Poland’s Gabriel leads Vols on, off diamond

Poland’s Gabriel leads Vols on, off diamond

BATON ROUGE, La.

Poland graduate Erin Gabriel struck out 10 to help Tennessee punch its ticket to the SEC Softball Tournament title game.

The No. 11 Vols defeated No. 2 Florida, 2-1, and will face Auburn in the championship game on Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Earlier on Friday, Gabriel was named to the 2015 SEC Softball Community Service Team. She has led the Tennessee softball team in its community service efforts this year, working with the members of the community and raising awareness and funds for charitable causes.

Rain postpones YSU series opener at Valpo

The Youngstown State baseball team’s series opener at Valparaiso was rained out on Friday.

It was rescheduled for today at noon as part of a doubleheader. The series is scheduled to conclude at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Grove City College club lacrosse in DII tourney

GROVE CITY, Pa.

The Grove City College men’s club lacrosse team secured an at-large bid and was awarded the ninth seed in the Division II Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) National Championship Tournament in Irvine, Calif.

Led by coach Bill Sigmund, the Wolverines will play their first-round game on Monday at 5 p.m. against eighth-ranked St. John’s University (Minn.). The first round and quarterfinal games will be played on the campus of University of California-Irvine. The semifinals and championship games will be played at Ernie Chapman Stadium on the campus of Chapman University, Irvine.

Penn State Beaver names wrestling coach

MONACA, PA.

Carl Yanek of Imperial has been named head wrestling coach at Penn State Beaver.

Yanek has been the wrestling coach at Moon Area Middle School since last year and has also coached at Fort Cherry High School, Central Valley High School, West Allegheny High School, and South Fayette High School. During his twenty years as a coach, he’s had 11 state qualifiers and five state place winners.

As an athlete, he was the 1987 WPIAL Champion and state qualifier in wrestling. He holds a college record of 91-56-1 and was a regional champion as well as a Division II National Qualifier in 1990-91, when he wrestled for California University of Pennsylvania.

Mothers get discount at Sharon Speedway

Hartford

After a successful opening weekend, Sharon Speedway looks to keep rolling in its 86th anniversary season.

With Mother’s Day on Sunday, Sharon will honor all mothers with just a $5 general admission ticket to tonight’s events.

There’s a full program of “Steel Valley Thunder” action featuring the first appearance by the RUSH Late Models, along with the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds, Weller Hughes Contracting & Developing RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products Econo Mods, and the Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. Group qualifying begins at 7 p.m.

ESPN, Bill Simmons part ways

NEW YORK

ESPN says that it is parting ways with Bill Simmons, one of its top personalities who created the Grantland website and was instrumental in the network’s documentary series.

Network president John Skipper said Friday that he decided not to renew Simmons’ contract. He said ESPN was negotiating an extension, but that “it was clear it was time to move on.”

ESPN suspended Simmons for three weeks last year after he called NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell a liar in a profane podcast.

Skipper said Simmons has produced great content for ESPN and the Bristol, Connecticut-based network gave Simmons many opportunities. He said ESPN remains committed to keeping Grantland operating.

Staff/Wire reports