By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Class A defending state champion East Hardy Cougars battled back and forth against Class AAA Keyser and honored their seniors with one final push to take a 7-6 victory bow at Raymond Snapp Field.
East Hardy Baseball honored their seven seniors with a special ceremony and ceremonial first pitches with parents: Eli Combs, Evan Hamilton, Mason Hamilton, Albert Lermineaux, Patrick Mills, Levi Price and Shayne Sisler.
Combs plans to study cybersecurity at Eastern WV Community and Technical College.
Lermineaux hopes to become an emergency room physician.
Mills plans to enter the work force with Harvey.
Sisler is undecided for his plans after high school.
Price plans to work for K & D Metal Roofing.
The Hamilton twins plan to take a gap year prior to playing baseball for Potomac State College.
These Cougars are members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honor Society and Future Farmers of America.
It was in the hands of the seniors on the mound as Shayne Sisler started the game going five innings throwing six strikeouts and allowing six hits with four walks.
Evan Hamilton closed the game over two innings with three strikeouts and allowed two hits with one walk.
Sisler added two hits and three RBI at the plate.
Evan Hamilton notched a triple and score twice.
Mason Hamilton made two hits including a double and scored four times.
Combs garnered one hit and RBI.
Price added one run for the Cougars and was walked twice.
Lermineaux reached base on a free pass.
Keyser started the game with Williamson reaching base on an error, then East Hardy left fielder caught a fly ball.
Owen Rotruck ripped a double for the Golden Tornado.
Williamson stole home with the tag applied by catcher Dayton Dove, but it was determined not to have been on target as Keyser took the lead 1-0.
Larkin smacked an RBI single to extend the Golden Tornado lead.
East Hardy responded in the bottom half of the frame to tie it up, 2-all.
“Our seniors mean everything to this program. It was nice to get some of those seniors playing time, who don’t see field that much. Our seniors stepped up and got the job done. We hope to keep the momentum going in the playoffs. I heard Marshall has a great facility,” East Hardy coach Tyler Mongold said.
Evan Hamilton drew a walk, then Mason Hamilton smashed an RBI double.
Hamilton advanced on a fly ball tag up off the bat of Price.
Sisler executed the game-tying RBI groundout.
Keyser went down in order during the second inning as East Hardy right fielder Eli Combs made a catch and Sisler fanned two batters.
Gage Dove and Combs delivered singles into center field, then Combs was caught in a pickoff at first base.
Lermineaux drew a walk from Keyser pitcher Zeke Eye.
Eye struck out Mills and the Golden Tornado got out of the jam with a catch in left field by Mongold off the bat of Evan Hamilton.
Keyser came up empty in the third inning as Sisler sandwiched strikeouts around a groundout.
The Cougars got things rolling on a single by Mason Hamilton, then Price and Sisler reached base on errors to load them up.
Dayton Dove notched an RBI single to put the Cougars ahead 3-2.
After an infield fly, Combs recorded an RBI sacrifice bunt for a 4-2 score.
Eye closed the frame with a strikeout to Lermineaux.
Keyser closed the gap to 4-3 on Larkin’s RBI single into left field.
Price caught a fly ball, then a balk was called prior to a walk.
Sisler adjusted to make a strikeout and the Hamilton twin defense got a fielder’s choice out to retire the side.
Rotruck caught two deep shots, then Eye issued free passes to Mason Hamilton and Price.
Sisler connected for an RBI single creating a 5-3 edge.
Kaden Barrett ground into fielders choice as Price was tagged out with the dust flying and coach Tyler Mongold knelt down in disbelief.
Sisler forced a pop-up and recorded a strikeout.
Keyser made a two-out rally with a double by Harr and single by Tysinger, but they were stranded on a catch by Mason Hamilton.
The Cougars went down in order as Holland created a pop-up, groundout and strikeout.
Keyser jumped in front of the Cougars 6-5 in the sixth inning.
Cameron and Holland plated runners for the Golden Tornado.
Evan Hamilton pitched two strikeouts and jammed the last batter into a pop-up to first base man Mason Wilkins.
Evan Hamilton hammered a triple and Mason Hamilton drew a walk placing Cougars on the corners.
Evan Hamilton stole home to tie the game, then Price was issued a walk by Holland.
East Hardy took a 7-6 lead as Sisler lassoed an RBI single int left field, but Price was thrown out at third base and the dust cleared with the coach in disbelief and Sisler was picked off.
Keyser failed to rally again as Larkin grounded out beore a single from Mongold, who was caught stealing and Hamilton sealed the senior night win with a strikeout, 7-6.
“I never thought of it being senior night, until after the game was over. This was our final regular season game on this field. We have a lot of memories here. We still have more work to do in defending our title in Huntington,” Evan Hamilton concluded.
