Hawke's Bay utility Rakai Henare and outfielder Xavier Clark-Lloyd both gained national recognition when the North Island under-15 boys softball tournament ended in Wellington yesterday.
Henare was selected in the tournament team and Clark-Lloyd in the rest side at the event's prizegiving. The pair both collected two hits from three turns at bat as Hawke's Bay beat Hutt Valley Development 9-2 in the playoff for seventh in the 14-team tournament played at Hataitai Park. Henare hit two home runs during the four-day event.
"Rakai was our star player on and off the field. Xavier is in his first year of softball after switching from cricket ... he is a natural athlete," Hawke's Bay coach Fabian Makea said.
On Saturday Makea's troops beat Whanganui 9-2 and lost 8-1 to Hutt Valley.
After a winless first two days at the North Island under-15 girls tournament in Papakura Hawke's Bay avoided the wooden spoon with two wins at the weekend. On Saturday they beat Manawatu 11-4 after being pipped 10-8 by Auckland Development and yesterday they beat Tairawhiti 7-2.