Colonial Classic Notebook : Exhausted Gerber Caught Napping Both in and Out of His Hotel Room

Greg Gerber nursed his left hand with a bag of ice Thursday after Simi Valley’s 12-4 win over Winter Park. Gerber was 1 for 2 with two walks and a run scored, but the Pioneers’ senior shortstop has had better days.

The back of Gerber’s hand was quickly swelling, the result of an inside pitch in the sixth inning. In the third, Gerber was caught looking at a third strike and argued briefly, in vain, with the home plate umpire.

And to complete his forgettable day, Gerber was picked off first base in the fifth after singling for his only hit of the day.

Gerber’s trip to Florida, in general, has not been much better. While teammates, coaches and parents have been visiting Disney World, spring training baseball games and the beach, Gerber has seen little more than his hotel room.

Gerber is battling mononucleosis. But surprisingly, he is not disappointed.

“It’s not so bad,” he said. “I’m kind of having fun. Some people stay back so I lay out by the pool with them or just sleep. Sometimes it’s good to be by yourself.”

On Tuesday, the Simi Valley party soaked up the sun and rode motor scooters at Daytona Beach.

Gerber slept until 4 p.m.

On Wednesday, the gang went to the dog races and watched jai alai matches.

Again Gerber slept.

After Thursday’s game, Disney World was on the agenda. But Gerber had no intention of joining the fun.

“I’m going to stay home,” he said. “My dad told me that I probably wouldn’t have fun, anyway, with the way I feel. I know some of the Chatsworth players, so I go over and spend time with them. I’m enjoying it here.”

Sommer’s set: Sophomore Jeff Sommer, who smacked a two-run home run on Thursday, walked and scored twice, has worked his way back into the Simi Valley lineup as designated-hitter. On Wednesday, Sommer was 3 for 3 with a walk.

“From day one he’s been our DH,” Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers said. “But he slumped a couple of games and I got him out of there.”

Both Scyphers and Sommer agree that the slump is over.

“I’m really happy about the way he’s been hitting the ball,” Scyphers said. “He hit a blast today.”

Said Sommer: “Scyph’s been fair to me. I’ve got to prove it to him that I can hit for him to let me play.”

Cardiac kids: Kaiser of Hawaii won its first two Colonial tournament games with dramatic home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Scott Nakagawa blasted a grand slam to lift Kaiser over host Colonial, 4-2, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Brant McCreadie hit a three-run home run to defeat Euclid, Ohio, 7-5.

Power surge: Catcher Gary Ingram of Columbus, Ga., set a tournament record with three home runs in a game as Columbus defeated Euclid, 13-6, on Thursday in a second-round consolation game. Ingram was 4 for 4 with five runs batted in.