Trailblazers Softball Split With Visiting Framingham State

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The MCLA Trailblazers played host to conference foe Framingham State on Monday afternoon.

The Trailblazers won the first game 5-2 before dropping the second game 4-0. The Trailblazers now have an overall record of 6-14 and 2-3 in the MASCAC while Framingham has a record of 8-15, 2-4.

Framingham jumped out on Trailblazer pitcher Rachel Quackenbush in the first inning. Tiffanie Marsh led off with a single to center was sacrificed to second and came around to score on Shelby Phillips double to left. The Rams went on to score again in the second inning on a wild pitch.

With the Rams leading 2-0, the Trailblazer bats got hot as they went on to score five runs over the last four innings, three of those coming in the third inning. In the third, Sam Boyle led off with a single and advanced to second on Alex Romano’s bunt single. Both Boyle and Romano would come around to score on a misplayed sacrifice bunt by Michaela DiNicola. DiNicola took third on the play and would score on Quackenbush’s sacrifice fly. The Trailblazers scored again in the fourth when Quackenbush would single home Shelbi Clary who led off with a walk. MCLA scored their fifth and final run of the game when Jen Sicinski walked and scored on Sierra Bailey’s double.

Quackenbush went 1 for 3 at the plate with two RBI’s while Meczywor was 1 for 2.

After dropping the first game, Framingham came into the second game scoring two runs in the first inning and then two more in the sixth inning to secure themselves their second conference win. Framingham scored two runs on two stolen bases and two Trailblazer errors. Alyssa Begin reached on an infield error before stealing second and scoring on Phillips single. Phillips herself would steal second and come around to score on Helen Falzone single.

Cost, Access to NBCTC High Among Concerns North Berkshire Residents

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
06:15PM / Thursday, April 25, 2024

Adams Select Chair Christine Hoyt, NBCTC Executive Director David Fabiano and William Solomon, the attorney representing the four communities, talk after the session. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Public access channels should be supported and made more available to the public — and not be subject to a charge.

 

More than three dozen community members in-person and online attended the public hearing  Wednesday on public access and service from Spectrum/Charter Communications. The session at City Hall was held for residents in Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg and North Adams to express their concerns to Spectrum ahead of another 10-year contract that starts in October.

 

Listening via Zoom but not speaking was Jennifer Young, director state government affairs at Charter.

 

One speaker after another conveyed how critical local access television is to the community and emphasized the need for affordable and reliable services, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. 

 

"I don't know if everybody else feels the same way but they have a monopoly," said Clarksburg resident David Emery. "They control everything we do because there's nobody else to go to. You're stuck with with them."

 

Public access television, like the 30-year-old Northern Berkshire Community Television, is funded by cable television companies through franchise fees, member fees, grants and contributions.

 

Spectrum is the only cable provider in the region and while residents can shift to satellite providers or streaming, Northern Berkshire Community Television is not available on those alternatives and they may not be easy for some to navigate. For instance, the Spectrum app is available on smart televisions but it doesn't include PEG, the public, educational and governmental channels provided by NBCTC.