Around the league - 10th July 2020
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| The legend - Sami Haapakoski |
Kempeleen Kiri v Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe
1-2k (2-11, 6-1, 1-1, 4-5)
Kempele have started this season with a spring in their step, toppling Sotkamo in their opening match before scoring a staggering 19 runs in a supervuoro loss to Siilinjärvi. Of more significance to this matchup is the game just 3 days ago against PattU in Raahe. The game was tight, with Pattijoki edging a win thanks to a 4-3 lead in the first jakso. These two teams are no strangers to one another and they for a local rivalry. PattU took home the spoils in the Halli-SM group game against Kempele back in February, when they bombarded KeKi with 17 runs over 2 jakso. Over the last 5 meetings between the 2 teams, it has been Pattijoen who have won, in fact in the last 10 games Kempele has only won 3 - none of them at home. Pattijoen’s start to 2020 has been a little more reserved; whilst they picked up wins against Siilinjärvi and Kempele, they were not as convincing as a championship contending team would hope for.
Although the start of the first jakso had a lot of energy, it wasn’t until the 2nd inning that PattU scored the first run of the game. Sami Haapakoski’s line drive to centre field was perfectly placed to split the outfielders and leave plenty of time for leadoff hitter Severi Piispanen to reach home. Haapakoski’s at bat ended with a tactical drop to allow the veteran to reach 1st base - this forced an out moments later, but led on to Juuso Keski-Koukkari’s sharp hit past 2nd base that saw both Timo Kallio and Haapakoski score. The sprint from 2nd base was a significant milestone for Haapakoski as it recorded his 1000th run in his career! The most for any player in the history of the game by a margin of hundreds.
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| Haapakoski reaches 1000 runs |
Despite the first jakso score, Kempele kept their heads held high and opened the second jakso with a run in the 1st inning. Down to their last out, Marko Pelkonen’s hit gave Aki Hanhela a sprint to reach home - the throw to Lukkari Topi Kosonen reached the glove fractions o a second after Hanhela crossed the line. PattU fans had to wait until the 2nd inning before the score was level again. Jari Törmänen’s hit to the midfield line completely wrong-footed the shortstop and gave Severi Piispanen time to run home; the following throw to home was wide of the mark and Piispanen crossed home base unhindered.
The remainder of the jakso was fairly quiet until the 4th inning when Kempele struck. With the bases loaded, Marko Pelkonen belted the ball deep to centre field and beat the outfielders to send the ball racing off beyond the field of play for a 4 run home run (kunniajuoksu). Ossi Meriläinen made it 6-1 by bringing Pelkonen home to score. Kempele were back in the game and forced extra innings.
In the supervuoro Kempele batted first and Pekka Hepokangas brought home Jussi Korhonen to give the visitors something to chase with a hit that couldn't be handled by the leaping infielder. PattU looked like they would take the game when Topi Kosonen hit an RBI double from a shot that bounced along the right foul line, but the game remained tied and went to a scoring contest (kotiutuskilpailu).
In the scoring contest both sides scored 3 out of 5 possible runs and forced a second round. This time, Pattijoki clinched the game 4-5 with Topi Kosonen’s hit bringing Jere Achren home to score.
I feel privileged to have watched history being made in this game with Sami Haapakoski reaching 1000 runs. Many compare this feat to the legend Wayne Gretzky in that it will most likely never be broken. What is perhaps more special is that Haapakoski achieves this feat with PattU - his original club, with his brother Jussi Haapakoski as game manager.
This game had everything - milestones broken, suspense, big scores and plenty of drama. I must admit, before the start of the season I had some worries about how Kempele may perform, but after the first 4 games they have beaten Sotkamo, had 2 tight games against Patijoki and outscored their opponents 39 to 37. While Kempele had fewer 3rd base situations and a lower success rate at moving the point runner, they were 9/13 (69%) at bringing runners home from 3rd base. Marko Pelkonen had an absolute monster of a game, going 5/5 in terms of bringing runners from 3rd base to score. His 4 run home run put Kempele into a 5 run lead that forced extra innings. Pelkonen’s performance was only shadowed by the equally huge game that Sami Haapakoski had, going 94% overall at moving the point runner (15/16) with 5 RBI and 4 runs. It is also worth noting that Juuso Keski-Koukkari had 4 RBI in the game and Severi Piispanen scored 4 runs - each would have been a great result on their own, but Haapakoski’s performance took centre stage.
Pattijoen head home after this blockbuster of a game to face Siilinjärvi on 12th July and Kempele travel to Seinäjoki with hopes of continuing their 2020 season energy and even the chance t bring back 2 or 3 points.
KeKi - PattU1 - 2k (2-11, 6-1, 1-1, 4-5)
Yleisöä: 832
Elsewhere in the league
Vimpeli started to look more like a championship challenging team with a solid win over Seinäjoki. After a tough loss on the road to Sotkamo, Vimpeli travelled to Seinäjoki in the hope of a strong performance. Olli Heikkala had been silenced by Sotkamo and limited to an uncharacteristic 12% success rate at moving the point runner; however in this game he had found his form once again. Vimpeli cut down Seinäjoki’s offence and limited them to just 2 runs in the game, coming off Joona Kettunen’s home run (kunniajuoksu) in the second jakso.
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| Kitee hand Joensuu another tough loss |
Siilinjärvi were unable to repeat their 2019 win over Sotkamo that was almost 1 year ago exactly; however SiiPe managed to stay in the first jakso, only losing by a single run. In the second jakso Sotkamo put the game out of reach and won it 2-7. Sotkamo limited SiiPe to just 6 3rd base situations, none of which happened after the 1st inning of the second jakso.
KPL continue their march towards the championship with a 3 point win over Kankaanpää. With 7 unanswered runs in the 1st inning of the first jakso it was going to be a long day for KaMa. The second jakso however was far tighter than KPL would have wanted and in the bottom of the 4th inning Kankaanpää were ahead ad threading to take the game to a supervuoro. Nerves were steadied however when Matti Latvala brought Anssi Lammila home to tie the second jakso and Matti Saukko scored the winning RBI.
Fresh off their first Superpesis win, Manse hosted Hyvinkää in the hunt for a repeat of their Halli-SM victory over Tahko back in February. This game is a real clash of experienced and successful game managers: Matti Ivarinen for Manse and Miika Rantatorikka for Hyvinkää. In the first jakso Manse kept the game in sight and it ended in a tie. The second jakso was back and forth, but eventually Tahko scored big, with 4 runs in the 3rd inning to leave the home side chasing the game once more. Manse were able to overcome the deficit and Hyvinkää took 2 points for the win. Tahko’s best contributor for runs was errors on the part of Manse, with 2 runs coming off bad pitches (walks) and 1 from a wild throw.
9th July 2020
Seinäjoen JymyJussit v Vimpelin Veto
0-2 (0-2, 2-3)
Joensuun Maila v Kiteen Pallo -90
1-2s (6-2, 2-9, 1-3)
Siilinjärven Pesis v Sotkamon Jymy
0-2 (1-2, 2-7)
10th July 2020
Manse PP, Tampere v Hyvinkään Tahko
0-1 (2-2, 3-6)
Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat v Kankaanpään Maila
2-0 (9-2, 5-4)
Photographs
Cover - (c) Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe 2020
Photograph 2 - (c) Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe 2020
Photograph 3 - (c) Joensuun Maila 2020
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