Halli SM review - Joensuun Maila v Kiteen Pallo-90 (21.02.2020)
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| Are Joensuu going to run away with the title this year? Photograph from Joensuu Facebook (c) Joensuun Maila 2020 |
2-0 (2-0, 4-1)
After Joensuu’s opening game against SiiPe on 12th January, there have been a number of games that have seen KPL and Pattijoen Urheilijat qualify for the knockout stages. Now Joensuu play their second game in the tournament against a buoyant Kitee who narrowly edged a 0-1 win against IPV on 15th February. With wins under both teams belts, this game would determine who is in the best shape to qualify for the knockout stages. Joensuu’s 2-0 win against SiiPe came off the back of a strong outing for the current Halli-SM champions and they shut them out in both jakso, conceding no runs. Kitee’s win was a dramatic victory where only 1 run separated them from IPV. The last 5 games between the two teams has been lopsided and Joensuu has won 4 of them, albeit it was Kitee who won their last encounter on 9th August 2019. As Kitee embark on their 30 year anniversary, they look to set their sights on some silverware, but they will first have to take out the in-form Joensuu in order to get there.
First Jakso
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| Photograph from Joensuu Facebook (c) Joensuun Maila 2020 |
The 3rd inning saw 2 chances for Joensuu with Konsta Piironen and Topi Hurskainen on 3rd base; however both were beaten to home base by the throw and the score remained 1-0. The bottom of the 3rd inning was equally tough for Kitee, who couldn’t find the gaps in stark contrast to moments from Joensuu. The jakso was tight and a chance hit in the right gap stood to blow the game wide open. In the top of the 4th inning Joensuu doubled their lead with Topi Hurskainen sprinting to home as Henri Litmanen’s short bunt hit found space towards 1st base. Kitee could not mount a comeback and only managed to get 1 runner on base safely as Joensuu made a number of diving catches. As the jakso ended, Kitee were found wanting. Kitee failed to get a single runner to 3rd base and ultimately lost the jakso 2-0.
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| Photograph from Kitee Facebook (c) Kiteen Pallo -90 2020 |
Kitee took to the plate first in the second jakso in the hope of breaking this seemingly impenetrable Joensuu defence. With their first 3rd base situation in the game, Kitee were hopeful to break the scoreless streak; however Sami Mikkolanaho’s soft hit to the middle infield was easily thrown to home for the out. With Kitee starting to creep into the game, Joensuu put a marker down when Konsta Kettunen scored off Henri Litmanen’s bunt hit towards 1st base. Aleksi Rautiainen made it 2-0 as his looping hit to left field dropped into space and allowed Topi Hurskainen to score. With the pressure on, in 2nd inning, an attempt at a double saw the point runner, Joni Lehikoinen, out at 3rd base. The inning ended without Kitee managing to get a runner on 3rd base. Joensuu put the game beyond reach in the bottom of the 2nd inning with 2 more runs. Lauri Kivinen’s tight hit hugged the left could line and missed the outstretched glove of Kasperi Kaksonen to bring Kettunen home. Konsta Piironen slid home and made it 4-0 off Aleksi Rautiainen’s short bouncing hit towards the midfield line.
Kitee’s 3rd inning saw their second 3rd basis situation of the game, fall short as Jesse Eskelinen was thrown out at home, before Tommi Pävinen suffered a similar fate. With the game now in the bag, Joensuu looked to nevertheless build on their lead. Two swift throws to 2nd base cut down their offensive opportunities and the inning ended as Puhtimäki’s hit was easily gathered and thrown to 2nd. In the final inning Kitee finally broke through with Lassi Vasarainen moving Juhani Myyryläinen to 3rd with a bunt and setting up the run with a hit to deep right field. Despite this run, Kitee were still 3 runs down and the atmosphere showed. Although they had broken Joensuu’s scoreless streak, they failed to get any more runners on base safely off a hit and the game was swiftly over. Joensuu won the second jakso 4-1
Analysis
If IPV aren’t scared of their up and coming game against Joensuu, they should be! Joensuu went 15 consecutive innings (over the 2 games in this tournament), holding Kitee to 30% success rate at moving the point runner and SiiPe to 35%. Joensuu had 15 3rd base situations compared to Kitee’s 4, ultimately putting too much pressure on Kitee to resist. The loss effectively spells the end for Kitee’s Halli-SM tournament and will be a disappointment for them in their anniversary year. The game drew a significant crowd of 1038 spectators and reflects how popular Joensuu are in their community. The game was not won on offence today, but careful and at times athletic defensive plays. Kitee struggled to register hits time and time again as the ball seemed to attract the Joensuu players like wasps to a picnic. Lauri Kivinen put in a flawless performance at the plate, going 8/8 (100%) at moving the point runner overall. Whilst half of his hits moved runners to 3rd base, Kivinen had success at reaching 1st base as a leadoff man and in bringing Konsta Kettunen home to score. The most damning statistics for Kitee was the team’s overall success rating at putting point runners on 1st base, a tiny 6/24 (25%). Without any reliable runners on 1st base, the foundation simply wasn’t there for Kitee to build on. Kitee look to salvage some points from their next game against SiiPe and hope that they can find the form they enjoyed in their matchup with IPV on 15th February.
Up next
Kiteen Pallo-90 v Siilinjärven Pesis (22.02.2020)
Imatran Pallo-Veikot v Joensuun Maila (23.02.2020)
Game statistics - pesislive.fi
Joensuun Maila
pj:Mikko Korhonen, Antti Väistö
3-tilanteet:15, harhat:1, vapaat:0
| # | Pelaaja | Up | Ly | Tu | KL | 1% | 2% | 3% | K% | KL % | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kiteen Pallo -90
pj:Petri Tuuva, Saku Havukainen
3-tilanteet:4, harhat:0, vapaat:0
| # | Pelaaja | Up | Ly | Tu | KL | 1% | 2% | 3% | K% | KL % | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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