Weather shortened last week for the Lockport Porters, but that didn’t stop 3B/RHP Anthony Martinez (2023) from having a productive all-around week and earning our eighth ‘Player of the Week’ honors this spring.

The Porters started out last week with a 7-3 road victory over Sandburg, in which Martinez paced them offensively out of the cleanup spot. He picked up three hits including a two-run blast to left field in an eventual three-run first inning for Lockport. He struck again in the third, poking a hard ground ball through the left side of the infield for another RBI and drove his fourth run of the game home in the seventh on another single to center field.

Martinez followed that performance up with an even bigger day on Saturday, as the Porters offense poured it on No. 16 Minooka, defeating the Indians 16-6 at home. Hitting out of the cleanup spot again, Martinez went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and he drew a walk, too. He helped the Porters draw first blood with a two-run double in the first inning and added onto the lead in his next at-bat, crushing a three-run shot over the left field fence. Martinez singled in the third, bringing home another run, and concluding his six RBI day at the plate. In the same game he hurled two scoreless innings of relief, punching out four and holding Minooka to just one hit.

Martinez finished the week 6-for-7 with two home runs, a double, 10 RBIs, and four runs scored - while also punching out four across two scoreless innings on the mound. He's played a key role in the sustained success that a 23-win Lockport team has had this spring, operating towards the middle of their order throughout. Across 87 plate appearances, Martinez is batting .380 with 23 RBIs, 21 runs scored, two home runs, and eight doubles. He’s drawn 11 walks and swiped six bags, providing value to the Porters’ offense when he reaches base. Martinez has seen brief time on the mound and made the most of it, punching out 11 batters across 4 ⅔ innings of work. The Porters currently sit at fifth overall in the Illinois Power 25 rankings and look every bit the part of a team capable of making a deep run into the IHSA playoffs.

For his efforts, Martinez has been named the PBR Illinois Player of the Week, for the week of Monday, May 1 through Sunday, May 8. We're thankful for the POTW submissions we received from the coaches across the state. The players who garnered POTW consideration will earn a place within Friday's Diamond Notes story, so be on the lookout for that by the end of this week.

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