High school baseball: Ethan Hyer earns Elyria scholarship that honors former Pioneer

ELYRIA — Gerry Scrivens' legacy lives on. Scrivens, a former Elyria High and College of Wooster pitcher, died while playing a round of golf with his college fraternity brothers in 2021. Three years ago, his fraternity wanted to honor Scrivens by designating a scholarship in the amount of $2,000 to a worthy Elyria High baseball senior. This year's winner is Ethan Hyer, a three-year varsity player, who plans to attend Lorain County Community College to become an EMT and eventually a firefighter. The previous winners were John Freeman and Christian Dobies in 2022 and Nic Chernitsky last year. Craig Karpinski, brother of former longtime Elyria High baseball coach Curt Karpinski, presented the Gerry Scrivens Memorial Scholarship to Hyer at the team's annual baseball banquet held at the school. The scholarship is sponsored by The Men of Phi Delta Sigma at Wooster. "He was the most wonderful, caring man in the world," said Scriven's wife, Vikki. "His passing has made a big hole in a lot of peoples' hearts besides mine. The saying 'only the good die young' is so apropos." Scrivens, an Air Force veteran and an A-10 Fighter pilot who graduated from EHS in 1974, was an outstanding pitcher for the Pioneers and the Scots. He went on to become a pilot trainer with the Air National Guard. After retiring from the service, he worked as a FedEx pilot for 16 years before retiring to his home in LaGrange with Vikki. Hyer, who also was on the football team, was asked about his favorite memory playing for the Pioneers. "I don't think I could chose exactly one," he said. "For sure, just the bond of the team. I feel like, playing at Elyria, all the sports, you're an underdog for everything. It really helps that the team band together and realize that you guys are one — like a brotherhood." Hyer had good outing against Avon early in the year. Facing the Eagles' top pitcher, lefty Brody Papay, Hyer had two of Elyria's four hits in a 5-2 loss. He also made a great catch of a sinking liner in right field and turned it into a double play by throwing a strike to second base to catch the baserunner off guard. The requirements for qualifying for the scholarship are playing baseball at Elyria High School and maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA. Hyer, whose father Tom was an outstanding pitcher at Elyria in the mid-'90s, checked all the boxes. "Ethan is someone whose determination and 'want to be great' will make him successful in life," said Elyria baseball coach Jordan Connell. "He's earned this scholarship. This award is an amazing honor to receive from such an amazing cause and group of people. He is definitely deserving of this award." Contact Tim Gebhardt at (440) 329-7135 or at timothygeb@msn.com.