When Apollo Head Coach Heath Hicks walked to the mound to relieve Ryleigh Logan in the bottom of the seventh of the second-round State Tournament bout against Campbell County, he turned to the most unlikely option in Ty Lillpop.
“I pulled Coach Hicks aside and said if you need me, I want to go back in. I want the ball,” Lillpop said. “I like being in those situations and I feed off that. I knew it was a possibility and I just have to get the job done for the boys.”
The Eagles starting pitcher to begin the contest, Lillpop was pulled in the fourth after allowing three earned runs over 3 2/3 innings, but reinsured his coach he was built for the biggest moment. Taking over with two on and no out, he worked around a pair of runs to escape a bases loaded jam and secure the Eagles a 14-10 win and a spot in the KHSAA 2026 Baseball State Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2023..
“How often does a pitcher get a win and a save in the same game? I have not seen that,” Hicks said. “I was an assistant in 2023 under coach Dennis, and we did this the first year we were here. The goal ever since has been to return to the final four and compete for a State Championship. This feels awesome.”
Apollo opened up the scoring in the top of the first with six runs, batting through the lineup. Lillpop crushed the first pitch he saw to score Ross Milburn and put the Eagles up 1-0. Logan and Brayden Burger both followed up with RBI singles of their own, while Ace Lillpop and Geordyn Stevens both grounded out to drive in runs.
Campbell County responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning and added their third run of the game in the third. After recording two quick outs to start the fourth, Lillpop allowed back-to-back singles and was subsequently pulled for Isaac James. James allowed a leadoff infield single after the ball bounced off his cleat, but struck out Trip Mercurio to strand the bases load.
Apollo padded their lead in the fifth, scoring four runs thanks to an RBI single by Lillpop, a hit batter, and two bases loaded walks. The Camels responded with a five-run bottom of the fifth capped off by Camden Tiemeier two-run homer.
In the top of the sixth, the Eagles decided to join in on the home run parade, with Lillpop and Gunnar Hendricks going back-to-back – highlighting a six-run inning.
“He threw the breaking ball low and in, right where I like it,” Hendricks said. “I just sat back on it a little bit and took it for a ride.”
Refusing to go away, Jeb Kessinger led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo shot to cut Apollo’s lead to 14-9. Back-to-back walks from Logan to Micah Price and Jackson Bittner, led to Lillpop taking back over on the mound. Lillpop walked Mercurio to load the bases, but quickly struck out Tyler Schumacher for the first out of the inning.
Gavin Kramer worked a bases loaded walk to make it a four-run game, but Lillpop retired the next two batters to close out the game.
Lillpop allowed three earned runs over 4 2/3 innings, striking out five, while finishing 3-4 with four RBIs at the plate. Logan and Burger both drove in a pair of runs, and Milburn finished 3-5.
Apollo has a week before their semifinals battle against the reigning State Champions Trinity (Louisville) at Kentucky Proud Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET.
“Trinity is ranked eighth in the nation,” Hicks said. “They are outstanding. It is no secret and everybody knows it.”
