(Photo gallery by Teran Malone)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After winning just 8 of their 23 regular season games, East Hardy is celebrating their first state baseball championship since 1987. The Cougars (14-15) rallied from an early five-run deficit to defeat Madonna, 10-7 in 9 innings in the Class A state title game.

“That’s how our season has been,” said East Hardy head coach Tyler Mongold. “We were 5-12 at one point. We just kept fighting every inning, we kept fighting. I told the guys, I pulled them aside in the third and fourth, ‘Guys, people counted you guys out all year long because we were hurt. Just try to prove it one more time’.”

The Cougars were beset by numerous injuries throughout the season and they played an extremely challenging regular season schedule. However, East played t

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