Vimpelin Veto started its season with a 21-run slugging.
Janne Mäkelä completed 500 regular season matches. Tomi Natri/AOP
The Men’s Superpesis started on Thursday also in Finland, when Vimpelin Veto knocked down the runner-up Alajärvi Ankkurit on their home field 2–0 (2–0, 19–3).
Ankurit returned to Superpesis after a three-year hiatus. The comeback was chilling, as Veto scored 13 runs in the last innings of the match alone.
The biggest heroes of Vimpelians were those who scored five runs Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää (withdrawals 6/11) and six brought Olli Heikkala. Matias Rinta-aho homered four times, Janne Mäkelä three times.
For Veto captain Mäkelä, 41, the match was a great milestone, as he completed 500 Superpesis regular season matches. Löjämörssäri has always represented his breeding club Veto in his career.
The three-time hitter king has won four championships in Vimpelli. Before Thursday’s match, Mäkelä’s balance from Superpesis was 48+1109=1157 runs scored.
It’s a bad mistake
Veto quickly took a 5–0 lead in the second period. The anchors opened their run account of the match at the end of a peculiar confusion.
Visitors Riku Utanen hit a ball into the backfield to end the second inning. The ball boy who was there apparently thought the hit was illegal, because he caught the ball in his flipper.
The ball boy realized the mistake suddenly. He dropped the ball to the ground, from which Vimpel’s header Elmeri Anttila pick it back up in the game.
– Bye Bye Bye! Judge! On-screen commentator Risto Ojanperä exclaimed in confusion on the broadcast.
The jury gathered to discuss how many runs the Anchors would get from the situation. In a similar situation, we consider how the situation would have progressed without the incident.
In the end, Utas was scored 1+2 runs. Kunnari was the first of his career.
– Yes, it is quite justified (sentence). When you go behind, it’s 1+2 runs. There is no getting anywhere, Ojanperä commented on the verdict.
– It was a sad situation for a young ball boy.
Melting
There was no doubt about the better team in the match. Veto scored 13 runs in Alajärvi’s outfield in the last inning.
Batting king Vainionpää excelled in the last innings, striking out a batter and three regulars and scoring one run. Olli Heikkala and Rinta-aho hit two.
The men’s Superpesis continues on Saturday, when the women also open the main league season in their home country.
The first match of the super breeding season was played in April in Fuengirola.