It took 15 full innings, the longest baseball game in recent memory for Hillsdale College, but the Chargers got their first win of the season to split an opening doubleheader against host Montevallo in Alabama.

After 14 innings couldn't settle the matter in the nightcap, Hillsdale broke a 7-7 tie with the host Falcons, doubling their score in a seven-run 15th to put the game away. Montevallo got two runs back in the bottom of the inning but Hillsdale's outburst proved too deep a hole to come back from as the Chargers closed out a 14-9 victory.

The Chargers batted around in the 15th inning, taking advantage of three walks in the first four batters to start the inning. With the bases loaded, sophomore second baseman Billy Porotsky delivered the go-ahead run on a single past the third baseman to score Ryan Wiehe from third and put Hillsdale ahead 8-7.

Tyler Turner drew a bases loaded walk for another run in the next at bat, and then Hillsdale really took off. Gaard Swenson tacked on two insurance runs that proved to be critical on a two-run single to left field, and Rocco Tenuta put the capper on the night with a three-run home run that cleared the left field fence to give Hillsdale a 14-7 lead it wouldn't relinquish.

The game started as a back-and-forth affair and a display of both teams' power at the plate. Montevallo jumped ahead first with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second, and then Hillsdale answered with a pair of their own bombs, with Swenson going yard to right field for a solo shot in the third and Wiehe putting Hillsdale ahead 3-2 in the top of the fifth with a two-run home run. 

After the Falcons answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to go back on top 4-3, Hillsdale had a big sixth inning, taking advantage of a Montevallo error to plate three runs, including a RBI fielder's choice from Tenuta and a RBI single from Jake Figman, to go up 6-4.

Hillsdale seemed to be in control of the game, but as the Chargers were trying to close things out in the eighth, Montevallo tied the game up on a two-run home run to force extra innings at 6-all.

After both teams were scoreless in the 10th, 11th, and 12th, Hillsdale pulled ahead for a moment in the 13th, on a solo home run by Figman, but the Chargers couldn't hold the lead in the bottom of the inning. That sent the game to the 15th, where Hillsdale finally found the offense it needed to put Montevallo away.

Swenson had a strong game for the Chargers, going 4 for 8 with a home run, a stolen base, and four RBIs, while Wiehe, Figman, Turner and Drew Law each added two hits as well. Wiehe and Figman each had a home run for Hillsdale, along with Tenuta, and Law added a double as well.

Hillsdale got through the marathon game using five pitchers, with the final reliever, Winston Delp, picking up the win in two innings of work. Logan McLaughlin got the start for the Chargers, striking out four and walking none in four and a third innings of work, while Daniel Higdon struck out three in three and two-thirds innings of relief. Josh Novak also got through a scoreless inning for Hillsdale, and Patrick MacLean pitched four innings of relief as well.

The game is Hillsdale's longest since full game-by-game recordkeeping for the program started in 1998, surpassing a 14-inning contest against Cal St. Monterey Bay on March 22, 2011. Hillsdale and Montevallo combined for seven total home runs in the game, four by Hillsdale and three by the Falcons.

In the first contest of the day, a 6-2 Montevallo victory, Hillsdale got off to a slow start offensively, with just two hits in the first seven innings, and fell victim to the long ball. Three of Montevallo's hits were home runs, including a three run shot in the fourth that proved to be enough for the Falcons to win with.

Montevallo committed errors in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings that allowed Hillsdale to get a runner to third base in all three frames, but the Chargers were unable to capitalize on those scoring opportunities and fell behind 6-0 entering the final inning.

Hillsdale made a late push in the top of the ninth, as the Chargers drew three straight walks to start the inning, then freshman Drew Law entered to pinch hit and cut Montevallo's lead to 6-2 on a single down the line that scored two runs. After another walk, Hillsdale had the bases loaded with no outs and the tying run at the plate, but were unable to advance any further as the next three batters went down in order.

Along with Law's RBI single, Gaard Swenson, Billy Porotsky and Tyler Turner each had a hit as well in the first game for the Chargers.

Jacob Pallo took the loss in game one for Hillsdale, pitching five innings and giving up four earned runs. Brenden Smith pitched three innings of relief for Hillsdale, striking out two and walking three.
 
Hillsdale is 1-1 on the year and will finish the series with Montevallo with a rubber match on Sunday at 1 p.m.