The Meadowview Christian Trojans took the field Monday afternoon in a crucial AISA match-up with Abbeville Christian.

For the ACA Generals, this was a must-win game and they played with that intensity, using a six-run sixth inning to break the deadlock and propel them to the victory.

ACA jumped out to an early lead but then a three-run first put the Trojans back on top. Dustin Lee, Chris Sewell and Tyler Wendell crossed the plate in the bottom of the inning. Wendell scored his second run of the day in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game back up at 4-4.

But, both teams’ bats went silent over the fourth and fifth innings leaving the game tied at 4-4.

That changed in the top of the sixth frame. With a runner on and no outs, Abbeville’s Joseph Armstrong sends a pop-fly to left field.

Meadowview’s Derek Lassiter sprinted to make the catch but, as he collided with the ground after making the catch, the ball rolled out of his glove allowing Brett Birdsong to score and the Generals to take a one-run lead, 5-4.

“They had beaten us at our place and they were the aggressor,” said Bubber Birdsong, coach of the Generals. “So we came out today trying to be the aggressor and got back some of our fire and we jumped out in the first inning then they came back and answered.”

Things went downhill from their for the black and white-clad Trojans.

Two batters later, Cory Harpe sends a shot to left field that had the potential of being a home run but fell short at the fence, causing Lassiter to collide with the fence. Johnson cleared the bases and furthered the Abbeville lead.

Jared McNeal kept the rally going with a liner deep into the hole. A fielder’s choice by the next batter left runners on the corners and gave the Trojans their second out of the inning.

Garret Richardson kept the Generals offense rolling when he reached on an error. The Trojans misplayed the bounce on the one-hopper, allowing Richardson to reach base.

“The thing that hurt was that we gave them a lot of outs that we should have made,” said Rick Jackson, coach of the Trojans. “That’s what hurt us in most of the games we’ve lost is that we don’t make routine plays. I think in the first couple of innings out of the runs they got, they didn’t have one ball out of the infield. Chris (Sewell) pitched well enough, but I think he threw a lot more pitches than he needed too. We’ve hit the ball well all year, but our defense just gets us in a bind.”

Dan Sellers doubled to left field clearing the bases and pushing the Generals further ahead by the tally of 9-4.

Michael Murphy entered the game as a sub and drew a walk, but was scored when Meadowview’s Land MeHan overthrew the first baseman and the ball went into the dugout.

The Trojans got out of the inning when Trojans pitcher Chris Sewell forced Armstrong to fly out to right field.

In the bottom of the inning, Lassiter rips a line drive between second and short, but with two outs, he was unable to move from first.

The Generals tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh inning to push the score to a 12-4 tally. Johnson was scored on a single from Harpe.

Harpe scored on a suicide squeeze bunt that was lain down by Scott Ezell.

Sellers grounded out to third to end the top half of the inning.

The Trojans were never able to get any offense generated in the bottom of the inning when the three batters that were sent to the plate, went down in order.

“We’re going to have to flush this one,” said Jackson. “That kept them alive. They could have been eliminated. But we still control our own destiny.”

With the win by Abbeville, They are now in a must-win situation this afternoon when they play Evangel Academy out of Montgomery. A win against EA could possibly force a playoff for the No. 2 slot in the region.

For the Trojans, this was their first regional loss and they have the opportunity to notch the championship with victories against Taylor Road, this afternoon and Evangel on Thursday.