Hot Shot: Providence's Travis Named Athlete of the Week

Providence Catholic third baseman Sam Travis knows he's going to make some outs. In fact, he grounded into a double play late in the Celtics' 6-1 victory over Lemont on Wednesday.

But prior to the double play, Travis hadn't made any outs this spring. He opened his season by reaching in 10 straight plate appearances, going 9-for-9 with a walk.

"Everyone is going to make outs, and I'm going to make outs, but with this team you always have someone backing you up," Travis said. "I tell the guys to look for sequences from the pitcher and then take advantage of it."

Perhaps most impressive about Travis' week was that he hit for power. Only two of his nine hits were singles, as he smashed four doubles and clubbed three home runs. He scored eight runs and drove in 10.

"He's a very good hitter who is hitting the ball hard," Providence coach Mark Smith said. "When you give a good hitter even more confidence, you almost get to the point where you almost expect it. It's a great start for him and hopefully the rest of the guys can follow."

Travis didn't have a chance to swing the bat on Friday, as the Celtics’ scheduled contest against Plainfield North was postponed because of cold weather.

Perhaps Mother Nature is the only thing that can cool his bat.