North Shore's four run ninth inning extends Pittsfield losing steak 6-3

Michael RadomskiPittsfield Dukes
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PITTSFIELD - The visiting North Shore Navigators battled all night long with the Pittsfield Dukes and pushed four runs home in the top of the ninth inning for a 6-3 victory at Wahconah Park.

Dukes starter Kyle Vazquez (Franklin Pierce) pitched seven strong innings for Pittsfield striking out seven North Shore hitters and only yielding two runs.

Sean McNaughton (BYU) hit a two run triple in the 3rd inning to give the Navigators a 2-0 lead, but it was only short lived. In the bottom of the inning, Pittsfield would score three runs on no hits as North Shore starter Mike Adams (Franklin Pierce) would walk four hitters and hit two before being taken out for reliever Ryan Krull (Bellarmine University).

Krull would enter with the bases loaded, two outs, and the Navigators down by a run, but he got Billy Messer to strike out and end the inning. The left-hander would pitch 3 2/3 innings in relief holding the Dukes scoreless and giving his team the opportunity to stay in the game.

Vazquez and Krull would go toe to toe until the 8th inning when Dukes reliever Zach Anderson (Buffalo) entered the game. Justin Little (Mesa State College) hit a one out single and Tyler Kuehl (Point Loma Nazarene) moved him to second with two outs. Pinch hitter Jay McConnell then walked to load up the bases but was picked off at first base by J.T. Musso (BYU). Musso threw down to first and first baseman Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) McConnell out to end the inning. It was one of four such innings in which a Navigator was thrown out trying to advance to end an inning.

The Dukes failed to add to the lead in the 8th, and sent out Jack Bender (Georgetown) to close the game. Nick Belcher (East Tennessee State) lined out on the first pitch, but Bender would walk the next two hitters. A passed ball allowed the runners to each move up one base respectively and Bender then intentionally walked Ryan McCrann (Fordham) to load up the bases with one out.

The Pittsfield defense would play in as pinch hitter Chad Zurcher (University of Memphis) hit a ground ball to 3rd and Jayson Langfels (Eastern Kentucky) would throw home to Musso for the force out.  With two outs, Little would hit a ground ball to the right side hole that Craig Hertler was able to field and throw over to first but Matt Adams had trouble finding the bag on the play. Base umpire Steve Sanderson ruled Little safe as the Navigators tied the game at three.

Kuehl would then follow with an RBI single to give North Shore the 4-3 lead knocking Bender out of the game. With the bases still loaded, reliever Mike Woytek (Wright State) would enter the game and give up a two run double to McNaughton. The ball then trickled away and Kuehl tried to score as well but was thrown out at the plate to end the four run inning.

North Shore would take the 6-3 lead into the ninth, and closer Chris Prescott (St. Joseph's University) would hold the Dukes scoreless to secure the victory.

With the win, North Shore improves to 9-5 on the season and they will host the Manchester Silkworms with Adam Herter (Point Loma Nazarene) as the probable starter. For Pittsfield, the Dukes have now lost seven straight games and will travel to New Hampshire to play the Keene Swamp Bats tomorrow night at seven. Matt Giusti (Stonehill College) is the probable starter. www.pittsfielddukes.com

New England Collegiate Baseball League


Results for Wednesday, June 25th 

For more detailed results and statistics, please visit www.necbl.com or http://www.necbl.com/nutshell.htm.

Sanford 6, Danbury 2
Vermont 7, Newport 5
Torrington 7, Holyoke 3
North Shore 6, Pittsfield 3
North Adams 10, Lowell 7
Team China 9, Keene 7 (Exhibition)

Schedule for Thursday, June 26th

Newport @ Holyoke 6:30pm
Lowell @ Danbury 7pm
Manchester @ North Shore 7pm
Pittsfield @ Keene 7pm
Vermont @ Torrington 7pm
Sanford @ North Adams 7pm
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.

Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.

The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.

Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is  appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.

Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.

Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.

Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.

The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.

The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.

Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.

Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years. 

He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.

Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.

Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve  a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.

Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.

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