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Regional | Softball

Tainui wins respective sections at Māori Softball Tournament

Both the Tainui women and men's teams have won the annual Ngā Hau e Whā Māori Softball tournament held in Papakura this long weekend.

The tournament is in its second year, and features teams from around the country.

In the men’s section were teams from Tainui, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Te Waka o Counties Manukau and Tūhoe.

The women's section saw teams from Ngāti Porou, Ngā Kuki, Tainui, Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahungunu.

Te Kāea followed the Tainui women’s team as they seek retribution from Ngāpuhi. Ngāpuhi beat Tainui on day one, 16 – 1.

Tainui is a mixed team, half of their players are from Hamilton, the other half from Auckland. They had not yet played together before the competition.

Tainui scored two runs and kept Ngāpuhi scoreless until the final innings, however, Ngāpuhi finally put points on the board.

It was little too late for the home side, as the Tainui women won the final, 2 – 1.

“The girls are ecstatic, this was a big shock for us to actually win the final, let alone getting to the final, they’re proud and I’m just really proud of our team for sticking it out and going to long haul”, says Lynda Luke, player and coach of the Tainui women’s side.

The competition is held every Labour Weekend.