ST. JOHN — Chesterton right-hander Austin Peterson masterfully mixed his five pitches — two-seam fastball, four-seam fastball, change-up, over-the-top curve and wipeout slider — two toss a three-hit shutout of Lake Central.

“It was a little bit of everything,” said Peterson, a Purdue University commit. “I was feeling good and was just able to throw strikes. My defense was able to make some plays.

“I throw more two-seamers to lefties so it can tail away a little more. I mix it up. My slider is my ‘out’ pitch.”

The 6-foot-6 senior racked up 11 strikeouts and walked one in helping the Class 4A No. 15-ranked Trojans (14-6) beat the No. 2 Indians (20-4) 3-0 Tuesday, May 15 to stay alive in the Duneland Athletic Conference race.

A Lake Central win Tuesday would have given the Indians the DAC title.

The winner of Wednesday’s Lake Central at Chesterton rematch will take the conference crown.

Tuesday’s pitchers’ duel took 83 minutes to complete. Junior right-hander Zack Dobos (7 innings, 3 runs, 8 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts) went the distance for LC.

“It was too well-pitched games by both kids,” said Trojans coach Jack Campbell. “It was awesome.”

Campbell appreciated the pace at which both hurlers worked and that helped the defenses.

“When it’s 3-2 on every batter, pretty soon you’re looking for clovers and there’s none here (on a synthetic turf field).

“Peterson is a tremendous competitor and he throws strikes. He pitched well considering he didn’t play the last game. He jammed a knee at LaPorte.”

Lake Central coach Mike Swartzentruber noted how held Trojans hitters at bay from the third through sixth innings.

“He was just not good enough,” said Swartentruber. “You’ve got to tip your hat to Peterson. Not many people have solved him and we sure as heck didn’t tonight.

“But I told our guys we can pout, sulk and point fingers. But we were outplayed tonight. We haven’t been outplayed in three weeks.

“We talked about opportunity and we know we had to win one out of two (two win the DAC). Of course, we would have liked to win the first one. But the opportunity’s still there.”

Peterson also collected two singles and and run batted in Tuesday and senior Tommy Benson scored two runs for Chesterton.

The first out in Indians seventh was a diving stop and throw by Trojans junior third baseman Grant Brunt. The second and thirds outs strikeouts (both looking).

Benson’s first-pitch home run over the left field wall against Dobos in the top of the seventh put Chesterton ahead 3-0. The blast came with two outs.

In a scoreless Lake Central sixth, senior Conner Tomasic coaxed a two-out walk from Peterson then stole second base but went no further as the Trojans hurler racked up a caught-looking strikeout for the third out.

Chesterton stranded runners at first and second against Dobos in a run-free sixth.

In between three Dobos strikeouts, Peterson poked a single to right (and sophomore courtesy runner Zach McKenna took his place) and sophomore Tyler Nelson put down a bunt single.

Peterson put the Indians down in order with two strikeouts in a scoreless fifth.

In a scoreless Trojans fifth, Lake Central turned a double play — shortstop Tomasic to senior first baseman Conner Hoffman — for the first two outs. A Dobos strikeout accounted for the third out.

The Indians left one runner — junior Jared Bais smacked a two-out single to right — against Peterson in a scoreless fourth.

Chesterton junior center fielder Kolton Cardenas ran down a drive by Hoffman for the second out.

In a 1-2-3 Trojans fourth against Dobos, LC first baseman Hoffman made a scoop to put out senior Brett Roeske on a grounder to third baseman Bais.

The Indians went down in order against Peterson in the third.

Chesterton left runners at first and second in a scoreless third.

Peterson walked with two outs and spelled by courtesy runner McKenna.

Brunt was hit by a pitch.

Both runners were left on the bags as Dobos fielded come-backer for the third out.

Lake Central left a runner at second base in scoreless second.

Senior Hunter Zahorsky rapped a one-single single to left and junior courtesy runner Jake Dyksta stole second base before Peterson racked up a strikeout and foul pop-out.

The Trojans produced one run in the second against Dobos to take a 2-0 lead.

Nelson reached on a one-out infield single, moved to second when Roeske drew a walk, stole third base and scored on a bloop single over first base by senior Logan Lawson.

Chesterson left runners at first and second.

The Indians stranded a runner at third base in a scoreless top of the first.

Senior Giovanni Lopez led off with a single to left, moved to second base on a groundout by senior Justin Graves and stole third base. But Lopez got no further as Peterson fanned the last two batters in the frame.

The Trojans scored the game’s first run against Dobos in the first.

Benson pulled a one-out double down the line in left.

One out later, Peterson pulled a single into the corner in right to drive in Benson.

The inning ended with LC catcher Zahorsky throwing to second baseman Graves to retire courtesy runner McKenna trying to steal second base.

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