Banks' extra innings walk-off homer lifts Lady Canes to first-round victory at Elite Eight tourney
October 28, 2026
Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com
LaKiaya Banks delivered the decisive blow Wednesday evening, launching a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Cartersville Lady Canes to an opening-round victory over Marist in the GHSA Class 5A state Elite Eight tournament at the Olympic Softball Complex in Columbus.
Cartersville outlasted the War Eagles in a back-and-forth contest, with Banks’ home run breaking a 3-3 tie and giving the Lady Canes a dramatic win to open the double-elimination championship tournament.
The two teams traded leads throughout regulation. Marist struck first to take a 1-0 lead before Cartersville took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning. The War Eagles answered with two runs in the top of the fifth to reclaim the lead, but the Lady Canes refused to let the game slip away.
Carder Brock tied the game with a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the seventh, sending the contest into extra innings and setting the stage for Banks’ game-winning blast in the eighth.
Banks finished with two hits, including the walk-off homer, and stole two bases. Brock added a solo home run, while Allana Williams contributed one hit.
Cartersville used two pitchers to hold Marist to three runs, two of them earned.
Zoie Shiflett started in the circle and worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits. She did not issue a walk and struck out five.
Presley Crabbe took over in relief and delivered 3 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory. Crabbe allowed no hits, walked three and struck out four.
Marist pitcher Perry Drake pitched well despite taking the loss. She allowed two earned runs on four hits and three walks while recording 12 strikeouts.
The victory improved Cartersville’s record to 31-2 and kept the Lady Canes moving through the championship bracket.
Cartersville will face North Oconee (29-4) on Thursday at 2:45 p.m. North Oconee advanced with a 7-2 win over Wayne County on Wednesday.
Marist (26-8) drops into an elimination game Thursday night against Wayne County (29-5).
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