FREELAND, Mich.-- A pair of Trine baseball players have swept the MIAA Baseball Player of the Week awards.
Drew Palmer (Hartford, Wis. / Hartford Union) was named the Player of the Week, while Vinny Slobodecki (Carol Stream, Ill. / Glenbard North) earned the conference's Pitcher of the Week honors. The duo led the Thunder to taking three of four games from Olivet, including a sweep in the doubleheader held at Olivet. Each player is being recognized as a Player of the Week for the first time in their respective collegiate careers.
Palmer extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a five-hit week. The performance included his first home run of the season, the second of his career. The junior knocked in four runs in the doubleheader sweep of the Comets. Palmer is batting .452 over the course of his hitting streak. Overall, Palmer is batting .358 with a .537 slugging percentage, one home run and 13 RBIs.
Slobodecki paced the Thunder to the game one victory at Olivet by tossing his first carer shutout. The junior scattered five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five to improve to 2-1 on the season. Slobodecki has not walked a batter in 24 innings this season and has solidified the back end of the Trine pitching rotation with a 2.84 ERA in four starts.
Trine's performance in the series against Olivet lifted the Thunder to a 6-2 start in conference play. Trine is part of a three-way tie for second place in the conference entering this afternoon's doubleheader against Alma. The Thunder own a 10-8 overall record.
First pitch against the first-place Scots this afternoon is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Jannen Field. The two teams conclude the series tomorrow at Alma.