Eighth-grader Addison Kota threw a complete game, allowing just seven singles, and Gowanda did not make an error over the final four innings as the Panthers rallied for a 5-4 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 East victory over Randolph at Gail N. Chapman Elementary School.

“We play defense and pitch,” Gowanda head coach Mike Maloney said. “When we throw strikes and play defense … we don’t give up a lot of runs.”

The victory, Gowanda’s 10th in a row since losing to the Cardinals on April 21, locked the teams in a tie for first place in the league.

The Panthers have just two league games remaining — at Brocton on Wednesday and home against Silver Creek on Friday — while Randolph still has four Division 1 East games left to play.

Cardinals pitcher Kendall Steward delivers to the plate. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

“You want to come out here and take care of business,” Randolph head coach Geoff Olson said. “Our girls got a little down in the first inning when they scored a couple.”

The Cardinals (6-2, 5-1) led 3-2 as late as the top of the fourth inning before Gowanda (12-4, 7-1) regained the lead with a three-run outburst. Holland Browning led off with a single to right field and stole second before Ella Luther walked. After a pop out, Browning and courtesy runner Kailyn Farner executed a double-steal on the final pitch of a strikeout. Then, with two outs, No. 8 hitter Jada Geiger hit a two-run single to give the Panthers a 4-3 lead.

“Geiger was 6 for 6 on Saturday against Lake Shore. … Last year was the first time she ever picked up a softball. She’s a great athlete,” Maloney said. “That’s huge when the bottom of the order gets a hit to score some runs for you.”

The throw to the plate was high, allowing Geiger to move all the way to third base on the play. With Meredith Valone at the plate, Geiger scored on a passed ball.

Randolph got a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kendall Steward was hit by a pitch to open the inning and stole second. With one out, Harper Smith hit a bloop RBI single to right field. Smith then stole second base before a strikeout. With two outs, Allie Conley hit a fly ball to right field that was caught by a diving Valone. As she fell to the ground, the ball came out of her glove, but it was deemed to be controlled long enough for a catch.

Randolph's Isabella Syracuse steals second safely as the ball gets away from Gowanda's Wassy Stevens. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

Trailing 5-4, Isabella Syracuse singled to open the bottom of the sixth inning, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch, but Kota got out of the inning with a strikeout, a pop-up to the catch and a fly ball to the shortstop. The Cardinals then went down in order in the seventh inning as well.

“She’s just nasty. She’s going to be one of the best players in this area if she isn’t already,” Maloney said of Kota. “She’s definitely hard on herself so she’s awfully happy right now.”

Gowanda led 2-0 after the first inning without the benefit of a hit. A walk and an error on a fielder’s choice put Wassy Stevens and Cameron Nagel on base before a pair of passed balls eventually let both runners score.

“We are very evenly matched teams with two very good pitchers,” Olson said. “It’s going to come down to who has those couple of mistakes or big hits when you need them. Today it was them.”

Randolph took its brief lead with a three-run third inning. Kyra Pence and Sadie Steward singled before an RBI single by Kendall Steward and an RBI groundout by Smith.

Randolph's Abigail Pitts catches a foul ball down the third baseline. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

“If she doesn’t drive in those runs, it’s not anywhere near as close of a game,” Olson said of Smith’s two RBIs. “She was very upset and for her to work herself out of that and come back to do what she did at the plate was huge. We tell the girls, short memory and make the next play.”

Kota finished with six strikeouts while Kendall Steward, the tough-luck loser, allowed just three hits and struck out 13 for the Cardinals.

“She’s just been phenomenal,” Olson said of his junior ace. “This is our sixth league game and I think combined she hasn’t given up 20 hits yet. She’s had over 10 strikeouts in those games and probably less than 10 walks. Any time she’s out there, we have a chance to win the game.”

“Kendall is tough. She is one of the toughest pitchers around,” Maloney added of Steward. “She is a great pitcher. We should be happy we beat her.”

Gowanda's Wassy Stevens makes a throw to first base.

Gowanda's Addison Kota delivers to the plate. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

Gowanda's Holland Browning makes a throw to first base. P-J photo by Matt Spielman