File photo Pendleton County coach Sam Yokum meets with his team during regional action against Tygarts Valley. The Wildcats battle fellow PVC member East Hardy today in Class A state quarterfinal action in Huntington.

HUNTINGTON — The site and format of the high school state baseball tournament may have changed.

However, Pendleton County and East Hardy battling has a familiar feel.

The Potomac Valley Conference rivals meet at 5:30 p.m. today in Class A quarterfinal action at Marshall University Jack Cook Field.

The tournament, which traditionally had been held in Charleston, now includes eight teams in each of the four classes.

The seventh-seeded Wildcats are making their first appearance in the state tourney since 2016.

Coach Sam Yokum said his team’s 16-16 record is deceiving to most.

“We played a very tough schedule and I think too much can be made of a team’s record and by looking at the power index in terms of seeding.” said Yokum, who guided Pendleton County to a state title in 2004. “(The schedule) prepared us (for the postseason) and made us a stronger team.”

The Wildcats dropped both regular-season meetings to East Hardy, but Yokum said the Cougars will see a different team today.

“We’re playing our best ball right now and I contribute that to the scheduled we played,” he said. “We played five quad-A schools, six or seven triple-A teams and a bunch of double-A teams.”

“We played Jefferson, whose seeded fifth in quad-A, the other night and lost 9-2, but we were only down 4-2 and they ended up scoring five runs after an error with two outs to pull away from us.”

Yokum acknowledged his team is in for a fight against East Hardy — the defending state champion.

“It would have been nice to see a different opponent (at states) but it is what it is,” Yokum said. “To win a state championship you have to beat people in your way. East Hardy has a very good team and returns nearly its entire roster from last year and should be the favorite to win it again this year.”

The Wildcats faced a grueling regional tourney, defeating Tygarts Valley in a pair of extra-inning contests.

“Tygarts Valley was a tough opponent and it was a hard-fought series. I was proud of the guys, they found a way to keep fighting.”

Yokum praised two of his seniors — Chase Owens and Cashton Kisamore — for their efforts on and off the field.

“Those two are four-year starters and have stepped up as leaders for us,” Yokum said. “I can count on them to bring their ‘A’ game every time we play.

“We’re still a really young team and rely on a lot of freshman and sophomores, having very few seniors and juniors.”

The second-seeded Cougars enter the tournament with a 21-11 mark.

The winner of today’s contest faces the victor between third-seed Sherman and sixth-seed Madonna in Thursday’s semifinals.

State tournament schedule

Jack Cook Field

Huntington

Class AAAA

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, June 10

No. 1 George Washington (27-5) vs. No. 8 Huntington (18-15), 10 a.m.

No. 4 Washington (23-10) vs. No. 5 Jefferson (27-7), 50 minutes after first game

No. 2 Morgantown (28-5) vs. No. 7 Cabell Midland (20-15), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Hurricane (24-8) vs. No. 6 Martinsburg (25-11), 50 minutes after Morgantown-Cabell Midland game

Semifinals

Friday, June 12

George Washington-Huntington winner vs. Washington-Jefferson winner, 5 p.m.

Morgantown-Cabell Midland winner vs. Hurricane-Martinsburg winner, 50 minutes after first semifinal

Championship

Saturday, June 13

Semifinal winners, 50 minutes after Class AAA final

Class AAA

Quarterfinals

Tuesday, June 9

No. 1 Bridgeport (31-3) vs. No. 8 East Fairmont (21-9), 10 a.m.

No. 4 Ripley (23-10) vs. No. 5 Spring Valley (25-9), 50 minutes after first game

No. 2 St. Albans (29-5) vs. No. 7 John Marshall (22-11), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Shady Spring (26-6) vs. No. 6 Robert C. Byrd (22-11), 50 minutes after St. Albans-John Marshall game

Semifinals

Friday, June 12

Bridgeport-East Fairmont winner vs. Ripley-Spring Valley winner,10 a.m.

St. Albans-John Marshall winner vs. Shady Spring-Robert C. Byrd winner, 50 minutes after first semifinal

Championship

Saturday, June 13

Semifinal winners, 5:30 p.m.

Class AA

Quarterfinals

Monday, June 8

No. 1 Wheeling Central Catholic (27-4) vs. No. 8 James Monroe (20-15), 10 a.m.

No. 4 Logan (20-11) vs. No. 5 Doddridge County (26-8), 50 minutes after first game

No. 2 Frankfort (22-7) vs. No. 7 Lincoln (21-13), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Independence (27-9) vs. No. 6 Buffalo (20-13), 50 minutes after Frankfort-Lincoln game

Semifinals

Thursday, June 11

Wheeling Central Catholic-James Monroe winner vs. Logan-Doddridge County winner, 5 p.m.

Frankfort-Lincoln winner vs. Independence-Buffalo winner, 50 minutes after first semifinal

Championship

Saturday, June 13

Semifinal winners, 50 minutes after Class A final

Class A

Quarterfinals

Today

No. 1 Huntington St. Joseph’s (31-3) vs. No. 8 Trinity (13-12), 10 a.m.

No. 4 Gilmer County (27-6) vs. No. 5 Greater Beckley Christian (23-12), 50 minutes after first game

No. 2 East Hardy (21-11) vs. No. 7 Pendleton County (16-16), 5 p.m.

No. 3 Sherman (24-8) vs. No. 6 Madonna (16-13), 50 minutes after East Hardy-Pendleton County game

Semifinals

Thursday, June 11

Huntington St. Joseph’s-Trinity winner vs. Gilmer County-Greater Beckley Christian winner, 10 a.m.

East Hardy-Pendleton County winner vs. Sherman-Madonna winner, 50 minutes after first semifinal

Championship

Saturday, June 13

Semifinal winners, 10 a.m.