the midweek losses they've suffered.

Case in point: Iowa found that all-too-familiar pitfall again on Tuesday, losing 6-5 to Illinois State. A six-run RedBird fourth inning put the Hawkeyes behind 6-1, and while they rallied for four in the eighth, the early deficit proved too much to overcome. The Hawkeyes have their eyes set on postseason play, but the losses to mid-major competition continue to shrink their margin for error.

Still, they've found success during their weekend games and will need to continue to rack up wins as they head west to take on Washington (25-21, 13-8 Big Ten) next weekend.

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Iowa track and field took part in the Drake relays last weekend and came away with more updates to the Hawkeyes' all-time list and some impressive finishes. The Hawks were productive from jump at the meet. On Day 1, freshman Luke Knepp was the top collegiate finisher in the men's 3000m steeplechase, finishing 8:43.84 and Yohana Yual was close behind, finishing in 8:48.32, 4th-fastest ever at Iowa. Fellow freshman Abraham Vogelsang finished 3rd, scoring 7,874 points, 2nd-best all-time for the Hawkeyes.

Day 2 ended with fireworks as Iowa's men's 4x800m relay team won their race with a world-leading time of 7:21.88. Derek Leicht, James Fingalsen, Ryan Schreiner, and Terrick Johnson put together a historic run, winning the event for the Hawkeyes for the first time since 2017 and notching the 3rd-best time in school history. The women's 4x800m team of Clare Kelly, Gabby Cortez, Jaiden Itsen, and Alli Bookin-Nosbisch also posted Iowa's 3rd-fastest time ever, running their race in 8:41.93. Bryce Ruland won the men's discus with a 57.62m throw (8th all-time) and Sydnie Smith also won the women's discus with a 52.30m throw.

The Hawkeyes closed out competition with more event wins and, for only the 2nd time in program history, the Drake Relays Cup win on the women's side. Winners from the final day included Holly Duax in the women's 100m race (11.98), Kalil Johnson, Tyler Kenaga, Drew Dillard, and Kai Graves-Banks in the men's 4x110 shuttle hurdles (57.26, 2nd all-time), Aliva Williams, Olicia Lucas, Damaris Mutunga, and Chioma Nwachukwu in the women's 4x400m relay (3:31.13), Ryan Johnson in the men's hammer throw (71.16m), and Ellie Rickertsen, Gabby Cortez, Ali Fransen, and Itsen in the women's 4x400m relay, university level.

Duax, Lia Love, Damaria Mutunga, and Bookin-Nosbisch capped off the weekend in the Women's sprint medley with a school record and cup-clinching time of 3:44.12.

In a historic season of Hawkeye track and field, the Hawks continue to find ways to raise the bar. The Drake Relays are an Iowa staple and coming away with a cup win on the women's side is a big deal for this group. They continued their rewriting of the Iowa record books and, as has been the case all year, some of Iowa's best performers are their underclassmen. Iowa is set up for success in the short and long term this season and it will be a treat to continue to watch them.

They'll host the Musco Twilight this weekend.

Hawkeye softball (31-17, 12-7 Big Ten) took two of three from Michigan State (15-27, 5-14 Big Ten) over the weekend, continuing their successful Big Ten campaign. Iowa won the opener 3-1, dropped the middle game 4-2, and won the rubber match 6-4.

In Friday's opener, the Spartans took an early lead, scoring once in the bottom of the second inning. Desiree Rivera drew the Hawkeyes even with an RBI double in the top of the third inning and Iowa pulled ahead in the fourth when Hannah Lindsay launched a two-run bomb.

Jalen Adams was once again great on the mound, pitching a complete game and striking out four. She held the Spartans to one run and kept any threat of a rally at bay. Friday marked her 16th complete game of the season and Iowa's eighth straight conference victory.

Unfortunately, Iowa's conference win streak came to an end on Saturday as they fell 4-2 in a heartbreaker. MSU took a 1-0 lead in the 3rd inning, but Iowa rallied in the sixth inning, tying the game on a Talia Tretton RBI single. Tretton continued her knack for helping her own cause, tying the game while pitching 6.2 innings of one-run ball. In the top of the seventh, Jena Young singled to lead off the inning and advanced on a wild pitch. A few batters later, a Spartan throwing error allowed Young to score and gave Iowa a seventh-inning 2-1 lead.

The Hawkeyes pushed Michigan State to their last out, but a three-run home run gave the Spartans a walk-off victory.

Iowa had to absorb Saturday's haymaker, but responded in a big way in Sunday's series finale. The Hawks drew four first-inning walks to take an early 1-0 lead before Tretton came up and broke the game open with a grand slam.

Iowa added another run in the top of the second when Young went yard, but MSU scored one of their own, cutting the lead to 6-1. Adams was again solid on the mound, pitching her 17th complete game of the season. The Spartans scored three times in the fourth, pulling within two, but the Hawks shut the door to take the game, and the series.

The Hawkeyes continue to be a revelation this season, especially in the Big Ten. After a season where they won just six Big Ten games, the Hawks have already doubled that total, all while dealing with multiple coaching changes, including this week's announcement that former coach Renee Gillispie will not be returning to the team.

Tretton has made a huge impact in her freshman season, fortifying the second starting spot while coming up with timely hits at the plate. Young and fellow sophomore Soo-Jin Berry have developed into the stars we saw in glimpses last season and Adams is second in the Big Ten in wins with 22 and fourth in ERA at 2.14. The team is now sixth in the Big Ten and has a real chance to make some noise in the postseason conference tournament.

Iowa added another win on Tuesday with a 5-0 shutout of Iowa State (28-20, 13-8 Big 12). Adams was again impressive on the mound, striking out seven in a complete game shut out. Jaylee Ojo came through with the backbreaker in the sixth inning, smacking a pinch-hit grand slam to give Iowa the 5-0 lead they'd eventually win by.

Rutgers (19-33, 3-16 Big Ten) comes to town this weekend.

Hawkeye tennis (13-10, 7-6 Big Ten) fell 4-1 in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament to Maryland last weekend. Iowa's lone win came on Court 1 during the singles portion of the match. Daianne Hayashida bested her opponent 6-1, 6-3. Hayashida took on the best of the Big Ten all season and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors for her accomplishments all season.

The Hawkeyes had a few disappointing results to close out their season, but still qualified for the NCAA Tournament, their first tournament berth in fifteen seasons. As the 3rd seed in their four-team pod, the Hawks will face 2nd-seeded Georgia Tech on Friday. If Iowa wins, they'll advance to take on either 1st-seeded Georgia or 4th-seeded Texas A&M.

It's been the best season of Hawkeye tennis in a decade. Hopefully they'll have a chance to keep adding to that history with an NCAA Tournament win.

Iowa men's golf competed in the Big Ten Tournament this weekend, finishing 14th at +36. The Hawks top finisher was Max Tjoa who finished tied for 28th at +7. Gage Messingham and Ryan Shellberg were one shot behind him, each finishing tied for 32nd at +8.

The Hawkeyes' had the 4th-best final round team score, jumping four spots on the leaderboard during Sunday's final round.