103.9 KNZA audio of 2-1A Regional Championship - Maranatha vs Troy - click here to listen

For the fourth consecutive year the Troy Trojan baseball team is heade back to the 2-1A State tournament in Great Bend after winning the Regional title in Highland on Wednesday with a pair of wins. In the Semifinals the Trojans won a tough battle with KC Christian 5-2 and then took down Maranatha in the Championship 10-1. 

After an rain delay that include some team jousting and rock paper and scissors competition between Troy and KC Christian the action in Highland got rolling. Both teams flirted with an early run getting a guy in scoring position in the first but neither were able to score. After KC Christian had another opportunity spoiled in the second Troy got on the board in the bottom of the second as an RBI single by Tyler Franken made it 1-0. That lead was short lived as KC Christian scored two in the third on a pair of RBI singles to take a 2-1 advantage. It remained 2-1 until the bottom of the fifth when Troy had three hits and a walk to score three runs with Marcus Martinez delivering a two RBI single in the inning. The Trojans added an insurance run in the sixth and despite KC Christian's best effort getting a pair of runners on in the seventh the Trojans shut the door to grab the 5-2 win. 

Wyatt Huss earned the win on the mound going six innings giving up two runs on four hits, three walks, two hit batters and three strikeouts, while Reid Greaser tossed the final inning for the save. Franken led the offense going 2-2 with a double, run scored, RBI and walk, while Wil Smith was 2-4. 

The win pushed Troy into the Championship game where they faced off with Maranatha who topped Valley Falls 14-9 scoring early but then using a late burst of runs to top the Dragons. After a pair of runners got on to start the game in the Top of the first for Maranatha, Troy starter Brody Winder got a fly ball out and two strikeouts to stop the scoring opportunity. In the bottom of the first the Trojans offense got rolling early sending all nine guys to the plate and scoring four runs on four hits, an error and a walk. A triple by Cuttar Huss led the inning off and Greaser had an RBI single the next at bat to make it 1-0, an RBI double by Smith also highlighted the inning. Troy added to the lead in the second as Cuttar Huss blasted a shot to deep centerfield and sprinted around the bases for an inside the park home run. Another run came in for Troy in the third and three more in the fourth including two on a two-run homer by Wyatt Huss making it 9-0 entering the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth Troy nearly ended the game via run-rule but a great defensive play by Maranatha robbed Cuttar Huss of the game sealing hit and on to the sixth the game went. Maranatha scored a run on three hits in the sixth and Troy matched it in the bottom of the sixth. Winder then finished the game off by striking out the side in the Top of the seventh to lift Troy to the 10-1 win. 

Winder earned the win on the mound going the distance giving up a run on three hits, a walk and struck out 11. Greaser led the Trojans offense with a 3-4 showing with a double and three runs scored, while Wyatt Huss was 2-2 with a two-run homer and two walks and Cuttar Huss finished the contest 2-4 with an inside the park home run and triple. 

The win moved Troy to 17-0 on the season and gave them the 2-1A Regional title at Highland and earned them their fourth straight trip to the 2-1A State tournament. The State tournament is set for Thursday and Friday, May 25-26th in Great Bend at the Great Bend Sports Complex.