image description

Williams Softball Advances to Division III World Series

Williams Sports InformationPrint Story | Email Story
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Williams junior Rebecca Duncan fired a called third strike past Ithaca lead-off batter Nikkey Skuraton with two outs and the tying run on second base Saturday as the Williams College softball team edged the Bombers, 4-3, to sweep the best-of-three NCAA Div. III Tournament Super Regional and advance to the eight-team national tournament for the fourth time in program history. 
 
Williams (38-5) will travel to Tyler, Texas, Tuesday in preparation for the start of the double-elimination tournament which runs Thursday through Tuesday. Ithaca concludes its season with a 28-9-1 record. 
 
Duncan was named the Super Regional's Most Outstanding Pitcher and Williams senior Mackenzie Murphy was chosen as the Most Outstanding Player.
 
In Saturday's Game 2, the Ephs rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, scoring twice in the third and twice in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead, then held on for the one-run victory, their third straight. The Ephs are 5-0 in NCAA play to date. 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Creative Pause: Venerable WTF Taking Time to Innovate, Strategize

By John TownesSpecial to iBerkshires
The pace and pressures of change have intensified in all sectors of society. The creative economy is no exception.
 
Non-profit arts organizations have always had to adapt to changing times. Some of these issues are common and perennial, including the need to raise funds, attract audiences, and remain relevant and sustainable.
 
In addition, while the COVID-19 pandemic was several years ago, it has taken time
to recover from the universal shutdowns of 2020 and their aftermath.
 
These issues were highlighted in the Berkshires recently with the announcement that two prominent cultural institutions in Northern Berkshire County — the Williams Theatre Festival and the FreshGrass music festival at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art were cancelling their 2026 summer seasons.
 
Both organizations, which are separate, will use the time to regroup, with plans to return in 2027.
 
While the announcements raised concerns about the impacts on the cultural tourism economy this summer, the overall slate of cultural attractions and activities in the Berkshires appear to be on track. The cultural sector is not monolithic, and other individual organizations are either proceeding as normal or expanding their offerings.
 
The season cancellation at WTF was because of a combination of factors, said Raphael Picciarelli, WTF's managing director for strategy and transformation. He shares administrative oversight responsibilities with Kit Ingui, managing director of operations and advancement.
View Full Story

More Williamstown Stories