For the fourth straight year the Troy Trojans earned a spot at the Class 2-1A State baseball tournament in Great Bend and looked to cap this season with their best State finish in school history. The brackets didn't do the Trojans any favors in the first round despite being the two seed they drew the defending Champs Pittsburg-St. Mary's Colgan in the first round. 

Looking for revenge from last year's Semifinal loss to Colgan the Trojans in the first game of the day at Great Bend fell down early to the Panthers as Colgan scored two runs on a hit, hit batter and two Troy errors. The Trojans were not rattled as they answered in a big way in the bottom of the first working the bases loaded with nobody out but Colgan starter Zach Hizey struck out the next two batters. Troy continued to battle and the bottom of the order delivered with two-outs as Alex Martinez notched a two RBI single, then Marcus Martinez hit an RBI single and Brant Hamilton blasted a two RBI double to make it 5-2 after one inning, giving Troy the lead something they would not give up. 

In the second inning the Trojans early offensive onslaught continued batting around just like in the first inning and scored six runs on five hits with a RBI double Tyler Franken highlighting the inning helping Troy lead 11-2 after two innings. Colgan chipped at the Troy lead batting around in the third scoring three and another run in the fourth, but Troy answered with three runs in the three runs on three RBI singles from Cuttar Huss, Reid Greaser and Brody Winder. The Panthers continued to hang tough with four runs in the top of the fifth to draw within four runs. Headed to the top of the seventh inning Troy lead 14-10 and Greaser entered to close the game and after recording the first out gave up a double and back to back walks and a run scored during that time frame for Colgan making it three run game but a groundball double play finished the contest to give Troy the 14-11 win. 

Winder led the way on the mound for Troy going four and one-third innings giving up nine runs on seven hits, four walks, a hit batter and three strikeouts, while Wyatt Huss pitched a solid inning and one-third and Greaser earned the save tossing the seventh. Cuttar Huss led the offense going 3-3 with two walks, three runs scored and two RBI's while Greaser was 3-5 with two runs scored, a double and RBI. Alex Martinez had a strong game at the plate going 3-4 with three runs scored and three RBI's. 

The win moves Troy to 18-0 on the season and moves them into the 2-1A State Semifinals on Friday, May 26th at 11:00am against Leon-Bluestem who beat Oxford 8-1 and also assures the Trojans a Top four State finish for the third time in the last four years. (listen to both the Semifinal and the third place/Championship on 103.9 KNZA)