The major league baseball games of the 2023 season will kick off this weekend on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Lapuan’s Virki beat Joensuu’s Maila in Fuengirola.
The first series points in Fuengirola were settled on Saturday by Lapuan Virki, who continued with a somewhat unchanged team since last season. Virkia, number one in the women’s main series marathon table, beat Joensuu Maila 2–0 (1–0, 8–6).
– The game was decided by the fact that we made a little less mistakes than the opponent, summed up Virkiä’s first prize winner Anni Heikkilä23.
The match culminated the week-long training camp of the Lapua team. Virkia opened the season victoriously in Fuengirola also five years ago against Lappeenranta’s Pesä-Ysä.
– Before Monday’s return flight to Finland, baptisms will be held. A couple of young players and a game manager (Matti Larikka) are baptized. They might have to embarrass themselves a little and declare their love for Virki, laughed Heikkilä, who is from Hattula.
No fear of burns
There was little fear of burns on the Campo Elola pitch in the twenty-degree heat. Cramps were a problem for the players shortly after the middle of the game. The match attracted more than 1,200 spectators.
The opening period ended with a tying last inning when Eveliina Lämsä was scored by a joker in a no-fire situation with an unmarked space Petra Kerola.
After the break, JoMa, who played equalizing shifts, was even in the lead until the five-time hitter queen Janette Lepistö dropped balls to the tune of four single homers.
Virkiä’s winners were slugger Heikkilä (2 top hits/4 attempts) and wildcard Lepistö (6/8), who scored four runs out of six home runs.
JoMa’s winners were the top scorer who scored two runs Johanna Pirskanen (7/8) and a reliever who homered once and scored two runs Nora Pasi (8/11).
Fuengirola opens the baseball season for the fifth time. The coronavirus pandemic caused a two-year break in the tradition that started in spring 2017.
The women’s domestic series opener is ahead on the weekend of seven matches on the 13th and 14th. May.