When Apollo’s Ross Milburn walked off the mound after only recording two outs and allowing five first-inning runs, the Eagles never once lost faith in their star.
The junior rewarded them in kind, finishing 3-4 with three RBIs, including the eventual game-winning single in the bottom of the third – powering his team to an 11-5 win past Owensboro and a trip to the 9th District Championship game.
“Ross is that guy. He’ll be back on the mound for us before this is all said and done,” Apollo Head Coach Heath Hicks said. “He’s one of the best pitchers in the region, if not the best, and he’s going to show everybody that. He’s an all-around player.”
Owensboro jumped all over the Eagles in the top of the first, scoring five runs on RBI hits by Jordan Quesnell, Jackson Fogle, Brody Glenn, and Hayden McBride. Despite holding onto a 5-0 lead, the momentum swung once Isaac James took the mound for Apollo. The junior pitched six shutout innings in relief, giving up only four hits and striking out six.
After stranding a pair of runners in the bottom of the first, the Eagles were able to get to Owensboro’s Ty Ashley in the second, tying the game 5-5. Ace Lillpop put his team on the board with an RBI single, and was followed by a Milburn two-run double and two runs scoring on a fielding error.
Leading 6-5 in the fifth, the Eagles broke the game open with another five-run inning. Facing bases loaded with no outs, Stevens crushed a single into right field to score a run. Ty Lillpop drove in a pair on a double, and Stevens scored on a Red Devils fielding error. Ryleigh Logan capped off the inning with an RBI single to push the lead to 11-5.
Owensboro threatened at the top of the sixth, but an Eli Hampton lead-off double was immediately wiped out by a double play.
“We expended a lot of energy in that first inning, and we gave them a few too many chances as we went on,” Owensboro Head Coach Jake Fiorella said. “It was unfortunate not to play a clean game today, and that’s where the difference in advancing and not advancing.”
Last night marked the end of an era for the Red Devils as it was Hampton’s last game with the program. The senior who graduated last week, was a member of the varsity team since he was a seventh grader. Owensboro lost five total seniors to graduation.
Apollo has two days off to prepare for the 9th District Championship game, a rematch with Owensboro Catholic set for this Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.
“I like the idea of getting a couple of days to reset,” Hicks said. “Then getting after Catholic for the third time this year.”
