WESTWOOD, Mass. -- There were 250 Williamsport-eligible teams at the start of Massachusetts’ state Little League tournament.
Only two remained on Sunday afternoon, and one of them wore the red and grey of the Pittsfield American Little League.
The Americans’ remarkable run to the state final came up just shy of the Bristol, Conn., regional. But Sunday’s 9-3 loss to Wellesley could not diminish what the Pittsfield squad accomplished over the last few weeks.
“I think we knew going in that this group was special,” Pittsfield Americans manager Ty Perrault said. “Six of them, when they were 10, won the 10/11 state championship. They’ve played a lot in a tournament atmosphere. We were pretty seasoned.
“We knew we had a good chance at a run, and they didn’t let us down, for sure. They were everything we could have hoped for and more. I know we’re all going to miss the daily practices because I’ve been doing this since the 1997 all-stars, and I had more fun with this group than any other group.
“They worked hard, but they had fun. It was a blast.”
Two blasts off the bats of Wellesley hitters set the tone on Sunday. Mark Henshon and Jack Toomey went yard to give their team a 2-0 lead before Pittsfield could record an out.
In the second, Henshon drilled one to straightaway center field with a runner on base to give Wellesley a 4-0 lead.
Pittsfield had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the second to answer right away, but after loading the bases with one out, Wellesley pitcher Matt Lussier got a strikeout and a grounder to third base to end the threat.
The Americans finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth.
Bo Bramer started things off by reaching on an infield single, and he moved up when Michael Britten bunted his way aboard. A wild pitch moved both runners up one base.
Shane Bernardo and Michael Grady then laid down back-to-back RBI sacrifice bunts to cut Wellesley’s lead in half, making it 4-2.
But Wellesley responded right away in the fifth, plating five more, including three on a Drew Ranzella homer off the scoreboard in left.
Pittsfield got men on second and third with two out in the bottom of the fifth but could not convert. In the sixth, Patrick Rindfuss led off with a moonshot home run to center, but Lussier retired the next three batters to secure the complete-game win.
“That team was the best team down here in my opinion,” Perrault said of Wellesley, which moves on to the Aug. 7 regional in Connecticut. “They deserve it. They were four deep on the mound and solid all around.”
And even though Perrault’s Americans can take a lot of pride in coming within one win of the state crown, he knows it may take some time for that accomplishment to sink in.
“These guys will bounce back, but right now it’s tough,” he said. “They didn’t want to be two, they didn’t want to be four, they didn’t want to be 100. They wanted to be number one in the state. That’s what they were shooting for.
“They’re disappointed, but they’ll get over it. They’re 12.”
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Berkshire United Way to Massachusetts: Early-Learning Educators Need Better Wages
By Katherine von Haefen Guest Column
As reported in iBerkshires, state education officials met with Western Massachusetts childcare and early education advocates at Berkshire Community College recently. I had the opportunity to share the following testimony on behalf of Berkshire United Way and our community partners.
Early childhood education provides tremendous benefits to our region. High-quality child care dramatically influences brain development and the future health and success for children in school and life, as well as provides a safe and secure space for our youngest community members so their parents or caregivers can work and provide for their families.
Berkshire United Way has invested in improving early childhood development opportunities in the Berkshires for decades. We fund high-quality nonprofit child-care centers that provide slots for income-constrained families. We also support the sector by co-hosting monthly child-care director meetings to work on shared challenges and collectively propose solutions. We advocate for early childhood education and have a great partner in this work, state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
Staffing is a key component of high-quality care. The research shows that skilled and consistent educators in a classroom create long-lasting change for children. However, wages are stagnant and frequently do not provide educators with basic financial stability. We often hear that educators have left the field because they are unable to make their finances work. Wages need to improve to better reflect the expertise and indelible impact teachers have in the field.
When we look specifically at our region, our data is concerning.
As Berkshire County emerges from the pandemic, we are struggling with transportation, affordable housing and lack of mental health resources, much like the rest of the state. We are also seeing a rise in economically challenged households.
After nearly 10 years of decline, Berkshire County has experienced a significant jump in income inequality, now exceeding the state and national trends and far above comparable counties, according to the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. Over half of our population are "economically challenged," meaning they are working but struggling to make ends meet. A single parent with a school-aged child needs between $70,000 and $80,000 in income and public benefits just to meet their basic needs.
A large limb from a 32-foot sugar maple in the park fell next to the fountain area over the weekend. Caution tape and traffic barrels now surround the aftermath.
click for more
The last estimate for construction was overly optimistic because, at the time, it was unclear how long obtaining the two easements would take, Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said.
click for more
Full cost estimates have not been completed but based on recent repairs made to the Clapp Park splash pad, it is estimated to cost between $350,000 and $450,000.
click for more
King Kone had a soft opening at the end of the week, offering the frozen treats on a "pay what you will" basis while employees perfected the craft.
click for more