They proved to be ready.

Senior Carter Capozzi threw a complete-game five-hitter with seven strikeouts and no walks as Gowanda beat Randolph 6-1 to take over first place in the league.

“We didn’t know we were playing. … It’s a smart move because we haven’t had great weather,” Gowanda head coach Tim Smith said. “Carter was Carter. We haven’t played since last Tuesday. … If he’s on full rest, we’re going to use him. He gave us what we needed.”

The Panthers (9-2, 9-0) took the lead in the top of the second inning when Seth Geiger led off with a walk and scored on Jayden Fish’s one-out double to right field.

Gowanda starting pitcher Carter Capozzi delivers to the plate.

The lead grew to 4-0 in the third inning. Kyan Austin reached on an error to open the frame and Aiden Geiger followed with a single before Austin scored on an error. Capozzi then hit an RBI double to center field, Drew Kota singled and Capozzi scored on a double-play ball.

“Falconer is a good team. We came out excited to play against them and ready to go,” Randolph head coach Steve McElwain said of his team’s win over the Golden Falcons last time out. ” … Today, we didn’t come out to play. It was rough. A couple of errors early kind of took the wind out of our sails and we never got it back.”

In Gowanda’s fourth, Fish led off with a walk and pinch-runner Noah Lauer advanced to second on an error before Colton Gernatt’s one-out walk. Austin then reached on an error to load the bases ahead of Capozzi’s two-out RBI single.

“We try to talk to these guys about having a good approach at the plate. I think it’s setting in. Carter kind of found it after the fourth or fifth game. We’ve seen it out of him,” Smith said. “The other guys are coming around. … Carter’s been fantastic at the plate.”

The Cardinals (9-2, 8-1) nearly broke up Capozzi’s shutout bid in the bottom of the fourth when Bryson Pitts doubled with one out, but Gavin Senn grounded out and when Pitts attempted to score from second on the play, Panthers first baseman Nicholas Smuda threw home to Fish for an out at the plate.

OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Gowanda’s Drew Kota steals third base ahead of the late tag by Randolph’s Preston Swan in Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 3 baseball action on Monday. Short notice

“Capozzi has a good mix. I thought our guys could’ve swung the bat at a couple when they had two strikes on them,” McElwain said. ” … Capozzi is as good as we’ve been so far this year.”

Capozzi then retired Randolph in order in the fifth inning with a pair of strikeouts. He also pitched around a two-out single by Laiden Wojtowicz in the sixth inning, but wasn’t as fortunate in the seventh.

Senn singled with one out and stole second with two outs. Then, with a 1-2 count on Hunter Foster, Senn stole third and scored when the Gowanda throw went into left field. Two pitches later, Capozzi induced a pop-up to first base to end the game.

Aidan Taylor tossed five innings of five-hit ball for the Cardinals, striking out four and walking four. Just two of the six runs he allowed were earned. Randolph was guilty of seven errors in the game.

“He threw a good game for us and hit his spots. A couple of calls from the umpire go one way or the other, it might make something happen or change the momentum,” McElwain said of his starter. “The defense still has to make plays behind him.”

Gowanda is scheduled to play Ellicottville today and Thursday while Randolph is slated to take on Portville those same days, but the weather forecast might not allow those games to happen.

“We were trying to get a game because Saturday’s weather doesn’t look good,” McElwain said. “Why not play baseball on a beautiful 70-degree night?”