Around the league 6th to 8th August 2019

Around the league

Tuesday 6th August 2019

Alajärven Ankkurit v Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät

0-1 (1-7, 0-0)

After a big start to the game KPL had secured the first jakso win with 0-7 before the home team put their only run of the game on the board. Despite a good performance from Jouni Mäki and Ville Posti, Alajärvi were unable to get their offence going. KPL were held scoreless in the second jakso and squandered a chance to take 3 points from the bottom of the league Alajärvi. 

High points for Alajärvi included Jouni Mäki going 4/4 and scoring his teams only run of the game. Ville Posti’s numbers were close to perfect too, going 6/7, but the teams overall percentage of moving the point runner was a dismal 42% with only 7 3rd base situations in the game. For KPL player of the month for July, Antti Hartikainen went 8/8, scoring 1 run and crossing home base twice in the game himself. Antti’s statistics however are standout from the rest of the team, who were collectively 26/52 - 50% (excluding Antti’s stats) and 34/60 - 57% with his stats added. 

The loss for Alajärvi now leaves them still 5 points adrift at the bottom of the league, with openly 3 games left to play. KPL on the other hand have closed the gap to 2nd place Sotkamo, which is now only 2 points, although Sotkamo has a game in hand.

Seinajoen JymyJussit v Hyvinkään Tahko

2-0 (5-2, 2-0)

Photograph from Seinäjoki Facebook (c) Seinäjoen JymyJussit 2019

Seinäjoki usurped Tahko to claim 5th place, forcing them back down into 6th in the table. Despite Tahko opening the scoring in the first jakso, Seinäjoki turned the tide to go 5-1 with 3 runs coming from Mikko Haukkala. The second jakso was a much more quiet affair and the only player to bring runners home was Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää who scored 2 runs in the 2nd jakso to make 3 runs batted in for the day. 

Tahko were roundly beaten when it came to moving runners successfully, as they only had a 43% success rate compared to 61% from Seinäjoki. Tahko had 13 3rd base situations in the game but only brought 2 runners home, compared to Seinäjoki who went 7/13. Seinäjoki’s runs predominantly came from 2 of their joker players and shows how they dominated in clutch positions, compared to Juha Korhonen for Tahko, who only went 1/7 in bringing runners home from 3rd base.

Whilst both teams have already secured their playoff spots, this result has seen Seinäjoki go 5th and this could be the start of a run for them into the post season.

start to the game KPL had secured the first jakso win with 0-7 before the home team p

Other results

Kiteen Pallo -90 v Kempeleen Kiri

2-0 (10-2, 1-0)

Wednesday 7th August 2019

Koskenkorvan Urheilijat v Joensuun Maila

0-2 (3-6, 1-8)

With relegation looming large for Koskenkorva, they needed to start seeing some points come their way. Last week they managed to put some space between themselves and 14th place, but they will need to do more to ensure survival. Joensuu have already secured a postseason spot and are pushing for a top 4 place to have home field advantage. 

Joensuu dominated both jakso and the statistics clearly showed this as the dust settled. JoMa were never behind in the game and ended with 64% for advancing the point runner and had almost double the amount of 3rd base situations (21 compared to Koskenkorva’s 11). East v West star Juha Puhtimäki shone with 100% record, going 7/7, bringing 3 runners home to score as well as rounding the bases to reach home twice himself. Koskenkorva seemed to struggle most in getting runners safely to 2nd base, going 10/20 and being their worst area of performance. 

Thursday 8th August 2019 

Siilinjärven Pesis v Imatran Pallo-Veikot

1-2s (9-4, 1-6, 0-1)

The stakes were high for both teams going into this game, but for different reasons. IPV are on course for a top 8 finish so long as they can maintain the gap to Kitee and Kankaanpää in the table. Each point is precious for Siilinjärvi also, as they are attempting to steer clear of the looming relegation battle. 

The first jakso belonged to Siilinjärvi and one would be forgiven for thinking that they were watching a team in contention for the playoffs as opposed to struggling to stay in Superpesis. After a strong first jakso by Siilinjärvi, IPV managed to shut the home side down and limit them to just 1 run for the remainder of the game. The game was decided in a tense supervuoro were IPV stopped SiiPe’s only chance to score, before Arttu Vilander drove in the winning run. The standout star of the game was Teemu Nurmio who had a solo kunniajuoksu (home run) and went 11/12 as well as making it home safely twice. 

After such a strong start, Siilinjärvi will be disappointed to have lost this game and they now just 1 point ahead of Koskenkorva with 2 games left to play; however given that those 2 games are against 2 of the strongest teams in the league, Vimpeli (current league leaders) and Joensuu (reigning champions), Siilinjärvi have to hope and pray that Koskenkorva lose their 2 matches without taking any points.

Other results

Kempeleen Kiri v Sotkamon Jymy 

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

Hyvinkään Tahko v Alajärven Ankkurit

2-0 (8-7, 3-2)

Vimpelin Veto v Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe

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