Around the league - 30th August 2020
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| 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 proved to be one of the most exciting and challenging teams to play against. The anniversary year has been kind to Kitee, who are confirmed as 5th in the league. Kitee are the only team that seems to have routinely caused Joensuu problems this season - even Sotkamo and KPL were swept aside by the reigning champions.
The buildup to this match however saw a change in the trends for both teams. Whilst KiPa have a confirmed 5th place finish, they lost to IPV coming into this game. PattU on the other hand turned out a solid performance to beat Kempele 2-0 and launch themselves back into the race for a playoff spot.
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| PattU celebrate Kosonen’s home run |
In the first jakso PattU’s Timo Kallio set the tone with a solo home run in the first inning before Jarmo Viittanen made it 2-0 with a hit to the midfield line. Sami Mikkolanaho pulled one back for the home team in the 2nd inning, but a bases loaded short hit followed by a 3 RBI home run from Topi Kosonen’s at bat in the 3rd inning gave PattU a solid lead. PattU’s hard hitter Juuso Keski-Koukkari made it 1-7 with a blast to centre field. Kitee’s 4th inning rally fell short, but not before Ville Liukku scored 2 RBI at separate at bats and Kasperi Kaksonen added a run. The first jakso ended 4-7 and PattU were in business.
The second jakso was a very different story and Kitee opened the scoring with Valentin Ikonen in the 1st inning before the floodgates opened in the 2nd inning with 4 more runs, including 2 off Jiri Pippola’s hit to right field that saw him scamper to 2nd base. PattU narrowed Kitee’ lead by 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning with RBIs from Juuso Keski-Koukkari and Miikka Matikka, but the damage was already done. A consolation run off Keski-Koukkari’s hit to centre field was all PattU could do in the 4th inning, as the game went to extra innings.
In the supervuoro Kitee came to bat first and looked on target to win after Hannes Pekkinen brought Elmeri Purmonen home to lead 1-0. But it was PattU who came up with the win as Topi Kosonen added to his tally for the day with a line drive past the midfield line and Juuso Keski-Koukkari scored the game winning run with a hit to the midfield line narrowly beating the throw to home.
Statistically speaking, there was nothing between the 2 teams, with an equal success rate at moving the point runner (58%) and almost equal number of 3rd base situations (24 for Kitee and 25 for PattU). There were perhaps 2 key moments for Pattijoki that stood out for the win - Topi Kosonen’s at bat in the 3rd inning of the first jakso and Juuso Keski-Koukkari’s RBI in the extra inning to seal the win.
Whilst this result means little in the whole for Kitee, it could not have been more important for PattU. Pattijoki overtake IPV into 8th place and reduce the chances of being knocked down and out of the playoff spots. IPV will have to score 1 or more points against Joensuu and Kempele would have to take all 3 points against SiiPe to stand a chance of finishing in the top 8; both of those scenarios would depend on PattU losing to Koskenkorva and not picking up any points. There is however, still an outside chance that Seinäjoki could tumble out of the top 8 as well - despite being in 5th place for much of the season, they are now in 7th place, 1 point ahead of PattU and 2 points ahead of IPV. Seinäjoki’s final game of the season is against KPL and if IPV can pull off the impossible and end Joensuu’s winning streak, anything is possible.
Kiteen Pallo -90
| # | Pelaaja | Up | Ly | Tu | KL | 1% | 2% | 3% | K% | KL % | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pattijoen Urheilijat
| # | Pelaaja | Up | Ly | Tu | KL | 1% | 2% | 3% | K% | KL % | P | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elsewhere in the league
30th August
Joensuu’s unbeaten streak continued despite a tight first jakso that ended 5-5. Sotkamo put Seinäjoki to the sword and took 3 points to secure 2nd place in the league, adding to JymyJussit’s woes.
Koskenkorva couldn’t do enough to stay in the hunt for a top 8 finish, despite winning against Siilinjärvi. Manse proved that they are a force to be reckoned with in beating Hyvinkää, to make it 2 wins in a row for them over tough teams.
Kempele kept their playoff hopes alive with a supervuoro win over Vimpeli; however the other results in the league mean that they are dependant on other results going in their favour on 1st September in order to keep their season alive. KPL put on a standard performance to beat Kankaanpää 2-0 and gain ground on Vimpeli for 3rd place in the table.
Joensuun Maila v Imatran Pallo-Veikot
1-0 (5-5, 5-2)
Sotkamon Jymy v Seinäjoen JymyJussit
2-0 (4-2, 4-3)
Koskenkorvan Urheilijat v Siilinjärven Pesis
1-0 (1-0, 6-6)
Manse PP, Tampere v Hyvinkään Tahko
1-0 (4-4, 3-2)
Kempeleen Kiri v Vimpelin Veto
2-1s (0-2, 6-5, 2-1)
Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat v Kankaanpään Maila
2-0 (2-1, 2-0)
Photographs
Cover - (c) Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe 2020
Photograph 2 - (c) Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe 2020
Photograph 3 - (c) Kempeleen Kiri 2020
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