Postseason review: Final

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 run home run from Juho Hacklin. 


In Game 2 Sotkamo controlled the tempo as the eyes of Kouvola willed on their team in the hope of their first championship since 1976. Sotkamo’s defensive plays held KPL scoreless and some choice at-bats from jokers Roope Korhonen and Lauri Rönkkö gave Sotkamo 3 of their 4 runs to secure the first jakso. The second jakso however was all KPL and a tight 2-1 game blew wide open with 5 runs in the 3rd inning, to leave Sotkamo thinking about a supervuoro to save their season. Despite a dismal second jakso, Sotkamo came to life in the supervuoro and with the bases loaded, Roope Korhonen sent the ball deep to left field and out beyond the gates to score a 4 run RBI. Antti Korhonen’s RBI made the score 5-0 and KPL were resigned to the fact that this series was going to be decided on another day. 


Game 3 saw Sotkamo jump to an early 2-0 lead off Niko Korhonen’s 2 run home run (kunniajuoksu) with the ball scampering off towards the lake; however it was Lauri Rönkkö’s RBI in the 3rd inning that gave Sotkamo the deciding run. KPL’s rally in the 4th inning of the first jakso fell short after Jere Dahlström and Matti Latvala’s RBIs kept the game alive, only for Sotkamo to close down KPL’s offence and march on towards victory. The second jakso saw Sotkamo very much in command of the game, despite KPL gaining the lead for the first time in the game in the bottom of the 1st Inning, an explosive 6 run 2nd inning from Sotkamo put the home side within touching distance of the title. As KPL took crumbs of comfort in runs in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th inning, Sotkamo simply piled on the runs and left the score line 12-5. As Sotkamo recorded the final out, the relief and excitement poured out and the hard work of the season culminated in a special moment for Joni Rytkönen who claimed his first title, Roope Korhonen who claimed his 12th and youngsters Aapo Komulainen, Kale Kuosmanen and Konsta Kurikka to name a few. It is easy to forget that whilst Sotkamo have been an unbeatable force in Superpesis, many of the players from the “golden years” have moved on and this team is forged by former player turned game manager Jani Komulainen who celebrated his first championship as a coach.

Prediction: KPL to win 2-1.

Actual result: Sotkamo won 2-1. I knew it would be close, but Sotkamo really showed an extra gear in Game 3 to seal the victory.

Players to look out for: Sotkamo’s Aapo Komulainen remained the pick for the role of pitcher in this series and did not disappoint. Despite his young age (17 years old) and the fact that he played (and won) the Boys - B championship in the same week as Game 3, Aapo showed incredible resolve and focus. Aapo was superb in the series and cut short the might of KPL’s batting lineup. For KPL I chose Toni Kohonen as the player to watch; however he didn’t reach the kind of performance he achieved in the regular season, with only a 40% success rate at moving the point runner (6/15), no RBIs and only 1 run.

Game 1: 0-1 (1-4, 7-7)

Game 2: 1-2s (0-4, 7-1, 0-5)

Game 3: 2-0 (3-2, 12-5)


Photographs

Cover - (c) Sotkamon Jymy 2020

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