Game of the week 16.07.2021 Hamina v Kitee

 

Haminan Palloilijat v Kiteen Pallo -90

0-2 (2-5, 7-18)

This week’s featured game is a clash between two struggling sides. Hamina are desperate to avoid relegation at the end of the season and have recently parted ways with their game manager in an attempt to try something new. Kitee’s injury woes and poor performance is worlds apart from their 2020 run that saw them finish 5th in the table. Hamina came into this matchup without a win in the last 8 games, stretching back to 15th June. Kitee’s run has not been as bad, but compared to where they expected to be in the table this year, it has been disappointing; Kitee had only won a game in the last 5. Earlier in the season Hamina gave Kitee a scare taking the game to extra innings before KiPa managed take the victory. 

With the table now based around points per game, Kitee are feeling the impact of their poor start to the season with more games played than any other team in the league. Kitee lie well outside the top 8 and each victory is precious in this uncertain season. The impact of the points per game system has a similar impact on Hamina, in that their rivals for 15th place (SiiPe) scored some early points against unexpected opponents and the prospect of cancelled games for Hamina will mean a loss of opportunity to try and improve their points average.

1st Jakso

Hamina won the hutunkeitto and tried their hand at the plate and decided to bat first. Hamina made good use of the bouncing hit to try and put some runs on the board; however Kitee remained in control and Hamina came up scoreless in the 1st inning. Kitee struggled to get anything going at the start of their 1st inning and after an easy out at home for out number 3, it looked to be a long afternoon for the visitors. 

Kitee however finally clicked in the bottom of the 2nd inning,  after some hesitant fielding set up Jesse Eskelinen on 3rd base. Samu-Kalle Varonen’s bouncing hit foxed Hamina’s Ville Kotro (shortstop) and gave enough time to allow Eskelinen to score. Kitee continued to build on their lead with Sami Mikkolanaho’s blistering line drive bringing Hannes Pekkinen home to make it 0-2. Sami Partanen made it 0-3 with a perfectly weighted looping hit to right field finding the gap between outfielder and shortstop. A bobbled catch at home by young pitcher Elias Lahti game Kitee run number 4. Kitee made it 5 as Lahti strayed from home base by a matter of inches/centimetres, gifting Mikkolanaho the run off Joni Lehikoinen’s hit.

In the top of the 3rd inning, star player and 2020 silver medalist Sasu Toikka hit the ball to left field and gave Hamina their first run of the game. Sasu Toikka in fact almost claimed a second RBI as a bad bounce in front of the right outfielder gave Nino Muuruvirta a shot at running from 2nd base all the way home - but it was not to be.

In the 4th inning Hamina managed to claw another run back with another Sasu Toikka hit to left field, but the deficit was just too much and Kitee won the jakso 2-5. 

2nd Jakso

Despite loading the bases early in the 1st inning, Kitee were scoreless to start the jakso. It was now Kitee’s time to suffer a fielding mistake as a short hit from Sasu Toikka was thrown wide of the pitcher at home plate and saw Teemu Rouhiainen and Nino Muuruvirta score. The play would have been 3 runs, had Jani Ahonen rounded 3rd base legally. Before the inning was out, a 3rd run did come Hamina’s way off Erik Lahti’s short hit, which Joona Mäkelä managed to beat to home base.

Kitee managed to put runs on the board in the 3rd inning straight off the bat with Elmeri Purmonen hitting the ball deep to centre field. Left outfielder Muuruvirta was drawn in too far for the bounce and the ball scampered out towards the advertising boards for a solo home run. Valentin Ikonen brought leadoff hitter Purmunen home off a hit that deflected off the first baseman’s glove to bring the gap down to just 1 run. Kitee then went on to level the score with a line drive to centre field bringing Ikonen home to score.

Hamina took the lead once again with a 2 run home run off Muuruvirta’s hit that cleared the infield and bounded out of right field. SasuToikka failed to bring home NAME on his first hit, but slotted the ball in almost the same place as Muuruvirta to bring Jani Ahonen home from 2nd base. This time, the bounce didnt clear the right outfielder and the score remained 6-3. Juha Toikka made it 7-3 with a line drive to left field seeing Joona Mäkelä reach home safely.

With a 4 run deficit and just 3 outs away from the prospect of extra innings, Kitee had a mountain to climb. What happened next is far too lengthy to go into detail and could be a mini game review in itself! What I can say is that Kitee’s offence exploded and scored 15 runs. The highlights of these were Sami Mikkolanaho’s bases loaded home run to left field (that saw Muuruvirta too shallow for the second time in the game). Sami Partanen sensed a weak left field and placed a hit deep that took a bad bounce in front of Muuruvirta for a run, before Partanen launched a hit past the 3rd baseman for a 2nd run from his at bat and a 7-11 lead. The game was well and truly over when Jesse Eskelinen hit the ball to left field and saw Muuruvirta caught by the glare of the setting sun for a bases loaded home run. Run 17 of the jakso came from a bizarre play, where the throw from overworked and broken Muuruvirta made it to 2nd base, only for the second baseman to throw it to the right outfielder - whilst this was unfolding in the outfield, Hannes Pekkinen scampered home from 3rd base almost unnoticed.

The usually energetic Vallikenttä was stunned and the prospect of a 12 run rally seemed impossible. Hamina went through the motions, but the game was over.

Analysis

Apart from the final barrage from Kitee, the game was a fairly equal contest. With 31 3rd base situations, Kitee finally found their rhythm and took their first 3 point win of the season. Kitee had some major success at bat, with Hannes Pekkinen going 7/7 overall, with 2 runs… but that was dwarfed by Jesse Eskelinen’s 9/13 with 4/4 with runners on 3rd base, one home run, 3 RBIs and 4 runs. Sami Mikkolanaho put up similar numbers from the role of joker, with one home run, 4 RBIs and 3 runs. Kitee will be glad to have claimed 3 points against Hamina, but they still have a way to go before they can secure a top 8 finish. 

Hamina almost ground out the second jakso and forced the supervuoro (extra inning), but Kitee’s offence erupted in the 4th inning of the second jakso and crushed that dream. Hamina are at a distinct disadvantage, having lost pitchers Elias Pitkänen to KPL and Matias Hangasmaa being sidelined. Elias Lahti certainly shows promise, but the pressure on Hamina seems quite high. The fact that Hamina have also changed game manager in the middle of the season shows that this team is struggling to find their way. The energy is there for Hamina, but the confidence is lacking. The keys to this game rested in two innings where Kitee exploited Hamina’s weaknesses and pounced when they saw that the home side started to come apart. If Hamina can gain their composure and new game manager Petri Pulliainen can address the fielding issues, they have a good chance of staving off automatic relegation.

This is the first game I have reviewed this season that the underdog lost… sorry Hamina. It’s such a shame to see the team rooted to the bottom of the table, because they are a team with a lot of spirit.

                                                                   

Game stats

Photographs 

Cover - (c) Kiteen Pallo -90 2021