By Thomas Sellers Jr.

Millington Trojan Dean Karagh slides into the tag of Liberty Crusader Javen McLemore Thursday afternoon in USA Stadium.

Ideal weather conditions welcomed the Millington Trojans and Liberty Tech Crusaders to the historic USA Stadium Thursday afternoon.

As the host of the 2016 District 15-2A Tournament, the Trojans got off to an ideal start taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Then the second inning took place and the Crusaders took advantage of a couple of Millington miscues to jump ahead 4-1. Liberty took the first round game 7-3 to advance in the winners’ bracket.

“Two innings we give up four unearned runs right there mostly because of mental mistakes,” Trojans Head Coach Zane Adams said.

Trailing 1-0 the Crusaders forced a throwing error by the Trojans leading to two Liberty runners scoring. Later in the second inning the Crusaders got a inside-the-park home run leading to two more runs and a 4-1 advantage.

The Trojans were poised for a comeback in the top of third with Noah Graham leading off with a double. His teammate Aaron Peerey followed with a two-bagger of his own scoring the run to make the tally 4-2.

The rally started to pick up more steam when Noah “Jbird” Stevens singled but Peerey was caught stealing on the base paths. Liberty recorded the final two outs to escape the half inning ahead 4-2.

In the fourth inning it was more Millington errors leading to a three-run Liberty inning. The Crusaders iced the game with two runs scoring on throwing miscues.

The Trojans managed one more run in the seventh inning with Peerey driving in the RBI with a sacrifice fly.

Millington moved into the losers’ bracket to play Saturday morning at 11 a.m. at USA Stadium’s Field 2.

“We just try to come out tomorrow with a positive attitude,” Adams said. “Today is over with and we can’t do anything about it. We have to look forward to Saturday. We’ve just got one game at a time after this.

“It’s do or die now,” he concluded. “It’s win or go home. You have to look at it as one out at a time. You’ve got to win everyone of them.”