Binghamton hockey fans experienced a rollercoaster of emotions during the American Hockey League’s Southern Division final series. The Binghamton Rangers took a commanding 2-1 lead in the series after defeating Rochester 3-1. Goals from Rob Zamuner and Mike Stevens, as well as an empty-netter from Jody Hull, helped Binghamton secure their victory. Goaltender Mark Laforest made an impressive 23 saves to win his sixth playoff start.
However, Rochester was not ready to concede defeat just yet. They rallied from a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 series deficit to eliminate Binghamton in Game 7 with a score of 4-2. This was the first time in 19 seasons of professional hockey that a Binghamton team had lost a decisive Game 5 or Game 7.
Meanwhile, on a softball afternoon, Johnson City’s defending state champions continued their impressive winning streak with a convincing 6-1 victory at Vestal. The Wildcats, ranked Class B No. 1, extended their win streak to an impressive 16 games. Charlene Cook’s three-hit pitching and Chris Dyman’s strong hitting were instrumental in securing their victory and maintaining their perfect record of 7-0.
In another game that day, Union-Endicott’s Jennifer Fitzgerald almost achieved perfection with her second consecutive shutout pitching performance in an overwhelming 15-0 win against Susquehanna Valley.