Kennedy Gainer shows her support for Gilmer County starting pitcher Kolten Holbert during Thursday's Class A semifinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

CHARLESTON — Gilmer County picked the wrong day to turn in an uncharacteristic day of Gilmer County baseball.

In a Class A semifinal game Thursday afternoon at GoMart Ballpark, East Hardy blitzed the Titans for four runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back while advancing to Saturday’s championship game with an 11-1 victory in six innings.

Gilmer County, which loses just one starter – senior first baseman Braylen Mencer, ends the campaign at 20-9.

“We’re pretty young and I think the moment got to us a little bit, and I think that falls on me,” Gilmer County coach Jacob Wolfe said. “I have to find a way to make it as normal as I can. Playing here is different. We play in a facility something kind of familiar, but you know it’s different where it’s the vibe or the pressure.

“We’ll figure it out. We will go back into the lab and figure it out here in the fall, and try to do it again. We will be here again. I’m sure.”

Gilmer County relief pitcher Jacob Stewart delivers a pitch during Thursday's Class A semifinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Gilmer County’s ace starter Kolten Holbert threw 34 pitches in a first inning which began with the first of two triples by East Hardy leadoff hitter Evan Hamilton, two wild pitches, a passed ball and one fielding error.

“Scoring those four runs in the first inning was very important,” East Hardy coach Tyler Mongold said after his club improved to 13-15. “We all knew Holbert was a good pitcher. Our gameplan to try and jump on them early. That was our gameplan and I thought we executed pretty well.”

Holbert settled into rhythm and retired 10 of the next 12 batters he faced, striking out five and walking just one while surrendering a fourth inning run.

Coach Wolfe turned to his bullpen for the fifth and sixth innings. The combination of four relief pitchers walked six Cougars and allowed six runs. The Titans scuffled in the field and committed four errors in the game which led to three unearned runs.

East Hardy’s biggest bullet on offense turned out to be starting pitcher Jordan Teets out of the six spot in the batting order. He supported his own cause with a three-run double in the fifth inning.

Gilmer County baserunner Jacob Stewart gets caught in a rundown between third base and home plate during Thursday's Class A semifinal against East Hardy, Thursday in Charleston (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“We knew they had the Hamilton twins and the VanMeter boy, and knew they were going to be good,” Wolfe said. “We just didn’t handle the adversity quite as well as we should have. They are high school kids. I hate to have seen how I would have reacted in their position.”

Despite throwing five-plus innings of shutout baseball, Teets faced his share of traffic on the basepaths. Gilmer County outhit East Hardy 7-5 behind a 2-for-3 effort from Remington Huffman, who was one of three Titans with a double.

Issues on the basepath cost Gilmer County on three attempted steals and another runner caught in a rundown. Teets’ battery mate, catcher Dayton Dove, is a golfer by trade, but was spot on erasing would-be base stealers.

Teets only struck out one and walked four but kept his pitch count at a minimum and threw his 76th and final pitch with bases loaded and one out, and East Hardy leading 11-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Coach Mongold gave closer Evan Hamilton to job to close it out in six innings, Hamilton obliged with two straight strikeouts and secure a berth in Saturday’s Class A state championship game where the Cougars face top-seeded Madonna at 10 a.m.

Gilmer County starting pitcher Kolten Holbert delivers a pitch during Thursday's Class A semifinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“There was the heat and I think Teets was getting a little tired,” Mongold said. “He wasn’t hitting his spots as much. Evan has been great for me all year long.”

In the first semifinal game on Thursday, Madonna (27-4) defeated Webster County 13-3 in six innings.

“It’s been a while since we have been to the state championship,” Mongold said “Actually it was 2012 and I was actually on that team, so it’s funny how things go full circle. I’m excited and ready to get at it.”

Gilmer County second base Remington Huffman applies the tag on an East Hardy baserunner during Thursday's Class A semifinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Gilmer County baseball coach Jacob Wolfe, right, shakes hands with East Hardy baseball coach Tyler Mongolf prior to the start of Thursday's Class A semifinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)