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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Force Goes 3-1, Stays Alive at Eastern National Championship Tourney

iBerkshires.com Sports
SALISBURY, Md. -- Ava McMahon scattered four hits in a six-inning, complete-game shutout Wednesday as the Berkshire Force 16-and-under travel softball team stayed alive in bracket play at the United States Specialty Sports Association's Eastern National Championship.
 
Berkshire's day started with a 9-6 win over the Maryland's Havenwood Revolution. But then the Force fell to the Saratoga Thunder, 12-1, to drop into the tournament's losers bracket.
 
Against Havenwood, Lexi Spratling went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and scored three runs to spur the offense. McMahon had a 2-for-3 game at the plate with three runs batted in, and Mackenzie Biros doubled in a 13-hit Berkshire attack.
 
Amelia Polidoro and McMahon split time in the circle on Wednesday morning, combining to strike out seven.
 
The Saratoga Thunder out of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., scored seven runs in the third inning to pull away in a four-inning win. Polidoro had a single and an RBI, and Spratling went 2-for-2 in the loss.
 
The Force then bounced back with two wins in the losers bracket.
 
First, Julia McComish went 3-for-3 with a home run and five runs batted in in a 14-5 win over the Bayside Blues of Maryland.
 
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