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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Berkshire Force Opens Play at Eastern National Tournament

iBerkshires.com Sports
SALISBURY, Md. -- The Berkshire Force 16-and-under travel softball team Monday started play with a pair of losses at the United States Specialty Sports Association's Eastern National Championship.
 
Its first game came against the Jersey Storm of New Jersey, which earned a 6-2 win in four innings.
 
Julia McComish went 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI, and Amaya Alger and Markiara Jackson each had a hit for the Force.
 
Ava McMahon took the loss in the circle after striking out four and allowing five earned runs in three innings of work.
 
Berkshire's second game was against the Complete Game Academy squad out of Pennsylvania.
 
The Force jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but CGA took control with four in the third inning and ended up winning a game cut to four innings due to the tournament's time constraints.
 
The Force piled up seven hits in the loss. McComish and Lexi Spratling each had a hit and an RBI.
 
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