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Southland Vikings baseball returns Tuesday night!  

The Vikings open their 2023 season Tuesday evening with a home game against the Indiana Panthers. First pitch is scheduled for 5pm CT from Dowling Park.  

The Vikings will have Will Moell, a right-hander from Johns Hopkins University, on the mound to kick off the season.  

When asked how he decided on Moell for Opening Day, first year manager Sullivan Stickann said that it came down to energy level and trying to set the tone for the season.  

“He’s got a lot of energy. Very animated on the mound. He’ll really set the tone for the season and what I expect, and he really wants to win,” Stickann said of Moell. “He’s a bulldog on the mound and I think he’s going to be one of our best pitchers this year.”  

The Vikings roster includes 11 players who were with the Panthers last summer, including Jimmy Gurgone, who tied for the 2022 Northern League batting title with a .398 average.  

On the other side, the Panthers have former Viking Max Everaert, who led the league in innings last year and was selected to both the All-Star and All-Northern League teams.  

Like the Vikings, the Panthers are also being led by a new manager this summer. Deandre Gilmore returns to the Northern League for a third straight summer with a new team. In 2021, he managed the Minutemen and last summer, led the Chicago American Giants.  

Stickann and the Vikings are excited to get the season started and begin their quest toward making the Vikings the first team with four Northern League titles.  

“Our goal is to win the championship,” Stickann said. “I think we have the talent to do it. It’s just a matter of playing as a team, learning, and trusting what I say. That’s the biggest thing. If I can get the kids to trust me and what I’ve experienced through playing, we’re gonna go a long way.”  

You can watch Tuesday’s opening day matchup streamed live on the Southland Vikings Facebook page.