St. Louis - The Maryville baseball team used the long ball to battle back and tie the game in the ninth inning before falling to Hillsdale 10-9 in 11 innings in the home opener at Weber Field Saturday night.
 
Game One:
Hillsdale took control of the game in the early innings as the Chargers scored four runs in the first two innings to take an early 4-0 lead. Maryville battled back in the home half of the second as Camden Mercier opened the frame with a double and moved to third on a groundout. He scored on a wild pitch to cut the Chargers lead to 4-1. The Saints continued to chip away at the lead as Cody Klotz started things off in the third with a single and moved to second on a throwing error. Klotz scored on a Daniel Covert single to make the score 4-2. Hillsdale added a run in the top of the fourth on a home run to extend their lead to 5-2, but the Saints answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning as Austin Tapella scored on a fielding error after drawing a walk to cut the lead to 5-3. Hillsdale added to their advantage with a run in the fifth and two runs in the sixth as the Chargers built an 8-3 lead. But the Saints continued to chip away at the lead as they scored runs in the sixth and seventh inning to make the score 8-5. After the Charges scored a run in the eighth frame, the Saints tied the contest in the bottom of the ninth as Cade Schares and Wyatt Elbe each launched solo home runs while  Dominic Connolly was hit by a pitch with bases loaded walk and Drake Lubin drew a two-out walk to tie the game at 9-9.After a quiet 10^thinning, Hillsdale scratched across a run in the top of the 11th to take a 10-9 lead. Maryville had a change to extend the game with runners at the corners with two outs, but the Chargers were able to get a strikeout to end the game.
 
Winning Pitcher: D. Toth (1-1)
Save: None
Losing Pitcher:Cody Creed (1-1)
Hitting leader:  Lubin – 2-for-5, 2 RBI
                          Cole Bornhop – 2-for-4, 2B
                          Tappella – 1-for-3, RBI two runs scored
                          
Records:
Maryville – 1-5
Hillsdale – 1-2
 
Up Next: The Saints wrap-up their three- game with Hillsdale Sunday with a doubleheader set to begin at 11 a.m. at Weber Field.