Let them eat cake or turkey legs for those Cougars from the turkey capital for winning the Class A title.
The Cougars feasted on their first WVSSAC Class A state baseball championship since 1987, rising from a 5-nil deficit to devour Madonna 10-7 in nine innings at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston and brought the hardware home to East Hardy. High School for a celebration dinner.
East Hardy was a very hungry and determined team defying the odds as an underdog proving they belonged in Charleston for the second straight year despite being just the second team in state tournament history to win a championship with a record below .500 (14-15) dating back to 1950 with the other team being Charleston Catholic in 2022.
“That’s how our season has been. We were 5-12 at one point. We just kept fighting every inning, we kept fighting. I told the guys, Pulled them aside in the third and fourth, ‘guys, people counted you out all year long because we were hurt. Just try to prove it one more time,’” East Hardy coach Tyler Mongold commented. My ace came in, Sisler. He has been hurt all year long. The last week and a half, he had three bullpens. I knew we probably needed him at some point throughout this tournament. The plan was on Thursday, but [Jordan] Teets threw a heck of a game on Thursday. I thought he delivered for not pitching all year long.”
Madonna was the Class A top ranked team with a record of 27-5 and came up short against the talented and tenacious Cougars.
East Hardy has reached the state championship game four times in program history with nine overall state tournament appearances and the last time the Cougars were in the title contest was in 2012 when current skipper Tyler Mongold was a player and lost to Madonna 5-4 which made this win vindication as coach against the Blue Dons.
“I was on the field in 2012 when we lost that state championship. I was actually on the mound. This makes it better,” Coach Mongold noted.
The loss in 2012 to the Blue Dons also went into extra innings reaching the eighth frame, so wining in the ninth inning this time around was sweet redemption.
East Hardy Hall of Fame coach Raymond Snapp was at the helm of the 1987 state championship team and took the Cougars to Charleston seven times during his tenure, including the 2012 trek with Mongold and was in attendance at GoMart Ballpark to witness this full circle triumph.
The Cougars struggled with adversity having numerous injuries this year, but got healthier at the right time and kept their belief and focus in the journey.
East Hardy recited the Lord’s Prayer prior to the state championship game as part of its prayer ritual for every game and the faith to keep rising to state glory was evident.
The Blue Dons took advantage of miscues in the second inning to build a 5-0 advantage, but East Hardy never lost sight of the ultimate prize.
East Hardy’s top of the lineup had an uncharacteristic beginning to the state title game going down in order as Evan Hamilton and Mason Hamilton flew out and Madonna pitcher Reed Wilham jammed Garrett Van Meter into a pop-up.
Garrett Van Meter was the starting pitcher for the Cougars and allowed a leadoff walk to Madonna’s Jacob Lazear before jamming Koleton Grishkevich and striking out David Connors and catcher Dayton Dove caught Lazear stealing second base to end the frame on a tag by Evan Hamilton.
East Hardy’s Levi Price struck out to start the second inning.
The Cougars recorded its first of 14 hits coming off the bat of Shayne Sisler for a single into left field.
East Hardy lone senior Jordan Teets, who pitched the Cougars to the title game, drew a walk.
Mason Wilkins executed a bunt single to load the bases for the Cougars.
However, the Cougars came up empty as Dayton Dove struck out and Patrick Mills hit into a fielder’s choice out at third base.
The Blue Dons’ Matt Geer received a walk to start the bottom of the second inning and advanced on a passed ball as Dove slipped retrieving it.
Van Meter issued a free pass to Kaiden Wells and the fourth toss whisked past Dove moving Geer to third base.
Madonna took the initial 1-nil lead on an RBI groundout by Sam Brooks.
After a walk to Wilham, the Blue Dons scored on a rundown miscue.
Van Meter walked Maddox Bowen, then the Cougars sent Mason Hamilton to the mound.
Hamilton issued a walk to Brayden Miller, then the Blue Dons extended the lead to 3-0 as Lazear hit an RBI sacrifice fly.
A passed ball created another run for the Blue Dons.
Grishkevich smacked an RBI single into right field to give Madonna a 5-0 advantage.
Hamilton got out of the jam with a strikeout to Connors.
East Hardy couldn’t get on base in the third inning on three consecutive flyouts by the Hamilton twins and Van Meter, but the Blue Dons failed to buy a base either as Mason Hamilton induced three straight groundouts with fielding twice by Van Meter and Hamilton.
East Hardy got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning starting with a free pass to Price.
After a strikeout to Sisler, Teets grounded out despite a drop by the pitcher, who recovered in time.
Wilkins hammered an RBI double with an error in left field for a 5-1 score and was left on base due to a strikeout on Dove.
Madonna went down in order on a stakeout, line drive catch by first baseman Sisler and a groundout.
The Cougars rallied to tie the game at 5-all in the fifth inning.
Mills sparked the rally with a single and the momentum continued as Evan Hamilton connected for a single.
Mason Hamilton garnered a two-run producing single to slice the deficit to 5-3.
Van Meter singled on a close play as the first baseman’s foot came off the bag.
Price popped out to the catcher for the first out.
Sisler crushed the game-tying two-RBI double into left field making it 5-all.
Madonna brought in David Connors to pitch and sandwiched groundouts to Teets and Dove around a walk to Wilkins to retire the side.
The Blue Dons would regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, 7-5.
Grishkevich singled with one out and stole around the bases to third base on passed balls, then Connors was issued a walk.
Geer ripped a two-run producing double to give Madonna a 7-5 edge.
East Hardy sent in Shayne Sisler, who hadn’t pitched all season due to injury after a stellar campaign last year, to the mound.
Sisler hit the first batter, then got the next two flying out to Mills and Price.
The Cougars began the sixth inning pouncing with a single by Mills, then Evan Hamilton reached base on an error.
Mason Hamilton put some mustard on the ball plating two runs as the ball eluded the center fielder to knot up the championship again, 7-7.
After a walk to Van Meter, the runners were stranded on a pop-up, strikeout and groundout.
Sisler induced a groundout fielded by Evan Hamilton over to Van Meter at first base.
Miller belted a double into left field for the Blue Dons.
Lazear launched the ball to the warning track where Mills made a remarkable backwards diving catch and had the wherewithal to lift his glove up to Price coming over in support to snatch the ball and make the throw to prevent a potential score.
There was a challenge on the play and the umpires gathered together to confirm Mills made the catch to the chagrin of the Blue Dons fans.
[State champs] Real exciting. We got ‘er done today. We’ve been practicing all season and working hard to come through a lot of injuries and got ‘er done today. [Catch] It was big. If I had dropped it, then we may have lost it. I came up big. That was everything right there to me. The ball just kept carrying,” East Hardy’s Patrick Mills remarked.
Van Meter tagged out the next runner having steppe doff the bag receiving the pass from Evan Hamilton to end the sixth inning.
East Hardy got on base in the seventh inning quickly as Wilkins was hit by a pitch, then advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Dove.
Connors struck out Mills for the second out.
Evan Hamilton tapped a double into center field, but Wilkins was thrown out at home plate denying a lead change.
Sisler got defensive help with three catches in the bottom of the seventh inning by Mills, Evan Hamilton and Price.
The Cougars threatened to score in the eighth inning as Mason Hamilton hit a sharp grounder to the second baseman making a diving save to limit a single, then Van Meter was beaned.
However, Hamilton was caught in a rundown, then Price struck out and Sisler flew out on a diving play by the center fielder.
Sisler recorded a strikeout, then induced a groundout and jammed for a pop-up to Evan Hamilton to keep the Blue Dons off the bases in order again.
East Hardy’s grit and determination never wavered entering the ninth inning of the state championship.
Teets was issued a free pass and kept in check on first base diving back.
Wilkins executed a bunt which developed into an error giving the Cougars a pair of runners.
Dove smashed a two-run producing double into left field putting East Hardy ahead 9-7 as Wilkins slid in safely as the ball ricocheted awry.
Mills singled to put runners on the corners before stealing second base.
Madonna issued an intentional walk to Evan Hamilton to load the bases.
Mason Hamilton made an RBI sacrifice bunt to give the Cougars a 10-7 advantage.
Van Meter was given an intentional walk loading the bases again.
Price hit into a double play as the pitcher threw home, then the catcher tossed to first base to retire the side.
The Blue Dons needed to put something together in the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 10-7 and started off with a walk to Miller.
Sisler countered by jamming Lazear for a pop-up to Mason Hamilton.
Madonna countered with a single by Grishkevich and loaded the bases on a walk to Connors.
The Cougars called in closer Evan Hamilton, who jammed Geer on a pop-up and sealed the Class A state championship victory in nine innings with a strikeout to Wells.
Hamilton screamed at the top of his lungs and threw the ball down on the field as his teammates rushed together to celebrate the Class A state championship 10-7 win
“I don’t know the definition of hyper-focused, but you could tell going out in the eighth inning. You know what you have to do to get it done. [Last out] It was so cool. We were talking about it in the hotel room. If I am pitching and strike this guy out, I am going to yell at the top of my lungs and that is pretty much what I did. [State title] You work hard all season, working in and out of practice. It is just great. [Faith] I pray every day. I pray before the game, I pray at night, I pray before I get on the field and that’s just what I stick to. [Dugout energy trailing 5-0] We just knew what we had to do,” East Hardy’s Evan Hamilton stated.
Mason Hamilton led the Cougars with three hits and five RBI’s.
“I was just seeing the ball up and they had me shift and it worked in the game before and it was different today. [Community support] It means a lot. They have been supporting us the whole season and they just come out every time cheering and it feels right. It was amazing and I am glad Evan came in and threw strikes. [State title] It means a lot. We are super young this year and we only have one senior and look to be back here next year. [Faith] Everything. I prayed weeks in advance about this and He has helped me through everything. I give God the glory,” East Hardy’s Mason Hamilton said.
Jordan Teets finished his senior campaign with an individual state golf championship, state basketball semifinal appearance and a state baseball championship.
“I think winning the state baseball championship was a lot more fun than golf, because I got to celebrate with my teammates,” East Hardy senior Jordan Teets remarked.
There was a miniature golf course at GoMart Ballpark, but Teets and the team didn’t get to play as it was closed.
The East Hardy fans kept cheering throughout the game and gave the team a standing ovation at the end.
Coach Mongold avoided the brunt of a cooler shower during the celebration, but promised the team he would jump in the Kanawha River and did so after departing GoMart Ballpark with the championship trophy.
There was an escort back home to Baker by first responders starting in Grant County and a huge welcome home party greeted the state champions after a 38-year hiatus.
The Class A state baseball all-tournament team included East Hardy’s Jordan Teets, Shayne Sisler, Mason Hamilton and Evan Hamilton; along with Madonna’s Jacob Lazear, David Connors and Koleton Grishkevich; Gilmer County’s Remington Huffman and Braylon Mencer; and Webster County’s Daniel Gaye.
The Cougars kept pouncing and growing hungrier to reap the reward of becoming the 2025 Class A state baseball champions.
East Hardy’s skipper Tyler Mongold joined his assistant coach and father Calvin Mongold and uncle Chris Mongold, a member of the 1987 state championship team, during the welcome home party.
