The Troy baseball team, led by nine super seniors, finished their high school athletic career with a victory and claimed the third place trophy on Friday with an 8-2 win against Chase County in the 2-1A State Tournament in Great Bend.  After knocking off four-time champ, Pittsburg Colgan in the quarterfinals on Thursday (14-10), Troy allowed eight unearned runs (all with two outs) and fell to Bluestem 8-4 in the semifinals to deny the team a chance at the title and a perfect season.  The Trojans finished this year 19-1 and a flashy 75-9 combined record while making state the last four years.

Leon - Bluestem 8, Troy 4

Troy erased a 3-0 deficit in the bottom of the third inning as Reid Greaser cleared the bases with a three-run double and gave Troy a 4-3 lead when he later scored on a wild pitch.  The Lions scored twice in the fourth and added another pair in the fifth before scoring their last run in the seventh frame to secure the win.  Bluestem had just six total hits, but were helped by six Trojan errors and five free passes.  Wyatt Huss pitched 4 and 2/3 innings before reaching 105 pitches and Greaser tossed the last 2 and 1/3 allowing just one hit.  Tab Beavers threw a complete game for Bluestem and the crafty lefty retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced and surrendered only four total hits while striking out 11 batters without allowing a walk.  Bluestem (18-4) went on to beat Ellis 8-5 and claim the state championship. 

Troy 8, Chase County 2

Chase County struggled to recover from a heart-breaking 5-4 loss in nine innings of their semifinal against Ellis. After a three-hour break, Troy played their best defensive game of the tourney and scored a trio of tallies in the second inning to stake a 4-0 advantage.  Greaser went six complete innings on the mound giving up just two runs on three hits before Wil Smith closed out the third place triumph.  Tyler Franken and Brant Hamilton each scored two runs and Greaser reached base in all four at bats, going 3-4 with four RBI.  Troy scored eight times on just four hits, but the solid pitching was backed by solid defense, including a trio of spectacular sliding catches made in centerfield by Cuttar Huss. 

Greaser, the Class 2-1A State baseball player of the year, finished the tourney going 6-9 with four runs scored and eight RBI.  Cuttar Huss was a combined 4-9 and crossed home plate five times in the three state games at Great Bend.