Superpesis roundup

I tend not to write purely to thank people, but this year has been a very different year indeed. From the early signs of Coronavirus spreading across Finland and in deed the rest of the world, it looked to be a very dark and sad year for many. The restrictions that many countries put in place to protect their citizens and their health care systems meant that certain activities could no longer take place, sport around the world had to find a way of adapting. By April and May 2020 the situation in respect of a Superpesis season this year looked very bleak and a number of teams (if not all of them) started to consider how they could survive financially if the season was cancelled. With reducing infection numbers and some sacrifices from everyone in Finland, the prospects of a season started to emerge and by June 2020 the league had put together a plan with agreement of the teams. Superpesis 2020 would go ahead, but there would need to be a cautious approach to games, with limits on

Sotkamo celebrate their first championship in 5 years Sotkamon Jymy (2) v Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat (4) Review: Despite a shock home loss to open the series, Sotkamo stunned KPL at KSS before putting on a powerful performance to win their first title in 5 years. The series was exciting and dynamic, but in the end Sotkamo blew their opponents away. Game 1 saw both teams testing the waters and trying to figure each other out, as (for the first time ever) the 2 teams had never met in the regular season. A slender 1-0 lead from Sotkamo was extinguished in the 3rd inning of the first jakso before Jere Dahlström gave KPL the go-ahead runs in the 4th inning. Sotkamo came back from the break looking more composed and put 5 runs on the board before KPL could score. It was Jere Dahlström again who flexed his bat and started to turn the tide with 2 RBIs in the bottom of the 2nd inning. By the 4th inning, Sotkamo’s lead was crumbling fast and saw KPL level the score and with the game thanks to a 2

Sotkamon Jymy (2) v Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat (4) Head to head: As curious a season this is, there has never been a final where the 2 teams haven’t met in the regular season. In fact KPL hasn’t played Sotkamo since 5th September 2019 when Sotkamo won the semifinal series in game 5! It is hard to imagine how these 2 teams will shape up in this series against each other; KPL has a number of high profile players this year that they didn’t have last year and Sotkamo are placing their faith in 17 year old Aapo Komulainen who makes his Superpesis debut this year. Form: KPL took the opening game of their series against Joensuu down to the wire; a scoring contest win gave them the platform for Game 2 at home with the chance of advancing to the final. Up until that series Joensuu hadn’t lost a game since 9th July this year, with 23 straight victories. KPL are arguably on their best form of the season at exactly the right time. Prediction: KPL to win 2-1. Sotkamo to win the opening game. Su

Perttu Ruuska valiantly tried to keep Vimpeli in the hunt, but Sotkamo were just too much to handle Joensuun Maila (1) v Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat (4) Review: Joensuu’s winning streak came to a dramatic end when KPL won Game 1 in a scoring contest (kotiutuskilpailu). After 2 RBI’s from Aleksi Rautiainen in the 1st and 3rd inning, KPL were held scoreless and it looked like “business as usual” for Joensuu, taking the first jakso. The second jakso however saw KPL put the first score on the board as Tommi Mäentausta reached home off Matti Latvala’s hit. Despite 2 more RBI from Aleksi Rautiainen, Joensuu could do nothing more than level the score by the bottom of the 4th inning. KPL then secured the jakso with a Matti Latvala RBI to face the extra inning. The supervuoro was scoreless and the game went to a scoring contest. Reminiscent of Joensuu’s opening loss to IPV, KPL scored the only run in the Kotiutuskilpailu to put them in the driving seat for the series when Tommi Mäentausta was bro

Can anyone stop Joensuu? Or are they Untouchable... Joensuun Maila (1) v Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat (4) Head to head: Joensuu continues to dominate, but now they face some serious competition in the form of KPL. Both of this season’s games between these 2 teams saw Joensuu take away 3 points comfortably, you may be forgiven in thinking that this will be an easy win for JoMa; however KPL have a lot of experience and talent in their ranks. Historically, the matchup has been 6-4 in favour of Joensuu, although KPL’s last win came on 30th May 2019.  Form: I will repeat what I said in the last preview for Joensuu - their form is immaculate; they haven’t lost a game since 9th July this year! That’s now 23 straight victories. Whilst their wins against PattU in the quarterfinals were not the most elegant, Joensuu manage to do exactly enough to win games. KPL seemed to step up a gear in the post season, brushing off a slightly muted end to what promised to be. KPL put some solid numbers up at b

KPL overcome a competitive Kitee side to advance Joensuun Maila (1) v Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe (8) Review: Joensuu maintain their winning streak and advance to the quarterfinals. PattU showed grit and determination to make it into the top 8 at the end of a frustrating season for them; however their chances against Joensuu were always slim. In Game 1 confidently took a 4-0 lead in the the first jakso, leaving PattU to climb a mountain. A conciliation run from Juuso Keski-Koukkari was all PattU could do to dent the reigning champions lead. The second jakso however was quite different; PattU came to the plate with clear heads and Juuso Keski-Koukkari drove Miikka Matikka home to give his team a 0-1 lead that lasted until the 4th inning when a wild throw saved Joensuu from extra innings. With the second jakso tied, PattU struggled to mount an attack and keep the game alive - the story of their season. In Game 2, the first jakso had echoes of the end to game 1, where this time Jari T

  Can Kitee turn a newly refurbished Rantakentä into a field of dreams? Joensuun Maila (1) v Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe (8) Head to head: Joensuu hold all the cards in this matchup - PattU has only beaten them once since 2015, which was on 30th July 2019. Whilst Pattijoki tied the first jakso in their first of the 2 games against JoMa this season on 18th July, they have posed no real threat to one of the most solid defences in the league. Form: Joensuu’s form is immaculate; they haven’t lost a game since 9th July this year! That’s 21 straight victories. Curiously both of Joensuu’s losses this season have been at home, so they have 100% away record. In their last 5 games, Joensuu dropped points to IPV and Kitee, but went 2-0 in the other 3 games - including their most recent game against PattU on 20th August. PattU’s form has been pretty poor all season; however they have won 4 of their last 5 games (their last defeat in fact was against Joensuu). Prediction: Joensuu to win 2-0. Sum

  Kosonen’s big at bat in the 3rd inning secured the first jakso for PattU Kiteen Pallo -90 v Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe   1-2s (4-7, 5-3, 1-2) After a busy week last week that meant that I couldn’t write up any game reviews, I set up a twitter poll to see what extra game I should review - the winner was Kitee v PattU. PattU’s season has been a stark contrast to Kitee’s. Many people had high hopes for Pattijoki this year, with predictions of finishing in the top 4; however a slow start to the season, mixed with a season ending injury for Jari Törmänen scuppered that plan. Since then PattU has been playing catch-up with the other teams in the top 8 and (for most of the season) had been losing ground. Sitting in 9th place, it is very much “do or die” time for Pattijoki as only a spot in the top 8 can salvage a terrible season. Kitee on the other hand had been disregarded in the buildup to the season, but there is magic in the air of the refurbished Rantakenttä stadium as KiPa prov