Around the league - 9th July 2019

Around the league
9th July 2019


Imatran Pallo-Veikot v Kiteen Pallo -90

0-2 (0-4, 4-6)
IPV looked to extend their good performance, having beat KPL and Tahko before the break. Kitee on the other hand were looking to shake off losses to Vimpeli and Sotkamo, the latter being a hard fought contest which was decided by a supervuoro. KiPa shocked the home team with runs from Ville Liukku and Sami Mikkolanaho in the 2nd inning and 2 more in the 3rd with Topi Hurskainen scorning off Valentin Ikonen and Sami Mikkolanaho striking again to bring home Hanes Pekkinen. IPV struggled to get runners to 3rd base and Jarkko Matikka was the only one who tried to advance to home in the first jakso; Jarkko was however out and IPV remained scoreless. With the first jakso behind them, KiPa wasted no time to show their intentions to win the game, as Hannes Pekkinen scored 3 runs from a home run (kunniajuoksu) and was safely brought home from 3rd to make it 0-4 before IPV could even pick up a bat. IPV chopped away at KiPa’s lead and it was 3-4 by the 3rd inning thanks in part to 2 runs from Jere Dahlström. It was not however to be as KiPa scored twice in the 4th to put the lead back at 3 runs. IPV managed a consolation run but failed to overcome KiPaks lead. KiPa won the game fairly convincingly and IPV was outplayed early in both jakso. The result means IPV drop to 9th in the table as Kitee leapfrog them into 8th. (Photograph is from IPV website (c) Imatran Pallo-Veikot 2019)



Koskenkorvan Urheilijat v Vimpelin Veto
0-2 (0-4, 3-9)
Vimpeli maintained their winning streak and dominated the out of form Koskenkorva. Vimpeli jumped to an early lead, scoring 3 runs in the first inning with Perttu Ruuska bringing home Jere Saukko and Olli Heikkala and Elmeri Anttila bringing home Sami Haapakoski. Vimpeli could have scored more if Perttu Ruuska or Matias Rinta-aho had made it safely home. Perttu Ruuska made it 0-4 in the 3rd inning to seal the win in the first jakso as Koskenkorva failed to get anything going. In the second jakso Patrik Wahlsten scored 2 runs to give Koskenkorva an early lead; however scored 1 in the 1st inning and 5 in the 2nd inning to reverse the lead and put the home team under pressure 2-6. Patrik Wahlsten scored a 3rd run to try and cut Vimpeli’s lead, but the visitors responded with 3 runs in the 3rd to see out the win 3-9. Perttu Ruuska scored 6 runs on the day, but Olli Heikkala’s impressive 100% record at advancing the lead runner with a home run (kunniajuoksu) at the start of the second jakso gave Vimpeli the real edge in the game.



Siilinjärven Pesis v Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät
0-2 (4-12, 3-4)
Siilinjärvi came into this game having moved into 12th in the table just before the break ahead of a struggling Koskenkorva. KPL on the other hand are on a mission to regain the top spot from Vimpeli. KPL were clear favourites going into the game and took an early 4 run lead. While the home tam managed to pull a run back, KPL scored again in the 3rd inning to lead 1-6. Siilinjärvi turned things up a notch with 3 runs in the 3rd inning to narrow the gap, but this just sent KPL into a run scoring frenzy, as they scored 6 runs in the 4th to effectively bury Siilinjärvi’s hopes of winning the jakso. KPL won the first jakso 4-12. The second jakso was much tighter and KPL came from behind (1-0) to an early lead 1-3, only for SiiPe to tie it going into the fourth. Any hopes for SiiPe to force a supervuoro were dashed when KPL scored in the 4th to win the jakso and the game. Juho Hacklin’s 3 run home run (kunniajuoksu) was a major part of his 5 run score in the 4th inning of the first jakso and really put Siilinjärvi to the sword. Simo Vainikainen was outstanding for Siilinjärvi, going 7/8 to first base and 1/1 moving the runner to second for 89% success rate at moving the point runner.


Sotkamon Jymy v Kempeleen Kiri.  
2-1s (5-7, 6-5, 2-0) games 

Sotkamon Jymy had an early scare against Kempeleen Kiri after the visitors scored 6 runs in the second inning to lead 2-7. Sotkamo came back in the 4th inning, but the deficit was too much as Kempele won the jakso 5-7. The score was tight in the second jakso and the lead changed hands several times before Sotkamo won 6-5. In the supervuoro Sotkamo put 2 runs on the board thanks to Roope Korhonen and Lauri Rönkkö, which was enough to win the game as Kempele failed to score. Roope Korhonen had a mammoth game and changed around his fortunes from just before the break, where he was 43% on moving the point runner before the break, but was 92% today and brought in 9 runs on the day. For the visitors, it was a very good effort to take the first jakso and nearly equalise in the second, but Sotkamo are the masters of the supervuoro and are unbeaten going into extras this season. Onni Määttä was impressive for Kempele and aside from his home run (kunniajuoksu) had a respectable 62% at moving the lead runner. (Photograph - Roope Korhonen, from Superjymy website (c) Sotkamon Jymy 2019)

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