More than 600 Participate in Steel Rail Races

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Matthew Ferraro was the first runner across the finish line at the MountainOne Steel Rail Marathon.
 
Ferraro clocked a time of 2 hours, 41 minutes flat on the Ashuwilticook Rail Trail course.
 
He finished a little more than five minutes ahead of runner-up Nick Reid (2:46:15).
 
Simone Veale won the race's women's division in a time of 3:18:42. She beat out Jill Hussain, who covered the course in 3:27:23.
 
The fastest marathoner on Sunday was Stephen Gulley, a hand cyclist, who clocked a time of 2:15:03.
 
The 26.2-mile circuit was covered by 150 finishers ranging in age from 18 (William Hanley in 14th place) to 72 (Ric Nudell, who finished in 6:04:47).
 
The day also featured a half-marathon and an 8-kilometer race.
 
Mark Rabasco won the half-marathon in 1:18:41, edging Vincent Gauthier (1:22:38).
 
Kat Morrissey placed third overall in 1:23:43 and first among women in the half-marathon, which had 213 finishers.
 
Abigail Chaloux was the fastest woman in the 8K, crossing the finish line in 35:52, six seconds ahead of Caroline Kessler; the two women were ninth and 10th, respectively, overall in a field of 171 finishers.
 
Peter Hale had the fastest 8K time, 27:42. Erik Kessler was second in 30:32.
 
More than 600 people registered for Sunday's races, a record for the Berkshire Running Foundation event. Runners from 24 different states signed up to run.
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Westfield Babe Ruth Tops Pittsfield 13s in Game One of Series

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – JJ Gonzalez Monday led the Westfield Babe Ruth 13-year-old All-Stars on the mound and at the plate in a 10-2 win over Pittsfield to open the best-of-three Western Massachusetts Championship Series.
 
Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs. He also earned the win on the bump by striking out three, walking one and allowing one run in 4 and a third innings of work.
 
He was locked in a pitcher’s duel with Pittsfield’s Mateo Herrera early, but one moment of shaky defense opened the door to a big third inning for the visitors, and Pittsfield never recovered at Deming Park.
 
Westfield’s Lucas Maak worked a walk to start the third, bringing its No. 9 hitter to the plate, and Jaedon Badillo dropped down a bunt. Pittsfield’s defense surrounded the ball but could not produce a throw, allowing Badillo to reach.
 
Then the next Westfield hitter, Eric Dean, got his bunt down and reached first to load the bases with nobody out and bring the top of the order to the plate.
 
Three of the next four hitters singled – Gonzalez driving in a pair – and the visitors produced seven hits in all in the rally that left them with a 6-0 lead.
 
“We practiced it the last two weeks, bunt defense, first and thirds,” Pittsfield coach Francis McKeon said. “We just, we’ve got to make an adjustment where we see fit.
 
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