Hammond, Ind. – June 8, 2023 – The Southland Vikings could not overcome walks and errors as they fell to the Generals 8-5 on Thursday at Dowling Park. The game ended after eight innings due to darkness.
In a game against a Generals team that was searching for their first win, the Vikings issued a season high 12 walks.
The Vikings also committed three errors in the game and have now committed eight errors over the course of their three-game losing streak.
“We just have to be more confident going after the ball,” Vikings skipper Sullivan Stickann said after the game. “We have to anticipate more on defense. I thought we played out of position a couple of times. We have to communicate better. There were a couple of balls today where it was just silent…We just need to play more as a team and communicate better.”
The Vikings struck first with a run in the first inning after Freddie Ragsdale III tripled with one out and then came home on an RBI groundout by Shemar Harris. The Generals would answer right back though, scoring three in the top of the second inning as they took advantage of Vikings starter Jacob Cook’s inability to consistently throw strikes. Cook walked five batters in the second inning, including two with the bases loaded before being pulled from the game with two outs in the inning.
Mike Kelly came on in relief and managed to get out of the bases loaded situation that he inherited in the second. After setting down the first five Generals that he faced, Kelly had some control issues of his own, walking back-to-back hitters at the bottom of the Generals lineup. That helped set up back-to-back RBI singles to give the Generals a 5-2 lead. Two more runs would then score on the first of three Vikings errors on the day, knocking Kelly out of the game.
The Generals added one more run in the top of the eighth inning, as the game moved past the three-hour mark and darkness started to creep in.
In the bottom of the eighth, Gentile was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Shemar Harris drew a two out walk to bring up Caleb Rhodes. Rhodes, who had entered the game defensively at first base in the fifth inning, lined a two-run double into right center for his first hit and RBIs as a Viking. The Generals would then manage to induce an inning ending pop-fly and it was determined that the game would end at that point due to the darkness with the Generals up 8-5.
The Vikings (4-4) will now look to snap their recent skid on the road as they take on the Elkhart County Miracle (4-4) on Friday. Nolan Vlcek is projected to start for the Vikings with first pitch at 6pm CT/7pm ET.
