Naperville Central senior Christian Bartels began the season with all the tools he needed except one.
He didn’t have a metal bat.
“I only have a wood bat,” Bartels said. “I never actually bought a (metal) bat, so I was just kind of swinging whatever I had.”
That meant borrowing bats from his teammates. One day, he used senior outfielder Michael Page’s bat.
“I happened to pick up his bat,” Bartels said. “Happened to hit a home run with it, so I’ve just been swinging it ever since.”
Page remembers when the time share began.
“He hit a home run against Benet with my bat,” Page said. “Ever since then, he’s been sticking with it. If he’s going to come through in those huge spots, he can use my bats all he wants.”
Bartels came through in a big way during the Class 4A Naperville Central Regional championship game on Saturday. Making an emergency start in place of injured second baseman Ryley Orlanes, Bartels had two of the five hits and scored the only run for the second-seeded Redhawks, who edged 10th-seeded Naperville North 1-0.
This is the first regional title since 2015 for the Redhawks (27-9), who advance to play third-seeded Hinsdale Central (26-13) in the Lockport Sectional semifinals at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Orlanes was the catalyst in the previous win over Bolingbrook on Wednesday but left that game after hitting his chin on the ground while diving into second base.
Naperville Central coach Mike Stock turned to Bartels.
“Coach Stock came up to me on Friday and basically said, ‘Ryley has a possible concussion. We’re going to need you tomorrow. Be ready,’” Bartels said. “I felt terrible for Ryley, but then again, I would love to be able to be put in that situation and just do what I’ve been practicing and working on.”
Bartels singled in his first at-bat, but it was his second plate appearance that he’ll remember. He lashed a one-out double to right and scored on a pinch-hit single by senior Ryan Marker.
“That one felt pretty good,” Marker said. “I was just trying to hit the ball, but it felt good, for sure.”
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Like Bartels, Marker is a player who has contributed off the bench for the Redhawks. He’s found a niche as a pinch hitter.
“It’s kind of been my role all season is coming in in big spots,” Marker said. “I’ve been on the team for a while, and coming in, I was just excited to get my at-bat and try to plate a run across the board.”
That was all the offense that senior left-hander Max Henson and junior right-hander Decker McDonald needed. Henson held the Huskies (19-14) to two hits, both singles, before McDonald pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings of relief to get the win.
“I’m not surprised when guys step up and do what they did,” Stock said. “We have a deep roster, and everyone has kept their chin up and has found a chance to contribute. Today, what a great chance.”
The Redhawks not only ended their 11-year regional championship drought. They did it by denying their crosstown rival its first regional title since 2010.
“It’s just awesome,” Page said. “It being against Naperville North as well, it couldn’t have been a better outcome and scenario all around.”
The game was deemed a classic by Stock, who wasn’t aware Bartels doesn’t have a metal bat.
“I didn’t know that part of it, but I believe it,” Stock said. “He’s a different kid. Bart’s his own man. He does not do everything the same as everybody else, so that does not surprise me. He’s a great competitor.”
One who only cares about helping his team.
“I just got out there and got the job done,” Bartels said. “Couldn’t ask for a better day, couldn’t ask for a better team, a better group of guys around us. I’m just happy we got it done.”
Stock hopes Orlanes will be able to play Wednesday. That might relegate Bartels to the bench, but he’s not worried.
“I’ll see what happens with the game plan,” Bartels said. “But we’ve just got to go out there and get the job done.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.