Batter up!

ACTION APLENTY: Sapphire Hihi, from Tolaga Bay Area School and Kahukuranui, takes a swing at a Westlake Girls’ High School pitch, with catcher Kalani Mariner and umpire Tikao McClutchie looking on. Picture by Paul Rickard

Seventeen high school teams are sweating it out on four softball diamonds at Gisborne’s Waikirikiri Park as the next wave of talent emerges.

Tairawhiti Softball is hosting the Division 2 North Island Secondary Schools Championships, which started yesterday and finish on Friday.

The tournament has been bathed in sunshine so far and organisers are keeping their fingers crossed that the weather will be OK tomorrow and on Friday.

Ten boys’ teams — split into two sections — and seven girls’ teams are competing. A few girls are also in the boys’ sides, which is permitted at Division 2 level.

Gisborne Boys’ High School were among the teams off to flying starts, with two big shut-outs on Day 1.

Westlake Girls’ High School and Hamilton Girls’ High were strong in the girls’ section.

There were also tight affairs, Napier Boys’ High School prevailing 8-7 over Te Aute in a tiebreaker and Palmerston North Girls’ High beating Whanganui High 7-6.

Softball New Zealand delegate and legend in the sport Naomi Shaw said many of the teams featured a range of ability and experience within them.

Some would foot it in Division 1, she said.

“It’s exciting to see,” Shaw said.

The Tairawhiti association hosted the New Zealand Under-15 Boys’ Tournament and the Central Region Under-13 Boys’ and Girls’ Tournament in 2017.

Shaw said Tairawhiti had a reputation for being capable, friendly hosts.

“They’re becoming quite well known for hosting very good events for Softball NZ,” she said.

“They do it very, very well. The volunteers who work here are just so good.”

Shaw, a former White Sox captain who won the World Series in 1982, said the tournament was one of Softball New Zealand’s largest and the Gisborne setting was “picturesque”.

Tournament organiser Walton Walker said top umpires and officials had come to the tournament and good support from the community helped to produce a smooth event.

“The weather is supposed to cave in on Thursday but hopefully it misses us.”

Day 1 results —Boys, Section A: Palmerston North Boys’ High School 9, Fraser High School 2; Hastings Boys’ High School 14, Tolaga Bay Area School and Kahukuranui 0; Gisborne Boys’ High School 16, Fraser High School 0; Palmerston North Boys’ High School 11, Hastings Boys’ High School 5; Gisborne Boys’ High School 20, Tolaga Bay Area School and Kahukuranui 0.

Boys, Section B: Te Aute College 4, Whanganui High School 1; St Peter’s College 13, Fairfield College 0; Napier Boys’ High School 8, Te Aute College 7; Whanganui High School 12, Fairfield College 0; St Peter’s College 8, Napier Boys’ High School 1.

Girls: Palmerston North Girls’ High School 7, Whanganui High School 6; Hamilton Girls’ High School 11, Tairawhiti Cavaliers 2; Westlake Girls’ High School 22, Tolaga Bay Area School and Kahukuranui 1; Palmerston North Girls’ High School 18, Bishop Viard College 3; Westlake Girls’ High School 11, Whanganui High School 1; Tairawhiti Cavaliers 19, Tolaga Bay Area School and Kahukuranui 7; Hamilton Girls’ High School 16, Bishop Viard College 1.