East’s third consecutive victory in a value match – Roope Korhonen, 42, shouted to the crowd on his home field: “This was the last one for me”

Sotkamo’s East-West weekend ended with a sold-out men’s match.

Men’s baseball’s 88th East-West match turned in Sotkamo for the East team, which won its third consecutive victory. The match, which was decided in a super innings, ended in periods 2–1 (3–5, 6–0, 3–1).

The value match was decided by a batsman joker Roope Korhonen two home runs in a super innings. Korhonen, who was awarded the best of the match and played as his team’s captain, was behind the East’s five runs overall.

At the end of the match, the sold-out crowd shouted Korhonen’s name when he claimed his award for the best player on the pitch at his home stadium in Hiukka.

– This is the best and exactly what I came to get from this event. Yes, this was the last East–West for me. Now the merit of even the best on the field is in the trophy cabinet, so you couldn’t have hoped for more, 42-year-old Korhonen expressed the mood after the match.

Korhonen, who won 12 Finnish championships at club level in Sotkamo’s Jymy, is on the verge of a great achievement next week.

If Korhonen scores a single run in Tuesday’s home game against Hyvinkää Tahko, he will single-handedly become the number one hitter in the all-time men’s Superpesis hitter statistics.

– Of course, I always aim to score at least one run in every game. Hopefully we can break the record and not have to think about it anymore.

– I hope it comes with a good shot and not a flipper mistake, Korhonen added.

The level of the match gradually improved

Sports expert Sami Partanen described the men’s ranking match as good, but also colored by mistakes. The eastern team petered out as the match progressed and, according to Partanen, deserved its victory.

– Korhonen showed the direction to Ida and finally sealed the match. The batsman of all time managed to get a great end to this match as well, expert Partanen commented on the broadcast of Urheilukierros.

Vimpelin Veton, awarded as the best in the West Olli Heikkala performed strongly in both outdoor and indoor games. For the western team, the most runs were scored in the opening period by Kunnar’s full-field hitters Perttu Ruuska and Janne Mäkeläwho homered twice.

In the all-time statistics, Itä leads with victories 41–37, ten times it has ended in a draw.

The weekend saw a record-breaking throw

This year saw an exceptional number of debuts in the men’s East–West. One of those who appeared in his first rank match was Sotkamon Jymyn Iivari Vihantowho had a blast in the throwing competition on Saturday.

Vihanto, 19, threw a baseball with the hardest measured result ever. The new throwing record is now 161.5 kilometers per hour. Vihanto, who played number five in the actual match, scored two runs for Ida.

Kempele’s Kirin in a three-player competition Tuomas Jussilan the result left at a speed of 144.8 kilometers per hour and Manse PP’s Tomi Lehtonen 144 kilometers per hour.