Trailblazers Baseball Sweeps Newbury

By Jeffrey PuleriMCLA Sports Info
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The MCLA Trailblazers swept visiting Newbury College by coming back in both games against the Nighthawks. MCLA earned walk-off wins in both contests, winning game one on a Chase Preite two-run double, before winning the nightcap in 13 innings, 5-4, on a bizarre play.

With the wins, MCLA finishes the 2012 season at 14-23 overall while Newbury is at 21-19 heading into their conference tournament.

The opener was locked in a pitchers dual between MCLA's Cody Weaver and Newbury's Chris Ninteau. After five and a half scoreless frames, the Trailblazers struck for two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Joe Duncan led off with a single and was quickly sacrificed to second. He then promptly stole third and scampered home when the throw sailed into left field. Preite followed with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He came around when Rory Slattery lifted a fly to center field for a 2-0 advantage.

Newbury rallied against Weaver in the seventh. The Nighthawks scored three runs on six hits in the inning, the biggest of which was a Daniel Kovner single to give Newbury the lead.

MCLA rallied though as Derek Lescarbeau and Joe Duncan both walked with one out. Weaver reached on an infield single to load the bases, setting the stage for Preite. The freshman came through, launching a double into the right center gap to give MCLA the victory.

Preite was the lone Trailblazer with multiple hits. MCLA was outhit by Newbury 10-8. Newbury was led by Chris Murphy and Michael Dean who each had two safeties.

Weaver earned the win while striking out five in the complete-game performance. Alec Thibodeau adsorbed the loss for Newbury.

Game two lasted 13 innings and once again MCLA had to battle back to earn the win. MCLA led 3-1 after five innings before Newbury rallied in the sixth.

The Nighthawks opened the inning with consecutive singles and then Cameron D'Agostino squared to bunt. He reached on a throwing error that allowed a run to score while moving runners to second and third in the process. Kovner drove in a run with a groundout while the go ahead run scored on a wild pitch.


MCLA rallied again in the seventh. Nick Mancini was hit by a pitch with one out and then was pinch run for by Ryan Shewchuk. After a flyout, pinch hitter Lescarbeau singled to move Shewchuk to third base. Duncan came through with a single to center field to tie the game. MCLA had a chance to win it then, but a groundout ended the frame.

Both teams had chances in the extra frames, but MCLA's DJ Clark and Newbury's Daniel Lumb kept posting zeroes. Lumb was outstanding tossing five shutout innings, allowing just a pair of hits. Clark was equally impressive, throwing seven shutout innings and just four hits.

MCLA finally broke through in the 13th inning. With one out, Weaver doubled to deep left. After a fly out, Clark helped his own cause with an infield safety, setting the stage for the bizarre ending.

Sean Coyle was at bat in the first-and-third situation. He grounded to second, who flipped to the shortstop covering second base, however the fielder was ruled off the bag to give MCLA the odd walk-off win.

Clark earned the win to even his record at 3-3.  Michael Gulla took the loss for Newbury.

The Nighthawks outhit MCLA, 11-10. Dean had another solid game collecting three hits, as did Joey Herer. Starting pitcher Alex Chetelat notched a pair of hits as well.

Joe Duncan led MCLA with three hits while Weaver added a pair.
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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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