Around the league 18th and 19th July 2019

Around the league

18th and 19th July 2019

Kiteen Pallo -90 v Pattijoen Urheilijat Raahe 18th July 2019

0-1 (4-4, 4-4, 1-1, 2-3)

Photograph from Kitee Facebook/Website (c) Kiteen Pallo -90 2019

Kitee came to this game having had poor form recently, only winning 1 of their last 5 games (against IPV), whereas Raahe had won 3 of the last 5, dropping points to Tahko and Sotkamo. Raahe and Kitee have played each other a number of times over recent years and Kitee has won 3 of their last 5 encounters. The forecast for the game was heavy rain, but that didn’t stop both teams going out and giving it their all.

Kitee started their half of the inning with purpose after blanking Raahe. Valentin Ikonen’s bunt down left foul line gave Topi Hurskainen a chance to score, but a misplaced throw to home from 1st sealed the run. Moments later Valentin Ikonen struck again with a midfield hit that looped over the shortstop’s head to allow Samu-Kalle Varonen to score. Ville Liukku made it 3 in the inning with an almost identical hit allowed Hannes Pekkinen plenty of time to run home. In the 2nd inning Raahe struck back with Jari Törmänen scoring 3 runs to level the score. The first came off a sharpe line drive to the midfield, which rebounded up and away from the shortstop, giving Miikka Matikka time to make it home and score. Jari Törmänen followed this up with a line drive that bounced just before the 1st baseman and went straight past him to bring Topi Kosonen and Paavo Pelto score.Kitee regained the lead 4 - 3 in the 3rd inning with Ville Liukku finding the gap with a powerful hit to the midfield bringing Samu-Kalle Varonen home.The Raahe players cheered as they stood around the batters circle as  they came back again in the 4th inning to level the score due to  walk (Vapaataival). The first jakso ended in a 4-4 tie and the home team were left wondering how they ended up level.

The second jakso Kitee were once again first to score when Ville Liukku’s short hit was chased by the Raahe pitcher, leaving no one at the home circle to stop Topi Hurskainen scoring. The throw from the Raahe Pitcher was not fielded despite two diving Raahe players trying to get the out. Kitee saw a chance to make it 2, but Raahe managed to beat the runner and end the inning. Raahe set out to respond immediately and Jari Törmänen’s line drive across the midfield line saw Timo Kallio level the score at 1-1. Kitee again took the lead with Valentin Ikonen’s line drive just clearing the outstretched gloves of the Raahe shortstops. It wasn’t until the 4th inning that another runner crossed home base, where Kitee extended their lead with Valentin Ikonen and Ville Liukku scoring. But Raahe were not out of the game yet and runs from Paavo Pelto (2 runs from 2 at bats) and Jari Törmänen took the game to a supervuoro. Paavo Pelto’s final run came as a soft bunt hit towards 1st base was mishandled and Timo Kallio slide home. 

Kitee struck first in the supervuoro thanks to Valentin Ikonen’s hit to right field allowed Samu-Kalle Varonen to jog home with time to spare. Kitee were unable to add to the score as their half of the inning came to a close. Raahe came back in the supervuoro to level the score yet again as Timo Kallio just beat the throw to home off Jari Törmänen’s soft hit down the right foul line. This game would now be decided by a scoring contest (Kotiutuskilpailu).

In the scoring contest, Kitee went first and scored twice thanks to Sami Mikkolanaho and Hannes Pekkinen, but it was Raahe who won out in the end, scoring 3 times to win the game. The frustration Kitee felt was clear as they had never been behind all game, only to lose in the narrowest of margins at the very close.

Kitee will be disappointed to have lost this game, having never been behind in the game until the Kotiutuskilpailu (scoring contest). Kitee will look back and wonder whether they would have won but for any of the errors and missed chances throughout the game. For Raahe it was a hard fought win against a team that seems to be putting some good results together at this time and are a potential threat to their playoff chances.

Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät v Seinajoen JymyJussit 19th July 2019

1-0 (3-3, 4-3)

Photograph from KPL Facebook (c) Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät 2019

KPL have been flawless since their 2 loses in a row at the end of June, winning 6 in a row. KPL lost the top spot to Vimpeli, but are looking to regain it in the coming weeks. Seinäjoki has had an almost equally impressive run, only losing to Vimpeli since mid June (9 games). The head to head record for the 2 teams favours KPL in recent years, but Seinajoki won last on 16th August 2018. 

Seinäjoki opened the scoring early in the 1st inning when Henri Puputti’s hit to right field allowed Sami-Jukka Kouvola to score from 2nd base. KPL responded in the bottom of the 1st with Juho Hacklin’s short bouncing hit pass by where the Seinajoki 1st baseman had been moments before. As the ball rolled towards the midfield line Santeri Löppönen made a run for home, rushing the throw, which was off the mark. Matti Latvala made it 2-1 with a hit to right field, but KPL could not extend their lead further. In the 2nd inning Seinäjoki levelled the score with Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää’s hard hit to the midfield line, despite the KPL shortstop managing to stop the ball going beyond the midfield line with a diving stop, the ball could not be thrown to home in time by his team mate. Toni Laasko gave KPL the lead again in the bottom of the 2nd inning as Santeri Löppönen made a blistering run to score and beat the throw to home. The jakso ended up a 3-3 tie as Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää made it 2 for the day in the top of the 3rd inning. 

In the second jakso KPL opened the scoring in the 1st inning with Juho Hacklin’s hit to the midfield line being misfielded and missing the opportunity to throw home - having to settle for an out at 3rd base. Seinäjoki took the lead at a crucial time in the game in the 2nd inning with runs from Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää and Henri Itävalo. KPL levelled the score in the 3rd only to have the lead handed over to Seinäjoki at the bottom of the inning. In the 4th inning KPL levelled the score as a bunt down the right foul line was thrown wide of 3rd base allowing a sprinting Matti Saukko to reach home from 2nd base. The winning run came as Toni Laakso’s hit towards 2nd base was fielded awkwardly by the Seinäjoki fielder and thrown to 1st for the out rather than home (as Roope Koskelainen had already beaten the throw anyway). It became a parang that the 1st baseman Ville Viita had injured himself in fielding the play and there was a short pause in the game before resuming with Atte Kontio in his place. Seinäjoki were unable to get much offence in the 4th inning and the game ended with KPL winning the second jakso by just 1 run (4-3).

Seinajoki remain in 6th position, but are now only 2 points ahead of Raahe, who took 2 points in their thrilling game against Kitee in the week. Seinajoki are adrift from 5th place, so their main concern will be maintaining their place in the playoff spots as the season starts to head towards a close. KPL are now just 2 points behind Vimpeli, who stumbled against Sotkamo over the weekend. This has give KPL a chance to regain the lead if they can just get the better of Vimpeli in the coming weeks. KPL have Tahko next in the fixtures, whereas Vimpeli have the more difficult matchup against Joensuu.

Elsewhere in the league

Imatran Pallo-Veikot v Kankaanpään Maila 18th July 2019

2-0 (6-4, 9-0)

Koskenkorvan Urheijiat v Alajärven Ankkurit 19th July 2019

0-1 (2-2, 6-7)

Joensuun Maila v Hyvinkään Tahko 19th July 2019

2-0 (2-1, 5-4)