Pair Of Tigers To Pitch In North Adams This Summer

By Rick ZmudzienPrint Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The North Adams SteepleCats of the 12-team New England Collegiate Baseball League have signed left handed pitcher Brach Davis and right handed pitcher Ryan Fraser, teammates at the University of Memphis, for the upcoming 2009 season.
 
Davis is originally from Southaven, Miss., and is currently in his junior season at Memphis. Davis was elected team co-captain this past fall by his teammates. So far this season, Davis is 1-5 with an ERA of 5.79 through 46.2 innings of work.
 
After struggling with injuries his first two seasons at Memphis, Davis put together a solid sophomore campaign in 2008. After starting the season in the bullpen, Davis earned a spot in the Tigers’ starting rotation and started 10 games, second most on the team. His record for the year was 2-4, with an ERA of 6.36 over 52 innings pitched, second most on the team as are his 41 strikeouts.
 
In the summer of 2008, Davis pitched for the Woodstock River Bandits of Valley League Baseball. For the River Bandits, Davis appeared in nine games and started a team-high eight games. He went 3-3, with an ERA of 3.50 over a team-high 43.2 innings pitched. Davis also led the River Bandits with 51 strikeouts and held opponents to a paltry .205 batting average.
 
“Davis had a very good sophomore season and even better summer. He’s a feisty competitor who won’t back down from anyone on the mound,” said McGrath.
 

Fraser, who is originally from Cleveland, Tenn., is also in his junior season at Memphis. Drafted out of high school in the 48th round by the Tampa Bay Rays, he opted to attend Gulf Coast Community College. After graduating in 2008, he signed with Memphis. So far this season Fraser has appeared in nine games, including eight starts – third most on the team. He currently has a record of 3-4, with an ERA of 6.64, through 40.2 innings of work.
 
Prior to attending Memphis, Fraser pitched two years of junior college baseball at Gulf Coast Community College. There, he posted a record of 11-10 with a 5.21 ERA. He struck out 111 batters in 138.2 innings of work.
 
“Ryan was a big recruit for Memphis with a power arm, which was illustrated by having him join Brach in the weekend rotation immediately.  Although he’s now pitching out of the bullpen, we anticipate he’ll have a very successful summer pitching in the NECBL,” said McGrath.
 
Opening Day is right around the corner. The SteepleCats will open up their season on Friday, June 5, in New Hampshire to take on the Keene Swamp Bats. The SteepleCats play their home opener on Saturday, June 6 against the Danbury Westerners. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Joe Wolfe Field, and the gates will open at 6:00 p.m. For more information on the roster, schedule and other news, please visit www.steeplecats.com.
 
In case you haven't purchased your season ticket for the upcoming season, please visit one of these local businesses listed here to purchase your full season ticket or ten-pack ticket. The Full Season Family Plan is $100; Full Season Individual Plan is $70; Ten-Pack Family Plan is $60; and the Ten-Pack Individual Plan is $45. Tickets are sold at all of the following locations: Adams: Val's Variety; North Adams: Man's World and Moulton's General Store; Stamford, VT: Billmont's Country Store, and in Williamstown at Angelina's Submarine Shop and St. Pierre's Barber Shop.
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Armed North Adams Man Arrested Following Domestic Standoff

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Matthew Parker, a 44-year-old North Adams man, is set to face multiple counts of attempted murder and weapons charges in Northern Berkshire District Court on Friday morning following an hours-long, armed standoff at a Houghton Street home.

The defendant is being arraigned for:

  • Domestic Assault and Battery
  • Assault with the Intent to Murder (3 counts)
  • Carrying a Firearm While Under the Influence of Alcohol (3 counts)
  • Possession of a hi-capacity firearm (4 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a hi-capacity firearm (2 counts)
  • Improper Storage of a firearm (6 counts)

According to a report, on June 10, at approximately 8:42 p.m., officers responded to 365 Houghton St. following a report of a domestic assault and battery. The caller said she and her husband had been involved in a physical altercation.

She said her husband was intoxicated, making suicidal statements about shooting himself, and had access to both a shotgun and a pistol.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with both the caller and Parker. During the encounter, Parker threatened to shoot officers before retreating into the home and refusing to exit.

Officers believed that Parker was armed.

To ensure public safety, police established a perimeter around the home and requested assistance from the Berkshire County Special Response Team (SRT) and North Adams Police crisis negotiators. The Brien Center was also contacted and promptly provided an emergency mental health clinician to assist with the incident.

Special Response Team personnel deployed drones to monitor the residence and provide aerial illumination. During the operation, officers saw Parker exit the house carrying a rifle. He pointed it at the drones, stated a report. Parker subsequently pointed the rifle toward several officers positioned behind their cruisers. After officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, Parker returned inside the residence.

Trained crisis negotiators maintained communication with Parker for several hours in an effort to peacefully resolve the situation. At approximately 2 a.m., Parker ceased communication with negotiators.

Drone operators later observed Parker unconscious in a recliner on the first floor of the residence, with a rifle and shotgun on the floor nearby.

Members of the Berkshire County SRT then executed a coordinated operation. Diversionary devices were deployed through a window while an entry team simultaneously entered the home, secured the firearms, and took the defendant into custody.

A search warrant was executed after Parker was in custody. North Adams Police seized four shotguns, six rifles, two handguns, and thousands or rounds of ammunition from the home.

During the operation, one SRT member sustained a minor injury related to a less-lethal bean bag deployment. Parker also sustained non-life threatening injuries during the arrest and was transported to Berkshire Medical Center for medical evaluation.

"We thank the community for its patience and cooperation throughout this incident, particularly residents in the affected area who complied with temporary shelter-in-place requests," Police Chief Mark Bailey said.  "The North Adams Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the agencies that provided mutual aid and assisted by handling calls for service during this incident. We are especially grateful to the Berkshire County Special Response Team for its professional and decisive response, the Brien Center for the rapid deployment of a mental health clinician, and our crisis negotiators whose efforts helped maintain dialogue and contributed significantly to the safe resolution of this incident."

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