Waikirikiri Park diamond action

Westlake catcher Kalani Mariner and umpire TK McClutchie watch as Tolaga Bay batter Jamie Wanoa swings in a match at the Division 2 North Island Secondary Schools Softball Championships.

SOFTBALL

PALMERSTON North and Hamilton were the big winners in the finals of the Division 2 North Island Secondary Schools Softball Championships at Waikirikiri Park yesterday.

Palmerston North Boys’ High School beat Gisborne Boys’ High 8-5 in one final, and Hamilton Girls’ High beat Westlake Girls’ High 8-2 in the other.

Rain disrupted the tournament but organisers and players managed to see it through to its conclusion.

Palmerston North reached the boys’ final in the afternoon courtesy of an 8-4 victory over Te Aute College in the morning. Gisborne Boys’ High had qualified for the final the previous evening, when they beat Te Aute 7-3.

Westlake Girls’ High earned their spot in the final by beating Palmerston North Girls’ High 6-2 in a 9am game yesterday. Hamilton had earned direct entry into the girls’ final with their results on preceding days.

Day 4 results — Boys: Palmerston North Boys’ High School 8 Te Aute College 4; Whanganui High School 12 Tolaga Bay Area School and Kahukuranui 2; Whanganui High School 16 Fairfield College 1; Hastings Boys’ High School 7 Napier Boys’ High School 4; Palmerston North Boys’ High School 8 Gisborne Boys’ High School 5.

Girls: Westlake Girls’ High School 6 Palmerston North Girls’ High School 2; LHS 19 Bishop Viard College 11; Hamilton Girls’ High School 8 Westlake Girls’ High School 2.