A one-out ninth inning home run by Illini catcher Brittany Koester gave the Illini the 5-3 win in the second game of a doubleheader against Eastern Illinois.

In the nightcap of Tuesday’s twinbill, the Illini offense scored five runs in the nine-inning game despite just three hits.

Leadoff hitter Angelena Mexicano belted her 15th home run of the year and the Illini (29-19, Big Ten 7-5) led 3-2 after five innings.

Freshman pitcher Christine Christopoulos started her first game of the year and allowed two runs in four innings. Coach Sullivan turned the ball over to another freshman to try and earn a three-inning save.

Vicky Brown entered the game in the fifth and threw a scoreless two innings, but back-to-back walks got her into trouble in the seventh. A one-out a throwing error by Illini second baseman Molly Lawhead allowed the trying run to score.

Brown escaped with no additional damage and the game headed to extra innings.

Lawhead led off the top of the ninth and was hit by a pitch and later stole second. Two batters later, Koester, the Illini’s eighth hitter, homered to left-center to give the Illini a two-run lead.

“You just want to do whatever you can for a win,” Koester said. “It’s really special.”

Sullivan praised the senior catcher after the game.

“That was so clutch,” Sullivan said. “She’s a real strong powerful hitter and she stayed within herself and came up really big for us.”

Brown returned to the mound and set down the Panthers to seal the Illini’s 29th victory on the year. She allowed one hit in five innings and the win improved her record to 16-6.

“We’re really proud of her,” said Koester, Brown’s battery mate. “She basically shut them down.”

In the first game Tuesday afternoon, Illinois trailed from the start and Panther pitcher Karyn Mackie held the Illini attack to just one earned run in seven innings to give Eastern Illinois the 9-4 win.

The Illini scored two runs in the top half of the sixth to cut the lead to 5-4, but Eastern Illinois rallied in the bottom half and scored four runs to extend the lead.

Illinois starting pitcher Ashley Wright allowed five earned runs and could not escape the third inning. The loss dropped her record to 10-9.

“I have to give Eastern Illinois credit,” head coach Terri Sullivan said. “They played really aggressive and loose. I thought coming out we were a little flat. We couldn’t get any momentum going offensively.”