South Elgin’s Quinn Bradford knows his role on his team.
The senior catcher can hop out and play several positions. He also bats in the middle of the order for the Storm, providing solid contact all season.
“My role is to kind of just do what I’m asked — be a team player,” Bradford said. “I play wherever I’m needed, which has mostly been catcher this season.
“My big thing is just moving runners. Usually I’m not the big hit guy, but (Monday) something was different.”
Bradford took the starring role Monday as the Storm clinched the Upstate Eight Conference title with a 9-7 comeback win over rival Bartlett.
He had a two-run double in the fourth to cut the deficit to 7-6. Then in the bottom of the sixth, he had another two-run double to give South Elgin its first lead of the game.
Kyle Steinhofer went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs for South Elgin (16-5, 15-2). Jordan Green was 2-for-3 with a triple and three runs, driving in the tying run in the sixth.
Tyler Glowacki earned the win on the mound. He went six innings, allowing seven runs, none of which were earned. He struck out three and scattered six hits and four walks.
Josh Colaizzi finished 2-for-3 with two runs, a walk and a stolen base and Daniel Krulak added two hits for Bartlett (17-14, 13-4).
After falling behind 5-0 in the first inning, South Elgin chipped away and grabbed the momentum. Steinhofer singled to lead off the sixth and scored on Green’s RBI single to force a 7-7 tie.
“That was a big stress reliever,” Bradford said. “Some stress was still there because I wanted to get my guys in, but him getting that big hit really helped me with my mindset.
“It gave me a lot of relief to go up there and swing freely.”
Bradford then doubled in Aedon Segovia and Green with the winning runs.
“I was really feeling the rhythm that my teammates were putting together for me, getting people on,” Bradford said. “I was just feeling it up there, sitting fastball.
“I knew I was going to hit it no matter what. Wherever it went, that’s the game’s decision. I’m fortunate they went where they went and people scored.”
All the while, Glowacki kept his team in it despite having to work around a lot of mistakes.
“That’s what a good pitcher does,” Bartlett coach Chris Baum said. “He shakes off the first inning and hangs up a couple zeros on us right afterward.
“That’s what a solid pitcher does. He didn’t let it faze him. He stayed even-keeled and he gave his team a chance. They came through.”
The Hawks surrendered leads of 5-0 and 7-4, walking six along the way.
“You can’t walk guys,” Baum said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re playing a sub-. 500 team or if you’re playing a really good team. It doesn’t matter. You give teams extra at-bats and extra opportunities, they’re going to come through.”
It was yet another comeback win for the Storm.
“We’re a tough team,” Bradford said. “We get better as the game goes on. These guys, it’s unbelievable what they can do late in the game.”
And Bradford was right in the middle of it Monday.
“He likes the challenge behind the plate,” South Elgin coach Jim Kating said. “He handles things well back there. Senior leadership, he’s done a real good job.
“He does the things that we need him to do to be successful. You want a gritty at-bat, someone who’s going to battle? He’s one of them.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.