Softball: Cracking finale to softball season

Papamoa College pitcher Tyrique Marumaru fires down a pitch against Tauranga Boys' College at Carlton Street Reserve. Photo/John Borren

The North Island Division Two Secondary Schools tournament is a spectacular end to the summer softball season.

There are 10 boys' teams and seven girls' teams in action at Otumoetai's Carlton Street Reserve this week, with sides travelling from as far as Auckland and Wellington to try their luck.

They are taking on the best of the Western Bay schools in Tauranga Boys' College, Papamoa College, Otumoetai College, Tauranga Girls' College and Te Whare Kura o Tauranga Moana.

Pool play continues today with five start times between 9am and 5pm, before playoffs begin tomorrow morning leading up to the boys' and girls' finals at 1pm.

A highlight of the tournament so far was the clash between Tauranga Boys' College and Papamoa College on Tuesday.

The game was competitive in patches but Tauranga Boys' started well to jump out to a 5-1 lead after the first innings and extended this to 7-1 in the second innings.

Papamoa fought back well in the third and fourth innings to give their supporters something to cheer but Tauranga Boys' finished well to take the win by 12-6.