FARMVILLE, Va. (Interstat) — In a marathon contest defined by missed opportunities and resilient pitching, the Longwood Lancers outlasted the NJIT Highlanders 3-2 in 15 innings in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Bolding Stadium.

The game, which stretched over four and a half hours, saw Longwood remain undefeated at 3-0 while NJIT fell to 0-3 to start the season. The Lancers won despite being out-hit by the Highlanders 9-6 and stranding numerous baserunners, ultimately needing a clutch hit in the bottom of the 15th to secure the victory.

NJIT struck first without a hit in the fifth inning. Sheehan O’Connor was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a walk, and scored on a groundout by Ty Sallie. The Highlanders added an unearned run in the sixth when Austin Francis scored on a fielder’s choice by Brody Levin after reaching on an error.

Longwood answered with solo runs in the first and second. Carter J. led off the bottom of the first with a home run to left field. In the second, Keels T. was hit by a pitch, stole second and third, and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 2-2.

From there, the game transformed into a grueling battle of attrition. The teams combined to use nine pitchers and left 23 runners on base. NJIT grounded into two double plays, one extinguishing a threat in the 10th inning, and had three runners picked off. Longwood runners were caught stealing three times. Both squads repeatedly put men in scoring position only to be thwarted by strikeouts and timely defensive plays.

NJIT’s best chance to break the deadlock came in the top of the 15th. Jack Stead was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a single by Austin Francis and a pitching error, putting runners on second and third with one out. Longwood reliever Nash Jac., however, induced an intentional walk to load the bases before striking out Brody Levin and Sheehan O’Connor looking to end the inning.

The escape proved decisive. In the bottom of the 15th, Longwood’s Tufts M. led off with a single through the right side. After a groundout advanced him to second, pinch-hitter Howard J. lined a 1-2 pitch down the left-field line, scoring Tufts M. to trigger the walk-off celebration.

The most important sequence of the game was NJIT’s failure to capitalize with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 15th inning, immediately followed by Longwood’s two-hit, game-winning rally in the bottom half. The stark contrast in clutch hitting in the final frame decided the epic contest.

Stead and Francis each had two hits for NJIT. For Longwood, Howard J.’s pinch-hit RBI single was the only hit in six at-bats with runners in scoring position after the second inning.

The loss extended NJIT’s early-season struggles, while Longwood continued its winning ways ahead of a midweek trip to North Carolina. The two teams were scheduled to conclude the doubleheader later Saturday.