LEXINGTON, Ky. (WDRB) – In a game dominated by outstanding pitching performances on both sides, Shelby County manufactured an opportunity in the bottom of the seventh inning and Jack Wills made the most of it, singling home Freddie Stohlman from third to give the Rockets a 2-1 walk-off victory over Owensboro Apollo in the KHSAA state baseball semifinals Friday afternoon in Kentucky Proud Park.
Wills’ one-out single came after Stohlman had singled and Tony Bailey had reached after a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error.
Stohlman, who scored both of Shelby County’s runs in the game, crossed the plate, then his teammates took off toward center field to pile on Wills and celebrate their first trip to the state baseball championship game since 1991. The school won the state title in 1979 under coach Hubert Pollett. Saturday’s will be their fourth-ever appearance in the title game.
Freddie Stohlman of Shelby County scores the winning run in the Rockets' 2-1 state semifinal win over Apollo.
For Wills, who was the winning pitcher in Shelby County’s quarterfinal victory last week and had been warming up in the bullpen, the moment was just a matter of simple execution.
“We tried to decide whether we were going to go with the squeeze or try to hit a fly ball at the end,” Shelby County coach Steve Kingsolver said. “He felt good about a fly ball, and just happened to get a hit. I’m proud of my guys.”
“I was in the bullpen warming up,” Wills said. “I told my catcher, ‘I’m coming in and walking this off.’ And I did. I was just trying to do my job and get it in the air. This means a lot. Everybody at home, they love it.”
Shelby County scored first in the second inning, when Stohlman singled, stole second, then scored on an RBI single by Bailey.
Kemper Whisman allowed only 2 hits in 5 innings in Shelby County's 2-1 state semifinal win over Apollo.
Apollo evened it up in the top of the fourth.
But runs, and baserunners, were hard to come by. Owensboro’s Noah Cook gave up only a single earned run in 6 1/3 innings. Shelby County starter Kemper Whisman gave up only 2 hits and a run (unearned) in 5 innings, then Hunter Cook pitched two hitless innings to finish it off.
Now a Shelby County team that has been unflappable all season, against one of the state’s better schedules, is one win away from a place few might’ve thought possible two years ago when they finished the season 7-20.
“If you told me before the season that we would be here, I don’t know if I would’ve believed it,” Wills said.
Shelby County outhit Apollo 9-2, but had 3 runners thrown out trying to steal second. The Eagles got of a tight spot in the fourth, getting Stohlman to ground into a bases-loaded double play. Cook did bit of a shimmy coming off the pitchers mound, firing up his dugout. And Apollo appeared to have grabbed some momentum.
Jack Wills delivers the game-winning hit in Shelby County's 2-1 state semifinal victory over Apollo.
But Whisman took the mound and calmly struck out the side in the top of the fifth, turning around to his team in the field with a simple gesture, as if he were throwing up a penalty flag, before turning around and walking to the dugout.
“They’re resilient,” Kingsolver said. “We were just trying to play our brand of baseball today. The steals weren’t working, but we still had to try, still had to stay aggressive. I was proud of our guys. . . . We spend so much time preparing. You can’t envision success, you just know the path. It’s nice to see them experience the other side of success.”
With one game to win for a championship, Kingsolver said his advice to his players on Saturday will be simple.
“Go win,” he said. “Be yourselves. I’m asked, how do we bring them in and get them focused to do what they do? It’s who they are. They come to play every day. This is a big deal, man. Our administration and community have been really good to us. It’s been good to see them coming out to cheer. I’m proud of everybody.”
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