Entering his first varsity season, South Elgin’s Justin Pold didn’t quite know what to expect.
There were going to be openings since the Storm graduated 13 players from last season’s team. Where those opportunities would occur, and who would seize them, was another thing all together.
“I started out the first game on the bench,” Pold said. “I moved to DH and then I got myself to second base, which was a good goal for me. It really helped boost my confidence.”
Pold started to establish himself as one of the South Elgin’s key players about a third of the way through the season, and he came through Wednesday like a player who earned that distinction.
The junior second baseman had an RBI single and scored the tying run in the third inning.
Then in the fourth, he had a two-run single to give the Storm the lead for good. A late RBI single for insurance clinched a 12-3 upset of rival Bartlett in a Class 4A Geneva Regional semifinal.
Caleb Williams (7-0) worked four-plus innings for the win as South Elgin (13-13-1) advanced to play at 4:30 p.m. Friday for the regional title against Batavia (12-21). Williams struck out five, allowing three unearned runs on four hits and two walks.
Brendan Campbell, Brandon Pelz and Ryan Renella chalked up RBIs for Bartlett (24-11).
South Elgin coach Jim Kating said it wasn’t just Pold who was looking to fill up a spot in the lineup early in the season. The coaching staff was trying to sort out the roster as well.
“We were playing anybody and everybody just trying to figure stuff out,” Kating said. “We were trying to establish what was going on. We played a lot of kids this entire year.
“All of a sudden, this lineup that we have going here was starting to click.”
It all starts with Pold, who’s now hitting .370 with a team-high 26 runs and 22 RBIs.
“He’s been coming through all year with some big hits,” Kating said. “I’m very proud of him. He’s worked hard in the offseason. He’s worked hard in the season, and things are paying off for him.”
Bartlett jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings and Campbell was impressive on the mound. South Elgin started to get to him in the third, however, tying the game 3-3.
Jacob Robertson came through with a two-run single to force the deadlock.
Pold faced another pressure situation in the fourth and delivered again to give the Storm a 5-3 lead. South Elgin scored the final 12 runs of the game.
“I was just thinking fastball through,” Pold said. “That’s what I got, and I just smacked the ball right where I wanted to. The momentum was definitely coming. The energy was up the whole game.
“I was proud of the dugout for that. We were just cruising.”
Bartlett had its chances to stay in the game. After South Elgin secured the 3-3 tie, Williams produced a shutdown inning to keep the momentum on the Storm’s side.
Then in the fifth, Bartlett loaded the bases with nobody out to chase Williams. Aiden Bernau came in and struck out the side, however, and the Hawks saw the game slip away.
“We just didn’t execute,” Bartlett coach Chris Baum said. “That’s ultimately what it comes down to. The difference is the team that executes is going to come out on top. They played a great game.”
With things settled and the heavy lifting of the season over, Pold is ready for the next challenge.
“We just have to focus on the future,” Pold said. “The past is whatever, we can’t change that.
“Now, we just have to worry about winning in the playoffs.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
