Jyväskylä Kirittäret has won four Finnish championships since 2016. Last year, the team lost to Pesäkarhu in the finals, but now the team from Jyväskylä were better in the semifinals.
20:08•Updated 20:11
Jyväskylä Kirittäret has advanced to the finals of the women’s Superpesis for the fifth time in a row. Kirittäret secured its place in the finals by defeating the reigning champion Pesäkarhut of Pori on the away field in a super innings 1–0 (1–1, 3–3, 1–0).
Kirittäret advanced to the finals with clean match wins 3–0.
In the super innings of Kirittäri’s decisive run, he completed his career for this season Emma Körkkö. His middle bow brought Ella Korpelan definitely in the home nest.
Since autumn 2018, Kirittäret has won three Finnish championships. Last year, the people from Jyväskylä just lost to Pesäkarhui in the finals.
The struggle was typical playoff baseball, and neither got to feast on the run party. In both periods, Päsäkarhut was already a few blocks away from winning the period, but Kirittäret stretched to a tie in the last innings both times.
The strings stretched
Kirittäret showed its ability to stretch, especially in the second period, when Pesäkarhut led 3–1 before the fourth inning. Viivi Partanen however, he hit Kunnar into the empty field at the start of the fourth inning, after which Susanne Ojaniemi homered and brought in the tying run Sara Kujanen with discharge.
Ojaniemi moved from Pori to Jyväskylä just last season. Before this, he played for Pesäkarhui for 11 straight seasons.
– It was not easy to play against Pori. There are not only game buddies, but good friends. There are a lot of acquaintances in Pori anyway, so many emotions were involved, Ojaniemi commented to Urheilu.
Ojaniemi was the best of Kirittäri. He brought in two runs and switched to the triple base with one hundred percent certainty (3/3). Kirittäri’s first-place finisher had brought one run Eeva Mäki-Maukola (5/8 top hits) and Porians Pauliina Harinen (6/9).
– I haven’t had time yet (to think about the finals), but of course we’ll go for the win. I’ve been on silver quite a few times, so the gold would taste good, Ojaniemi stated.
The season of Kirittäri has contained several twists and turns. Doubles leader Petri Kaijansinkko admitted in December that he was guilty of sexual harassment in 2014. He also retired from coaching at that time. Later, the Baseball Association ordered him to a 12-month playing and official suspension due to unsportsmanlike behavior.
The number one game manager Jussi “Nalle” Viljanen left his position in the middle of the season due to health reasons. He was replaced by the team’s second game manager Mattias Kitola.
Manse PP struck two municipalities
In the second semi-final series of the Women’s Superpesis, Manse PP leads Lapua Virkiä with match wins 2–1. The people of Tampere defeated Virkiä cleanly in periods 2–0 (5–3, 6–4) on Wednesday.
Manse PP’s Lina Olenius and Elli Kattelus hit a commoner each and three ordinary runs. Manse PP’s Henna Field fabric (4/4) and Ella Reiman (2/2) and Lapuan Kaisaleena Suihko (5/5) dismantled the number one situation wonderfully with one hundred percent efficiency.
The series continues on Saturday in Lapua from 4 p.m
In the men’s Superpesis semifinals, Vimpelin Veto claimed a convincing 1–0 (5–5, 10–4) victory over Joensuu Maila. The hero of Vimpelians was a hitter who hit eight runs Janne Mäkelä.
From the tip of the pennant Elmeri Anttila (9/13) brought in five runs. To Mikko Vihriälä (9/10) and To Aleksi Lassila (7/9) scored four runs. Joensuu’s best hitter was awarded three runs Topi Hurskainen (8/10).
The second semifinal series continues on Thursday in Hyvinkää. Manse leads Tahko with a 1–0 win.
Susanne Ojaniemi was interviewed by Jari Pelkonen.