In their opening game of the United Football League season, the St. Louis Battlehawks lost 18-16 when the Michigan Panthers made a 64-yard field goal with three seconds to play.

In Game No. 2 on Saturday night, the Battlehawks kicked the final field goal. But Andre Szmyt didn’t have to do anything so dramatic as last week’s game winner. The St. Louis offense set up a 22-yard chip shot at the Arlington 5-yard line, which Szmyt made to lift the Battlehawks to a 27-24 victory over the Renegades before a crowd of 40,317 at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.

The attendance was the largest for a spring-football game during the revival of that portion of the sport that started with the Alliance of American Football in 2019.

The crowd saw another barnburner involving the Battlehawks as five of the final six series ended in points.

Former Auburn tight end Sal Cannella caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Luis Perez to give Arlington a 17-14 lead with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.

On the next snap, former Alabama All-American AJ McCarron connected with wide receiver Marcell Ateman on a 53-yard touchdown pass, and after Mataeo Durant’s 1-point conversion run, St. Louis had a 21-17 lead with 14 seconds left in the third period.

An eight-play, 82-yard drive ended with De’Veon Smith’s 3-yard touchdown run and a 1-point conversion pass as the Renegades took a 24-21 lead with 10:44 to play.

St. Louis coach Anthony Becht chose to let Szmyt kick a 47-yard field goal on fourth-and-2 to tie the game with 6:47 remaining.

Arlington lost serve when Taylor Russolino missed a 46-yard field-goal attempt with 1:55 left.

St. Louis took advantage with the help of a third-down defensive pass interference penalty and a 41-yard run by Durant. After the running back’s big burst put the Battlehawks on the Renegades 11-yard line, St. Louis played for the final field goal to run out the clock.

McCarron completed 19-of-29 passes for 248 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Ateman also caught a 24-yard pass from McCarron for the first points of the game with 10:29 left in the first half. Ateman had four receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

After Arlington tied the game at 8-8 with Lindsey Scott Jr.’s 6-yard touchdown run with 5:40 remaining in the first half, Durant’s 1-yard touchdown run put the Battlehawks back up 14-8 with 1:56 left in the first half. The TD was set up by a 32-yard connection between McCarron and wide receiver Darrius Shepherd.

Perez completed 21-of-29 passes for 233 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

St. Louis plays the San Antonio Brahmas at 2 p.m. CDT April 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. ABC will televise the game.

After winning the XFL championship last season, the Renegades have an 0-2 record heading into their game against the D.C. Defenders at noon Saturday at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas. ESPN will televise the game.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.