H-F's Nietfeldt Finds Focus in Trying Times

For Homewood-Flossmoor starting pitcher Evan Nietfeldt, Thursday’s bitter cold temperatures and his struggles with command on the mound forced him to sharpen his focus on throwing strikes.

After what Nietfeldt has been through recently, having to find that focus on the mound was a good thing.

Nietfeldt’s father lost his battle with cancer last week.

“It was good to be back out here and get away from feeling all of those feelings,” Nietfeldt said. “I just relaxed, got out there and played with all of the guys.”

In in five innings, Nietfeldt allowed one unearned run in three innings of work. He was effective except for some control issues in the second inning, when he walked three Falcon hitters.

“I haven’t thrown since last Wednesday,” Nietfeldt said. “It was cold out and I was rusty ’til that last third inning when I started loosening up a little bit.”

The senior right-hander struck out four and walked four.

“I have definitely seen him sharper,” Vikings coach Todd Sippel said. “He hadn’t thrown in a while that played into it.

“I think him coming out here is very healthy—get into baseball and get his mind off of things. … I think he is doing OK.”

Most of Nietfeldt’s teammates attended his father’s wake and funeral, and they put Nietfeldt’s father’s name on the back of their baseball caps.

Nietfeldt credits his dad for getting him into baseball and coaching him and his friends in other sports as well.

“He coached me all through Little League and up to freshman year,” he said. “A lot of guys knew him. He coached me in everything.”