INDIANAPOLIS – The fifth pairing of Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Players of the Week were announced on Monday afternoon as the start of league play approaches. 
 
Player of the Week
Trace Peterson
Lake Erie
Catcher
Sophomore
Medina, OH (Medina HS)
 
Peterson was easily one of the best rookies in the league last season, batting .333 with nine home runs and 29 RBI – two of those categories team-leading totals in 2018.
 
He has thrived again this spring, going on a torrid streak at the dish as the Storm completed a three-game sweep against Urbana.  
 
In those three games, Peterson was 8-for-12 at the plate with four doubles, a triple, home run and seven RBI. He scored six times and slugged 1.417, a ridiculous percentage that topped all players in the league over the past week. 
 
Peterson was a triple shy of the cycle in Saturday’s series opener as he went 3-for-5 with three RBI. He launched a solo shot to start the second inning and drove in another run with a double in the fifth. 
 
In his first at-bat he came through with an RBI single as the Storm pounded out 17 hits to score 14 runs. 
 
Playing left field to start Saturday’s DH, Peterson was 4-for-5 with a triple as LEC again produced double-digit run production in the box score. Three of his hits were extra-base style with two doubles and he legged out a triple. 
 
The finale included just two at-bats vs. Urbana but the Blue Knights still couldn’t get him out. He was 1-for-2 with two RBI and three runs scored. 
 
Pitcher of the Week
Christian Specht
Malone
RHP
Junior
Massillon, OH (Jackson HS)
 
Specht was dominant in a win against Assumption, a team that was 7-2 prior to facing the Pioneers in Winter Park, Fla., during Spring Break.
 
The tall righty threw eight scoreless innings and fanned a career-high eight batters while scattering just four hits. 
 
Specht didn’t allow any walks and the offense provided plenty of run support with a season-high 15 runs on 17 hits. 
 
Specht improved to 1-1 on the season before giving way in the ninth to teammate Anthony Stillwagon. Specht has also made appearances this year against West Liberty and Tiffin.
 
Malone has garnered back-to-back pitcher of the week honors after RHP Eric Mullet was selected last week.