Lake Central junior Connor Friesema tends to compartmentalize his two sports.<\/p>\n
Friesema is a third baseman in baseball and a defenseman in hockey.<\/p>\n
\u201cI balance both of them,\u201d he said. \u201cI was able to come to pretty much every baseball practice during hockey season because they\u2019re at two different times of the day. Baseball\u2019s right after school, and hockey\u2019s late at night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I\u2019m in hockey season, I focus on hockey more. Then once baseball comes around, I get fully locked in on baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n
In at least one sense, Lake Central baseball coach Mike Swartzentruber wouldn\u2019t mind some overlap.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to see him carry over some of that hockey mentality on the baseball field \u2014 hard-nosed, tough,\u201d Swartzentruber said. \u201cBut I think we\u2019ll get there. He\u2019s a good kid. He has a bright future for us. I\u2019m excited to see what he gives us this spring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friesema has been getting his bearings in his first varsity season with the Indians (2-0). He was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored before their Duneland Athletic Conference opener against defending Class 4A state champion Valparaiso on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been great,\u201d Friesema said. \u201cI learn a lot of stuff every day at practice. I\u2019m always learning new stuff and obviously just facing better competition. I feel like I\u2019ve gotten better throughout these last two games.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friesema already has experienced success in hockey. He was a key player as Lake Central reached the Class 2A state championship game in the Indiana State High School Hockey Association in late February.<\/p>\n
Friesema had an early setback, suffering a separated left shoulder in October and missing six weeks. He was cleared to return to the ice in December.<\/p>\n
Splitting time between his travel team and the school team, Friesema posted a combined 20 goals and 18 assists in 46 games, including 10 goals and six assists for the Indians.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great year,\u201d he said. \u201cWe really turned it around from last year.\u201d<\/p>\n