Banks' Walk Off Gives Chargers Opening Day Victory

Click the video above to see Ali Banks' walk off single. 

The Georgia Highlands Chargers opened the 2025 season in dramatic fashion, defeating the Cleveland State Cougars 7-6 with a walk off single in extra innings.  The game winning hit, off the bat of sophomore Ali Banks, capped a furious comeback that brought the Chargers back form a 3 run deficit.  The Chargers had a chance to win the game 3-1 in regulation, but the Cougars dropped a pair of hits over the infield to spark a rally in the top of the seventh inning.  An RBI groundout brought the first Cleveland State runner in, and a throwing error by the Chargers tied the game.  GHC failed to score in the bottom of the seventh, forcing the game into extra innings.  In the top of the 8th, the Cougars again reached base with a lead-off double before a pair of wild pitches and a pair of walks left runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out for GHC reliever Braxton Wade.  Wade retired the first batter he faced on strikes, but the right hander gave up a two strike single just out of the reach of a diving Grayson Godbee to clear the bases.  The Cleveland State rally was good for 3 runs and set the score at 6-3 heading into the bottom of the 8th.  Kenskey Thomas got things going for GHC with a leadoff double before Ryan Martin and Andrew Bishop each worked their way on base via walks.  With one out, Tyler Phillips hammered a ground rule double to center field to get the Chargers within one run of the lead.  Pinch hitter Emiliano Dominguez was walked to load the bases, and Anthony Miller struck out with the count full to bring Ali Banks to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded.  Banks fell behind in the count, but worked it back to full before ripping a ball past the diving second baseman to drive in the tying and go ahead runs.  

Braxton Wade collects the win on the mound for the Chargers, and the team moves to 1-0 on the new season.  Heavy fog forced the second game of the night to be postponed until later in the season, but the Chargers will play the remaining two games of the series at Cleveland State on Sunday at noon.