Nathan Gaarder

Coming off of a great year in which the team earned a fourth place finish in 2-1A at State the Troy Trojans came into this season with plenty of goals and most of the team returning and the team chemistry played a big part to start the year as the team is 4-0.

The Trojans opened the season on the road last week sweeping Riverside and Nemaha Central, posting a 7-4 and 16-1 four inning wins over Riverside and 4-0 and 6-2 victories against Nemaha Central.

With a strong senior class leading the way it was one of those seniors that stepped up big in the first four games of the season for Troy as Nathan Gaarder made a big impact on the mound and offensively, posting game changing performances. Through the first four games of the season Gaarder is 6-14 from the plate (.428 avg) with two doubles, a grand slam, 12 RBI’s and four runs score, while on the mound he is 2-0 with a complete game shutout, has yet to surrender a run, struck out 14 batters and only given up three walks and three hits in two starts.

His best offensive performances came in the games he didn’t pitch as he was 3-4 with a double, seven RBI’s and two runs scored in the 16-1 win over Riverside and hit was the game winning grand slam against Nemaha Central in the top of the seventh in the 6-2. Against the Thunder he finished that game 2-3 with a grand slam, five RBI’s and a run scored.

On the mound, Gaarder’s first outing went just four innings against Riverside giving up one hit and a walk, while striking out seven to earn the win as Troy held off the Cyclones for the 7-4 win. Later in the week Nathan hit the mound again and pitched a complete game shutout against Nemaha Central in the 4-0 win, going seven innings giving up just two hits and two walks, while striking out seven.

The play of the senior, along with the experience of his teammates around him has the Trojans as one the teams to watch in 2-1A baseball in the State as the team has big goals set for the season.