After ending a loss to Streamwood with a strikeout last season, South Elgin’s Jordan Green has been haunted by that moment.
With the opportunity to make amends for that disappointment Wednesday, the senior first baseman wasn’t going to let it slip by.
“I carried that through with me throughout this whole game,” Green said. “I was like, ‘That’s not happening again.’ My mentality was, ‘You’re not beating me.'”
Green delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game, with the go-ahead run scoring on an error on the same play. The Storm hung on for a 9-7 Upstate Eight win to keep their conference title hopes alive.
Logan Bialek went 4-for-4 with a run and an RBI for South Elgin (15-5, 14-2). Andrew Shall and Kyle Steinhofer each had two hits for the Storm. Keenan Oldani hit a solo homer.
Nick Weaver hit a three-run homer and scored three times for Streamwood (20-6-1, 13-3). Joey Lunz had two hits and drove in two runs for the Sabres.
Streamwood took a dramatic 7-4 lead on Weaver’s homer in the top of the sixth. The first five batters, however, got on to start the bottom of the sixth for the Storm.
With a run already in, Green guided a chopper through the infield to tie the game, with an error allowing the go-ahead run to score. Green later scored on a Bialek single for insurance.
“I came into it with the bases loaded, down 1-2,” Green said of the count. “When it gets like that, I go into protection mode. Anything close, I’m just going to try to foul it off.
“That one was on the outside corner and I just tried to get it out there. I just tried to put it in play to the right side, and that’s what happened.”
Green has gone through a lot in his career, suffering a serious wrist injury that wiped out his sophomore season. South Elgin coach Jim Kating was happy to see him have that moment.
“He’s probably one of our most even-keeled kids,” Kating said. “He had his juices flowing (Wednesday). When you meet him, none of the equipment gets thrown.
“He’s pretty consistent with that in terms of leadership and doing what we need to do. I’m so proud of him and his leadership.”
A day after winning in dramatic walk-off fashion at home, Streamwood looked to be in control yet again Wednesday.
With two on in the top of the sixth, Weaver tattooed a 3-0 pitch over the townhouses beyond the left field fence for a dramatic three-run homer that sparked a wild celebration.
It gave the Sabres a 7-4 lead.
“I joke with him, this is what we pay you for,” Streamwood coach Dan Jennings said. “He’s that guy. He’s the guy in that moment. That’s why he’s batting leadoff, so he can get as many at-bats as possible.
“As soon as he hit it, I knew it was gone. It was a huge moment. We just didn’t take care of the final couple innings.”
Green knew the game wasn’t over, however.
“We got four in the fourth,” Green said. “If we can do four in the fourth, we can do it in the fifth, sixth or seventh.”
He chose the sixth, and the normally reserved Green reveled in the moment.
“I was enjoying myself,” Green said. “I was feeling myself a little bit. I came into the dugout pushing people, so I guess you can say I was really feeling myself.
“This is probably the most fun I’ve ever had in a baseball game, ever.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.