Sotkamon Jymy v Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät - round 1

As the sun began to fade in Sotkamo, SuperJymy celebrated their close victory against KPL
Photograph from Sotkamo Facebook (c) Sotkamon Jymy 2019
Semi finals review


Sotkamon Jymy (2) 1 v 0 Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät (3)
1-0 (5-5, 3-2)
Prediction: In our preview we suggested that the series would be tight, but Sotkamo would win 3-1. Chalk this game up for Sotkamo, but there is likely to be a push back by KPL, who were so close to toppling their hosts in front of the bumper crowd of 2148.
Roope Korhonen gives the ball a trip to the outfield
Photograph from Sotkamo Facebook (c) Sotkamon Jymy 2019
Summary: By the slender margin of a single run over 2 jakso, Sotkamo claim victory in the first game of the series. The game was an overall back and fore and it was anybody’s game to win going down to the last out in the second jakso. The first jakso saw its first runs from KPL in the 2nd inning thanks to hits from Juha Hacklin and Sasu Toikka. Sotkamo responded in the bottom of the 2nd inning with Joni Rytkönen’s 2 run kunniajuoksu, followed by 2 more runs from Nike Korhonen and Roope Korhonen to eek out a 4-2 lead. KPL pulled a run back in the 3rd inning and scored twice in the 4th inning to put pressure on Sotkamo to produce in order to save the jakso. After a long 4th inning, Joni Rytkönen was the only Sotkamo player to bring a runner home successfully and the jakso was tied 5-5 to set up the second jakso as the decider.

The second jakso started in muted terms just as the first had, with the 1st inning being scoreless. In the 2nd inning however Niko Korhonen and Roope Korhonen brought home Jere Vikström and Antti Korhonen respectively. Sasu Toikka narrowed the gap for the visitors when his hit saw Santeri Löppönen score. Antti Korhonen’s well placed hit saw Niilo Piiponniemi sprint home to make it 3-1 giving Sotkamo a 2 run lead going into the bottom of the 4th inning. KPL gave it their all and after some adjustments to their lineup Juho Hacklin brought them back into the game as Tommi Mäentausta reached home to leave a single run separating the two teams. As KPL came down to their final out with a runner on 3rd Sotkamo called a timeout and adjusted as Janne Kivipelto came to the plate.  With his strikes used up, Kivipelto was caught attempting to advance (haava) alongwith Antti Hartikainen to close out the inning as KPL had no more batters to play.

Markus Tuikka welcomes home his teammate
as Sotkamo edge ahead of KPL
Photograph from Sotkamo Facebook (c) Sotkamon Jymy 2019
Sotkamo will be pleased to have seen off KPL in the series opener and will hope that this will put pressure on KPL to chase games. Joni Rytkönen and Niko Korhonen lead Sotkamo in the game and their consistency at the top end of the order was enough to see them through. Rytkönen scored a 2 run kunniajuoksu and was 9/10 overall, whilst Niko Korhonen was a more muted 7/11 but also had 2 runs batted in. Whilst Jere Vikström went 4/4 at reaching 1st base, he was the only Sotkamo joker over 50% and of the 15 opportunities to bring runners home they only scored 8. KPL on the other hand had far more chances, having 22 3rd base situations, but their conversion rate was far lower, scoring only 7. Despite Antti Hartikainen and Sasu Toikka having good games, the team was overall 55% sucessful at moving the point runner, compared to Sotkamo’s 62%. Sotkamo were simply far more efficient at producing runs despite KPL getting into position more frequently.


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