Jun 7, 2025
Gowanda’s Blake Herman delivers to the plate during the Section VI Class C championship game against Frewsburg. OBSERVER file photo by Scott Kindberg
BATAVIA — Gowanda won its fifth Section VI baseball championship last weekend.
But the Panthers have never advanced to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association final four.
They hope to get over that quarterfinal hump today when they take on Section V champion Kendall in the Class C Far West Regional at Dwyer Stadium. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.
Gowanda’s most recent trip to the regional round ended in heartbreaking fashion.
In 2023, the Panthers tied their game against Batavia-Notre Dame 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning. But in the top of the seventh, the first three batters walked before a sacrifice fly gave the Rochester-area champions a one-run lead. Carter Capozzi, a junior on this year’s Gowanda squad, singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh, and stole second with two outs, but a hard grounder ended the game.
Batavia-Notre Dame went on to lose to eventual state-champion Chatham in the semifinals that spring.
Several players from that Panthers squad are seniors this year.
None is bigger or more important than Blake Herman. The Canisius University-bound catcher has been a star for Gowanda for several years.
This year, he’s also been their ace on the mound.
In 13 games — 11 starts — covering 48 innings, the right-hander has a miniscule 0.58 earned run average with a .094 batting average against. He has struck out 86 and walked 16 while allowing just nine runs (four earned) and 15 hits. At the plate, he’s hitting a blistering .556 with eight doubles, seven triples and four home runs. Herman has driven in 30 runs and scored 48.
Logan Ruff has also driven in 30 runs; Capozzi has six doubles, two triples and 23 RBIs; and Brayden Smith is second on the team with a .592 on-base percentage.
As a team, Gowanda (20-3) is hitting .334 and has scored 269 runs while allowing just 30 in 23 games.
Kendall takes a 19-1 overall record into Saturday’s matchup, including a perfect 10-0 mark in the Genesee County League. In the Section V Class C2 postseason, the top-seeded Eagles beat No. 8 Perry 11-0, No. 5 Oakfield-Alabama 5-2 and No. 2 Genesee Valley-Belfast 3-2.
Kendall then topped Class C1 champion Geneseo 5-4 on Sammy Conte’s walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday to advance to today’s regional.
The winner of today’s game will advance to the state final four in Binghamton next weekend. They will take on the winner of Section III Bishop Grimes and Section IV Deposit-Hancock at 7 p.m. Friday at Union Endicott High School. The first semifinal that day will feature the winner of Section I Tuckahoe and Section IX Burke Catholic against the winner of Section VII Ticonderoga and Section II Saratoga Catholic at 4 p.m. The Class C title game will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at SUNY Binghamton.
RUSH — Section VI will have 11 girls get a look at Wild Wood Country Club today ahead of the New York State …
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