SPORTS
PAGE 14
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Baseball faces Gannon Golden Knights By Samantha Weber Editor in chief
On April 2, the men’s baseball team played a double header against Gannon University Golden Knights. This set of games were played at Gannon University. Graduate student Josh Surowiec hit his seventh home run of the year in the top of the third inning and senior Casimer Sobaszek was also able to score on this hit. Gannon responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs and in the fourth inning they took the lead on a wild pitch. In the top of the seventh inning, senior Jack Elliott scored a run making the score tied at 3-3. Gannon eventually took the lead and held onto it for the rest of the game from an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning. For the Lakers, sophomore Jarrett Heilman started out pitching and was eventually replaced by freshman Jacob Bazala. In the second game, the Lakers lost 1-0. Sobaszek and sophomore Luke Jackson had hits in the game, but were unable to score. Graduate student Matthew Gibson and sophomore Aidan Morrison drew walks. Sophomore John Bufford Jr. was the starting
Hurst Athletics photo
Sophomore pitcher Daniel Thomas pitching the ball in a game against the Gannon Golden Knights.
pitcher and freshman Aiden Kelly took over in the sixth inning. On April 3, the baseball team played another double header against the Golden Knights. The games were played at Mercyhurst,
giving the home advantage to the Lakers. In the first game, the Lakers started off well when Surowiec drove in Gibson with a single. In the bottom of the second, the
Lakers scored another run when senior Philip Ferranti scored on Gibson’s double to the left-center gap. Gannon scored in the top of the third with a three run homer. In
the bottom of the third, the Lakers scored three runs too. Ferranti drove in Jackson, and one batter later, senior Logan Martella-Tasick hit a double off the wall to bring in Ferranti and Jack Elliott. This was the Lakers last run of the game. The Golden Knights tied the game at 5-5 in the fifth inning and they scored once more in the sixth inning, making the final score 7-5 in favor of Gannon. The pitchers for the Lakers were graduate student Josh Greggs, Bazala and Kelly. In the second game, sophomore Daniel Thomas started as the pitcher and he had no-hitter going into the fifth inning. This was his first career complete game and he struck out eight people in it. The first run for the Lakers came in the fourth inning on an error when the Gannon pitcher overthrew to the first baseman on an attempted pickoff and Elliott was able to score on the play. In the fifth inning, the Lakers had runners on first and second and Ferranti hit one that was dropped in right field and both runners were able to score while Ferranti made it to third base. The Lakers shutout the Golden Knights 3-0 in the second game.
Get to know Mercyhurst tennis coach HURST RESULTS By Libby Bullinger Copy editor
In 2011, Jerome Simon had just sold his family business with plans of retirement on this horizon. However, when the Mercyhurst athletic director called him with a request of finding a new tennis coach for the Lakers, it changed Simon’s plans for the future. Simon had no intentions of coaching for Mercyhurst but has been here for over a decade and has helped change the atmosphere and record of the tennis team. Simon had an interesting and motivating introduction to the sport of tennis. At 14, Simon’s father purchased a tennis racquet and entered his son in his very first tournament. “Of course, I lost to my opponent and from then on, I told myself I would never lose to him again. So, I worked hard and kept that promise to myself,” Simon remembers. Simon graduated from Edinboro University in 1974. During his undergraduate career, Simon served as team captain and secured a PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) title in addition to a multitude of team and individual titles in District 18 of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).
Contributed photo
Men’s and women’s tennis coach Jerome Simon.
Later in life, Simon was inducted into his alma mater’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998. Following graduation, Simon turned to building, running and even owning tennis clubs throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. He first began at Westwood Racquet Club, which is a full circle moment for him as this is where the Mercyhurst tennis
teams practice and compete in matches. Simon eventually returned to Erie, where he grew up, and established a new girl’s tennis program at Fairview High School. This program was known for its no-cut policy, which Simon was very proud of. This is Simon’s 11th year at Mercyhurst, and he is coming up on his 50th year as a member of
the US Professional Tennis Association. Simon has been coaching tennis for 44 seasons. When Simon made his way to Mercyhurst, he recalls that the women’s team had a good record, but the men’s team needed some work, calling the men “not very good in spite of having the best players in the region and conference.” Simon was determined to turn that record around. Although the men’s team only won a single match in his first year, the new coach was able to bring in new recruits and improve the overall culture of the team. Clearly his methods were effective since just four years after his arrival the team won the region and qualified for nationals. Outside of his work with the team, Simon enjoys spending time with his family, helping his son with his business, and playing on the golf course. His future hopes for the Mercyhurst tennis teams are to win the conference, regionals and go to the national tournament, as both individuals and as a team. He is optimistic about the future of the teams and loves spending time with the men and women involved in the tennis program, fondly referring to them as “his sons and daughters” on campus.
April 2: Women’s Lacrosse vs IUP: 11-12, IUP April 2: Softball vs Edinboro University: 4-3 Lakers April 2: Men’s Tennis vs Duquesne University : 2-5, Duquesne
