Around the league - 21st July 2020
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| Juha Puhtimäki has a perfect day at bat in Joensuu’s big win over KPL |
Joensuun Maila v Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat
2-0 (4-3, 7-4)
KPL have been riding high on their early success this season and have looked set to remain top of the table, especially if they can keep some distance between them and Sotkamo. Joensuu have struggled to match their performance at the start of the year, where they looked certain to retain their championship based on the Halli-SM games. Since those games a lot has happened and a lot of time has passed. Despite stumbling in the first week to IPV and Kitee, Joensuu are starting to find their form again with 3 away wins. The head to head for these 2 teams includes the 2018 championship finals;
The first jakso started tentatively and the game was scoreless until the 3rd inning when Jere Dahlström hit to the midfield line was thrown short to Puhtimäki and not taken cleanly at the plate, allowing Anssi Lammila to score. The errors continued as Juho Hacklin’s shot made to the left short stop was misfielded and the throw to home plate was again missed for an easy out. Sasu Toikka made it across home base to make it 0-2.
The bottom of the 3rd inning was all Topi Hurskainen’s. His at bat moved Konsta Piironen to 2nd and 3rd before unleashing a hit that cut through centre field and scored a 2 run home run. Kerubi erupted in cheers and noise - Joensuu were back in business. Poised on 3rd base, Hurskainen completed his inning by reaching home off Juha Puhtimäki’s hit to the midfield line that cleared 2 infielders. With the game turned on its head, KPL found themselves now chasing down a 4-2 lead that Joensuu had built up. Whilst Jere Dahlström was able to bring Toni Laakso home to score in the 4th inning, it wasn’t enough to salvage the jakso. Joensuu won the first jakso 4-3.
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| Joensuu’s big 1st inning in the second jakso sealed KPL’s fate |
All good things come to an end, so the saying goes. That was certainly true today when KPL’s winning streak was brutally halted by the reigning champions Joensuu. Topi Hurskainen was definitely the key player for Joensuu in the game, with his 3rd inning at bat turning the tide and giving JoMa the momentum to win the game. Hurskainen’s success rate at moving the point runner was a huge 90%, including 6/6 moving runners from 1st to 2nd. Juha Puhtimäki also had a fantastic game at bat going 100% in terms of hits, with 2 RBI and 1 run; however his role in the field was less successful. Whilst Joensuu’s runs seemed to come from up and down the lineup, Jere Dahlström was the constant threat for KPL with 5 RBI. Of note statistically was the low output from the top of KPL’s lineup, who couldn’t get above 56% in the game. Even Dahlström himself was limited to a success rate of just 54%.
This was supposed to be the opening game for the 2020 Superpesis season in Spain; however due to the impact of the Coronavirus, the season was postponed until July. Whilst Opening day is still a recent and bitter memory for Joensuu, losing to IPV in a kotiutuskilpailu (scoring contest), their season truly starts here with a big win over championship hopefuls KPL.
Joensuun Maila
| # | Pelaaja | Up | Ly | Tu | KL | 1% | 2% | 3% | K% | KL % | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät
| # | Pelaaja | Up | Ly | Tu | KL | 1% | 2% | 3% | K% | KL % | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elsewhere in the league
Sotkamo beat IPV in a clash that started with 6 runs for Sotkamo in the 1st inning. Despite several comebacks in the game, Sotkamo won both jakso and closed the gap on KPL for the top of the table. Konsta Kurikka made an appearance at 4 in the lineup as Joni Rytkönen started as a joker; however the position did not serve him well as he was 0% in the game with 4 failed attempts at bringing runners home from 3rd base. In contrast, Antti Korhonen excelled at 3 in the lineup going 100% at moving the point runner and scored 2 runs and 3 RBI. IPV had more 3rd base situations than the visiting team, but Sotkamo capitalised on their chances going 9/15 with runners on 3rd.
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| Seinäjoki clinch the win in a thriller against Manse |
In Siilinjärvi, Vimpeli travelled with thoughts of continuing their form after Sunday’s 3 point win over Manse, but SiiPe had other plans in mind. Despite a 0-7 first jakso loss, Siilinjärvi came back to cause a big upset and beat Vimpeli in a supervuoro. The loss sits heavy with Vimpeli as they sit in mid-table with 4 wins and 5 loses in total.
Kitee proved that they mean business in a massive 3 point win over injury hit Pattijoki. Kitee have mixed up their lineup from game to game and it seems to have kept them in good form. The win moves Kitee to 3rd in the table and leaves Pattijoki in 5th.
Koskenkorva must have had a boost from their first win on Sunday last week, because they fought hard to beat Hyvinkää again and take 2 points after the first jakso was tied 10-10. Patrik Wahlsten yet again dominated for Koskenkorva, with a staggering 8 RBI including a home run. Both teams were fairly evenly matched statistically, both had 20 3rd base situations and a high percentage at moving the point runner (60% for Koskenkorva and 63% for Hyvinkää). Tahko are now starting to drift towards the lower end of the table and far from where many people believed they may be when the season started.
21st July 2020
Imatran Pallo-Veikot v Sotkamon Jymy
0-2 (4-6, 3-4)
Seinäjoen JymyJussit v Manse PP, Tampere
2-1k (6-4, 7-8, 1-1 1-0)
Siilinjärven Pesis v Vimpelin Veto
2-1s (0-7, 4-3, 2-0)
Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe v Kiteen Pallo -90
0-2 (4-5, 0-1)
Hyvinkään Tahko v Koskenkorvan Urheilijat
0-1 (10-10, 2-3)
Photographs
Cover - (c) Joensuun Maila 2020
Photograph 2 - (c) Joensuun Maila 2020
Photograph 3 - (c) Seinäjoen JymyJussit 2020
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