Binghamton

BINGHAMTON, N.Y.- For years, people looked at the blighted block of State Street lined with abandoned factories and warehouses and saw the worst: the Hell's Angels hangout, the drug bars, the raucous fraternity parties, the reminders that the once-thriving manufacturing hub has been bleeding jobs for decades. But the artists saw something else: huge 19th-century industrial buildings with large windows, high ceilings, the chance to own 9,000 square feet for something like $75,000. And so they came - just a few so far but enough to spark queries from New York, Miami, Toronto and elsewhere, leading to talk of an emerging "mini-SoHo" in this aging, conservative town 180 miles northwest of New York.

A Randallstown man was arrested yesterday by Baltimore County police in the weekend shooting death in Binghamton, N.Y., of his 14-year-old sister-in-law, who had been scheduled to testify against him here in a child sexual abuse case, authorities said. Vernon E. Parker Jr., 32, of the 4300 block of Breeders Cup Circle was arrested just after 5 a.m. - accused of killing Devin Spears, who was shot to death late Saturday with her mother, Valerie Spears, 50, at their home in Binghamton. Binghamton police said Parker, charged with second-degree murder, was one of two armed men seen fleeing the Spears residence as a patrolman responded about 11 p.m. to investigate a series of 911 hang-up calls there.

Ed Stephenson didn't envision becoming a college lacrosse coach when he first tried the sport as a sophomore at Dulaney High in 1983. He just wanted to better his chances to play football at Notre Dame. "My mom told me I had to get a job or play a sport," Stephenson said. "Glen Miles, the Dulaney football coach, told me that if I played lacrosse, I would stay in shape. I had never picked up a stick." Instead of playing outside linebacker for the Fighting Irish, Stephenson became a third-team All-American defenseman for Towson State in 1989, when the Tigers made their first appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament.

Chris Kirgan went 2-for-4 and five Baysox doubled yesterday as visiting Bowie beat Binghamton, 6-3, in a Double-A Eastern League game.Jim Foster homered to help the Baysox (64-55) improve starting pitcher Kevin Curtis' record to 4-1 this season.Rehabbing New York Mets pitcher Bill Pulsipher worked one-third of an inning and allowed a hit for Binghamton.Tourists 4, Shorebirds 1: Rod Bair hit a two-run homer and Asheville starter Doug Walls struck out nine to drop host Delmarva (23-25 in second half)

Alvie Shepherd was tagged for nine runs -- seven earned -- on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings last night as the Binghamton Mets beat the Bowie Baysox, 9-7, in the first game of a Double-A Eastern League doubleheader at Prince George's Stadium.Four pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout of Bowie in the second game, giving the Mets a sweep with a 1-0 victory.In the opener, Chris Kirgan went 3-for-4 and Melvin Rosario went 2-for-3 with a grand slam and five RBIs for the Baysox (51-50).Arnold Gooch (7-9)

As Bandits owner Mike Caggiano was walking by a concession stand last night after two periods and with his team ahead, 7-1, a fan turned, spotted him and hollered, "Great, you got us some goons."Other patrons turned and cheered wildly. "They were going crazy down there," said Caggiano.Maybe the Bandits should have held up play for an hour or two, giving the 3,576 fans in attendance at the Baltimore Arena a chance to go out, round up friends and bring them back to what ended up being a 10-1 party for the home team.

Oh yeah, they have a prevent defense in hockey and just as in football, it often turns out to be an invitation to disaster.Playing well at both ends of the ice through the first two periods, the Bandits fell back into what they hoped would be a strong defensive shell over the last 20 minutes."

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Chris Herperger's goal with 3: 05 remaining in regulation lifted the Baltimore Bandits to a 2-2 overtime tie with the Binghamton Rangers last night.The Bandits had been fruitless in five previous power plays until Herperger scored with Binghamton's Micah Aivazoff in the penalty box.Both goalies were outstanding. The Bandits' Mike Bales and the Rangers' Ken Shepard each stopped 41 shots.It took less than a minute for the game to take on a wacky look. Herperger tipped one in at 59 seconds, but the goal was disallowed because he had skated into the crease.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- The most important thing about the Bandits' game with Binghamton last night wasn't that Baltimore won; it was how it won.The Bandits' 8-5 victory over the Southern Division champion Rangers before 4,643 fans at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena had no bearing on the standings, but it sent a message about what the opposition can expect in the playoffs.Baltimore did everything it wanted: play solid defense, get balanced scoring from all three lines, give workhorse goalie Mike O'Neill a rest, and win in a building it might spend some time in during the postseason.

Even Carl Yastrzemski didn't get all the votes for MVP when he won the Triple Crown and led the Boston Red Sox to their highly improbable "Impossible Dream" American League pennant in 1967. Yeah, some joker in the upper Midwest found reason to vote Minnesota's Cesar Tovar onto the top of his list.This gives you some idea of the kind of season Mike O'Neill has turned in for the Bandits as, on ballots submitted by 10 knowledgeable observers, the name of the veteran goaltender was unanimous for club MVP.Not bad for a guy backing a team that started out 1-9-1 and didn't post its first road victory until its 10th game.