By TR HARLAN

Jack Campbell down played it like he does just about everything else.

The Chesterton baseball coach picked up his 600th career win on Thursday night as the Trojans tallied an important 8-6 Duneland Athletic Conference victory over LaPorte at Railcats Stadium in Gary.

“Somebody always keeps track of whatever you’re doing,” Campbell said. “You don’t start doing this thinking about how many games you’re going to win. I’ve had great assistants and kids over the years.

“To win this many games, you have to have great kids and be around a long time.”

The Trojans didn’t get off to the start that they wanted as they committed two errors in the top of the first, but the Slicers couldn’t capitalize.

Chesterton didn’t have the same problem as they used a first inning error to plate two runs and get the early 2-0 lead.

“I think the start was key,” Campbell said. “In baseball, you’re going to make mistakes. Sometimes you make one error and they get six runs. Tonight, we make two and get out of it.”

LaPorte answered with a run in the second inning after back-to-back doubles by Bret Wade and Jake McMahan. De’Andre Dukes hit a solo home run on the first pitch in the bottom of the second to push the Trojans’ lead to 3-1.

“We do this with LaPorte every year,” Campbell said. “It’s always a good experience even when you have to battle the weather.”

And that battled started in the top of the third. The Slicers scored three runs on three hits as both teams battled through a one hour and seven minute rain delay.

The Trojans didn’t answer in their half of the third and LaPorte appeared ready to score more runs off of starter Steve Janes, but a pair of diving catches in left field by Jeremy Ross stemmed a potential rally and caused Campbell to turn to Glenn Peterson on the hill.

“Glenn did a nice job coming in for us again just like he did at Michigan City,” Campbell said. “(Janes’) 1-2-3 were diving catch, diving catch and a hard ground ball. We’ve waited too long in a couple of games and my assistant’s and I decided to make a change.”

Chesterton’s offense got going again as well and put five runs up in the bottom of the fourth for an 8-4 lead.

Josh Chase reached on an error and Evan Parana moved him to third on a second error. John Thanos’ infield single scored Chase and moved Parana all the way to third base. Zack Novak drew a walk to load the bases.

Jeremy Ross hit a two-run single to right field and Kevin Gates hit a sacrifice fly to left field. Dukes’ single scored Ross.

“That’s the nature of the game of baseball,” Campbell said. “Sometimes you get the first couple guys on and the next two guys strike out at pitches they shouldn’t have been swinging at. Sometimes they get on and you catch fire.”

LaPorte scored solo runs in the sixth and seventh innings, but never truly threatened keeping Campbell from his historic win.

“You get into things like this because you think you have something to give,” Campbell said. “I enjoy doing it and that includes the things that have nothing to do with playing the game. I’ve been really blessed here at Chesterton. It says a lot about the community to keep building through the lower levels and we’ve benefited at the high school level.”

Chesterton 8, LaPorte 5

AT RAILCATS STADIUM

SCORING BY INNINGS

LaPorte 013 001 1 – 5 7 3

Chesterton 210 500 x – 8 10 3

2B – Bret Wade, Jake McMahan (L). 3B – Adam McIntyre (L). HR – De’Andre Dukes (C). Pitching Summary – LaPorte – Neil Hackett (6 IP, 10 H, 9 K, 3 BB); Chesterton – Steve Janes (4 IP, 4 H, 2 K, 2 BB), Glenn Peterson (3 IP, 3 H, 1 K, 1 BB). WP – Janes (3-0). LP – Hackett. S – Peterson.

Posted 4/25/2008