image description

Berkshire Bananas Win Tournament Title

Community submissionPrint Story | Email Story
TROY, N.Y. – Lucas Hamilton struck out four and scattered seven hits in a 12-0, six-inning win for the Berkshire Bananas 14-and-under travel baseball team in AA2 division final of the Eastern New York Travel Baseball Last Man Standing tournament at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
 
Hamilton also went 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs to help his cause in the title game against the Cohoes Blackhawks 13U Red.
 
Brennan Vallieres led the Bananas’ offense, going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a pair of runs batted in.
 
Everett Bayliss also doubled in a 10-hit attack. Andrew Meaney drove in a pair of runs in the win.
 
The team, which includes players from throughout Berkshire County, went 3-1-1 in the tournament.
 
Other wins came against the 518 Velocity of Saratoga Springs and the NE Hurricanes 12U of Moreau.
 
In a 10-0 win over the Hurricanes, Hamilton was 3-for-3 with a double, and Meaney went 3-for-3. Hamilton also earned the win on the mound in that one, not allowing a hit in a complete-game, four-inning win.
 
In a 12-2 win over the Velocity, Jake McAlister and J.J. Prenguber split time on the mound, combining to strike out eight and allow just two hits.
 
Scott Hoffman was 3-for-3 with an RBI at the plate. Preguber went 2-for-2 with a double, and Emery Rotter and Everett Bayliss each had a pair of hits.
 
The Bananas are 9-9-2 this summer.
 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Community Hero: Noelle Howland

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

Noelle Howland is committed to keeping alive the late Pittsfield ACO Eleanor Sonsini's mission of helping animals ... albeit farther north in North Adams.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — No Paws Left Behind Executive Director Noelle Howland has been selected as the November Community Hero of the Month. 
 
The Community Hero of the Month series honors individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact in their community. The series sponsor, Haddad Auto, has extended this initiative for one more month.
 
Howland breathed new life into the mission of the former Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter, which closed in August 2023. 
 
The shelter in Pittsfield operated under the mission established by Eleanor Sonsini, a local animal rights activist and longtime animal control officer in Pittsfield, to be a no-kill shelter committed to finding surrendered and abandoned pets new forever homes. 
 
Howland's love for animals, dedication to their well-being, and expertise in animal behavior and training and shelter management brought this mission to new heights at No Paws Left Behind, a new shelter for dogs located at 69 Hodges Cross Road. 
 
"I want people to understand that I know it's hard to surrender. So, my biggest thing is [making sure] people know that, of course, we're not judging you. We're here to help you," Howland said. 
 
When Sonsini announced its closing, Howland, who was the shelter's manager, worked to save it, launching fundraising initiatives. However, the previous board decided to close the shelter down and agreed to let Howland open her own shelter using their mission. 
 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories