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Bad Weather Shortens Defenders' Season

By Michael RadomskiPittsfield American Defenders
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Photos by Michael Radomski
Pittsfield assistant coach Bob Warn points to some visitors on surf boards. Read all about the Wahconah flood here.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On the last day of the regular season, most teams finish with their last game of the year and look forward to the potential for playoff games.

The Pittsfield American Defenders will not have a chance for either one.

Late last night, NECBL Commissioner Mario Tiani sent league officials and general managers an e-mail and plan for the upcoming postseason. Danbury and Holyoke will meet in a one-game playoff on Saturday while Vermont has secured a playoff spot as well. The North Adams SteepleCats were to play a makeup game against Holyoke Blue Sox this morning but that, too, was canceled.

The American Defenders are currently 13-25 and still have another four games left on the schedule that won't be completed.

Pittsfield is currently five games out of the playoffs and has been eliminated from contention as well.

General manager Jon Tosches called a team meeting at 10 o'clock this morning and announced the news to all coaches and remaining players.

"For all of you who haven't heard by now, our season has ended," said Jon Tosches in front of a packed room. "The league decided to end the regular season today and we unfortunately will not have another game this season."

Pittsfield's Wahconah Park has been under water since Wednesday night following a torrential storm that brought 4 inches of rain to the area.


The Defenders have had a very wet 42-game season this year. The team has been rained out 11 different times, have been suspended by rain another four nights, and have even had to shorten games twice because of the rain.

Pittsfield's last game was a rain-suspended game at the Vermont Mountaineers on Wednesday. The team continued a suspended game in the second inning with Pittsfield ahead 1-0. The teams played 3 1/2 innings, with no scoring, when the game was again suspended.

The American Defenders were also scheduled to play a doubleheader today against the Danbury Westerners at Clapp Park at 1 p.m. because Wahconah Park was submerged.

With the season over, the players and coaches will return home to their hometowns and get set for college starting up again.

With the completion of one summer season, another one is just 11 months away.

The Pittsfield American Defenders would like to thank everyone who helped this season including the many sponsors and fans.

"The American Defenders appreciate all of your hard word and dedication to our team and organization," said Tosches. "We couldn't have done it without you and your support."

Radomski is in his second season with the Pittsfield franchise as the director of broadcasting and media relations and its play-by-play radio announcer. He is entering his senior year studying broadcast journalism at Quinnipiac University.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Belchertown Stops Pittsfield Post 68

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Belchertown Post 239’s Cooper Beckwith set the tone when he crushed the game’s first pitch to left-center field for a double.
 
The visitors went on to pound out 14 more hits in a 9-1 win over Pittsfield Post 68 in American Legion Baseball action at Buddy Pellerin Field on Monday night.
 
Beckwith went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, and Chase Earle went five innings on the mound without allowing an earned run as Post 239 improved to 15-0 this summer and completed a regular-season sweep of Post 68 (12-4).
 
“He’s a good pitcher,” Post 68 coach Rick Amuso said. “Good velo[city], kept the ball down. We didn’t respond.”
 
Pittsfield did manage to scratch out a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, when it already trailed, 7-0.
 
Nick Brindle reached on an error to start the inning. He moved up on a single by Jack Reed (2-for-2) and scored on a single to left by Cam Zerbato.
 
That was half the hits allowed by Earle, who struck out three before giving the ball to Alex West, who gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth and retired the next six batters he faced.
 
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