The Chesterton baseball team didn’t take long to eclipse last year’s win total as they picked up victory number five on the season with a 4-1 Duneland Athletic Conference decision over Michigan City on Thursday.

“It’s a different year,” Chesterton coach Jack Campbell said. “We’re a different team. We’re a better team. And when you can send two guys out like Jake (Post) and Jordan (Peterson), that’s nice too.”

Thursday night it was Post’s turn to dominate on the hill as he went all seven innings and struck out 10 for the win.

“I felt just as good as I did last time,” Post said recalling a 19-strikeout performance against Merrillville. “I rely on my fastball and spotted it pretty well, but had good movement on the curve and slider too.”

KJ Zelenika put the Trojans on the board in the bottom of the first with a solo home run. Three innings later, Austin Cooley followed a single by Jordan Peterson with a two-run home run of his own for a 3-0 lead.

“We’ve spent a lot of time in the (batting) cages indoors the last week,” Campbell said. “Practice must be overrated.”

Chesterton’s final tally of the night came in the sixth inning when Peterson doubled and scored on a single by Cooley. Peterson and Cooley each tallied two of the Trojans’ seven hits.

Post cruised along, allowing just one hit through six innings, until the Wolves mounted a rally in the seventh.

“I told Coach after the fifth, I had one more left,” Post said. “I’d only thrown about 60 pitches so I went back out for the seventh. It was mental more than anything.”

A leadoff single and a fly out were followed by back-to-back singles to load the bases. Post issued a walk to Lane Van Sickle to cut the lead to 4-1. The junior right-hander struck out Daniel Lemon and Skyler Shaw to end the threat.

SCORING BY INNINGS

Michigan City 000 000 1 -- 1 4 0

Chesterton 100 201 x -- 4 7 0

2B -- Andrew Ray (MC); Jordan Peterson ©. HR -- KJ Zelenika, Austin Cooley ©. Pitching Summary -- Michigan City -- Andrew Ray (7 IP, 7 H, 3 K, 0 BB); Chesterton -- Jake Post (6 IP, 4 H, 10 K, 2 BB). WP -- Post. LP -- Ray.

Posted 4/22/2011