Halli SM review - JoMa v SiiPe (12.01.20)

Joensuu start 2020 with a decisive win over Siilinjärvi
Photograph from Joensuu Facebook (c) Joensuun Maila 2020

Joensuun Maila v Siilinjärven Pesis
2-0 (6-0, 4-0)
As the cloudy winter weather outside reminds us that 2019 has only recently ended, the Pesis season has started with the Halli SM opening game between Joensuu and SiiPe. With the teams eager to get out and play, there was a bumper crowd of 1173 fans that seemed to share the feeling. Joensuu came to this game as outright favourites - reigning Halli SM gold medalists and Superpesis Champions for the last 2 years, against SiiPe who battled bravely in the 2019 postseason to retain their spot in Superpesis. During the off-season Joensuu have added Topi Hurskainen from Kitee to bolster their already star-studded top order. In addition, KPL’s Antti Hartikainen and SiiPe’s Simo Vainikainen join Joensuu for 2020; however neither were added to the reigning champions lineup for this game. SiiPe have added Matias Häninen from Joensuu to their lineup as well as signing Ville Lantiainen from Ykköspesis side Hamina and Kalle Miettinen from Ykköspesis side Kuopio. The key question for SiiPe was how would they fare having lost Simo Vainikainen in the off-season and whether the addition of Matias Häninen would enhance their lineup.

The matchup between the 2 teams has squarely favoured Joensuu, beating them 4 out of 5 games in 2019, including a win during Halli SM 2019. Prior to the game, both teams have benefited from warmup matches with Joensuu beating Kitee 2-0 and SiiPe losing 1-0 to Sotkamo on Saturday (11th January). 

Topi Hurskainen had a strong debut for Joensuu
Photograph from Joensuu Facebook (c) Joensuun Maila 2020
The game started with Joensuu at bat in the first jakso. The runs started to pour in almost immediately when a wild throw gave Konsta Kettunen a chance to score. Juha Puhtimäki made it 2-0 moments later when his hit saw new addition Topi Hurskainen reach home to score. The runs kept coming for Joensuu who added 2 more to their tally before the inning was over. SiiPe seemed unable to respond and looked dead and buried before the game had truly started. Joensuu added to their lead in the second inning with Konsta Kettunen and Topi Hurskainen reaching home off a hit from Lauri Kivinen and a wild throw respectively. With the jakso all but over, SiiPe tried in vain to jumpstart their offence, but to no avail. SiiPe failed to get any runners safely to 3rd base in the jakso and a Joensuu went 1-0 in the game.

The second jakso saw SiiPe’s struggles continue and they were blanked throughout. Joensuu scored 4 runs overall with Topi Hurskainen being the first in the bottom of the 1st inning off Henri Litmanen’s hit. Runs 2 and 3 came in the second inning for Joensuu as time started to run out for SiiPe to mount a comeback. The final run was a well worked play by Lauri Kivinen that saw Konsta Kettunen reach home base and dash SiiPe’s hopes completely. 

SiiPe were unable to run the bases and create chances
Photograph from Joensuu Facebook (c) Joensuun Maila 2020
Joensuu dominated this game and had 24 3rd base situations compared to SiiPe’s 2. SiiPe were unable to capitalise on either opportunity and it was clear that Simo Vainikainen was sorely missed from their lineup. New leadoff man for SiiPe Ville Lantiainen gave a respectable performance going 3/6 at reaching 1st base, although ultimately he was unable to reach home and score during the game. Matias Häninen’s debut against his former club was less satisfactory for SiiPe; Häninen went 3/9 overall but failed to successfully advance runners to 2nd or 3rd base. Joensuu’s latest addition in the form of Topi Hurskainen was a clear success. Hurskainen went 6/9 overall (including 5/6 at moving the point runner to 2nd base) as well as reaching home 3 times to score. 

If Joensuu continue to play like this (and all signs suggest they will) they are sure favourites to win gold again in 2020. 

Up next
Joensuun Maila v Kiteen Pallo -90 - 21.02.2020
Kiteen Pallo -90 v Siilinjärven Pesis - 22.02.2020


Game statistics - from pesislive.fi

 Joensuun Maila

pj:Mikko Korhonen, Antti Väistö
3-tilanteet:24, harhat:2, vapaat:0
#PelaajaUpLyTuKL1%2%3%K%KL %P 
1Konsta Kettunen2V32/42/450%
2Topi Hurskainen3K36/91/25/60/167%
3Lauri Kivinen2K216/80/10/14/42/275%
4Juha PuhtimäkiL113/91/11/31/533%
5Henri Litmanen3P13/51/21/11/260%
6Mikko KemppainenS4/62/31/21/167%
7Samuel Tirkkonen3V115/60/12/22/21/183%
8Simo Rahunen1V13/51/12/30/160%
9Iiro Kuosa2P11/30/11/233%
10Väinö Väänänen12/31/10/11/167%
11Aleksi Rautiainen11/70/11/614%
12Konsta Piironen3/42/31/175%
81039/6910/179/1412/178/2157%

 Siilinjärven Pesis

pj:Perttu Westersund, Tommi Luostarinen
3-tilanteet:2, harhat:0, vapaat:0
#PelaajaUpLyTuKL1%2%3%K%KL %P 
1Ville LantiainenS3/63/650%
2Juho Keinänen3V2/90/22/722%
3Matias Hänninen1V3/93/30/40/233%
4Mikko Hakomäki3K1/51/40/120%
5Teemu KinnunenL
6Eemeli Paldanius3P1/41/425%
7Aatu Roivainen2P2/40/22/250%
8Eino Puustinen2V4/71/13/40/257%
9Teemu Huhtakangas2K0/20/10/10%
10Kimmo Lukkari0/50/10/20/20%
11Otto Hoffren2/40/12/350%
12Sebastian Lahti3/53/560%
21/6011/238/242/110/235%

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