CHARLESTON, W.Va. — While struggling for long stretches of the regular season, East Hardy baseball coach Tyler Mongold was forced to tinker with lineups and try players at positions they were largely unfamiliar with up to that point.

It’s paying dividends in the long run for the Cougars, who are playing their best baseball at the right time.

The latest example came Friday in a Class A semifinal as No. 3 East Hardy scored four first-inning runs and got a strong pitching performance from Jordan Teets to cruise by No. 2 Gilmer County 11-1 in a six-inning affair at GoMart Ballpark.

“People have had to play that probably wouldn’t have been able to play. That’s helped us in the long run by getting young guys some experience,” Mongold said. “I’m proud of the guys.”

The result sends East Hardy

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