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Mexico Squad Edges Berkshire Force at World Series

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FLORENCE, Ala. -- The Berkshire Force travel softball team Saturday morning scored a run in the bottom of the sixth and had the tying run on second base but dropped a 4-3 decision to Mexico in pool play at the Babe Ruth World Series.
 
Needing two runs to stay alive in a game that was bumping up against the tournament's time rule, Gianna Moses hit a one-out single to left to get Berkshire going in the sixth.
 
She then stole second and eventually scored without the ball being put in play.
 
With two out, Victoria Blanchard worked a walk, and she took second on a single by Lillian Pudelko.
 
But Mexico pitcher Melissa Renteria got a called third strike to end the game.
 
Renteria struck out eight, walked four and allowed one earned run to go the distance for the win in the circle.
 
Berkshire's Cassidy Flynn threw five innings, striking out three and giving up two earned runs. Olivia Archambault threw one inning of scoreless relief.
 
Flynn, Alexandra Witherell and Kaylana Altman each had a hit for the Force.
 
Berkshire (1-1) finishes pool play on Sunday with two games, starting with the host Florence Youth Babe Ruth League at 9 a.m.
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BCC Sees $1M in Federal Funds for Trades Academy

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal secured $995,000 to begin design and construction of the academy. The congressman had earlier attended the Norman Rockwell Museum business breakfast, which celebrated Laurie Norton Moffatt's 49 years leading the institution.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College was awarded nearly $1 million in federal funds to support a Trades Academy. 

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal visited the college to highlight the $995,000 he secured through congressionally directed spending. Executive Director of Workforce and Community Education Linda Clairmont said BCC can be a destination for adults who want to learn a skilled trade. 

"I want to join up with the amazing work that Taconic and McCann (vocational high schools) are doing to prepare people for these really specific skills, helping people become confident professionals with a direct path to high-wage, high-demand jobs," she explained. 

"And we're also addressing the labor shortage that exists in this county, around the state, and around the country, in the skilled trades." 

The federal funding will support a feasibility study of an existing vacant building on campus, as well as the evaluation and abatement of any hazardous materials at the location, because it was once a power plant. 

BCC will dip its toe into the skilled trades with its first HVAC training program, for which it received $1.2 million from the state in support. The $995,000 in federal funds will go toward creating the academy in a building located on the main campus, and the HVAC heat pump training program will be funded by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. 

The $1 million in federal monies will get the college to construction documents, maybe fund some construction, and help identify the necessary equipment and other learning space needs for a skilled trade, Clairmont reported. 

The funding is part of more than $14 million in congressionally directed spending secured by the congressman to support economic development, workforce training, and community infrastructure across the Berkshires.

Neal said there are about 6.5 million jobs in the United States that go unanswered every day.

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