Five area teams, a standout left-handed pitcher and a marquee matchup today (Thursday) at 4:30 p.m. highlight the Scenic City Baseball Classic which runs through Saturday.

“I feel we have a good lineup of teams in this year’s Classic with each school playing four games,” said McCallie first-year coach Greg Payne.

“I decided to give each team four good games without playoff games at the end so the fans, players and coaches will know the entire schedule and I think it helps the out-of-town teams with the ability to get on the road quickly after their finals game on Saturday.

Marquee Game:   Today, 4:30 at Baylor … The tournament starts out with an excellent matchup as Northwest Whitfield (3-1) and its sophomore lefthander Seth Pierce (1-0) takes on always strong Mt. Juliet (1-1) who has been to the Tennessee state tournament the past five years.

Thursday’s Schedule

At McCallie (4:30 p.m. and 7) ... Rabun Gap vs. McCallie … Station Camp vs. McCallie

At Baylor (4:30 p.m.) and 7) …  Northwest Whitfield vs. Mt Juliet … Cleveland vs. Baylor

At Red Bank (7 p.m.) … St. Benedict vs. Red Bank

Friday’s Schedule

At McCallie (4:30 p.m. and 7) … Mt. Juliet vs. St. Benedict … Mt Juliet vs. McCallie

At Baylor (4:30 p.m. and 7) … Station Camp vs. Northwest Whitfield … Station Camp vs. Baylor

At Red Bank (4:30 p.m. and 7) … Cleveland vs. Rabun Camp … Cleveland vs. Red Bank

Saturday’s Schedule

At McCallie (10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3) … NWW vs. St. Benedict … St Benedict vs. McCallie … NWW vs. Cleveland

At Baylor (10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3) … Rabun Camp vs. Mt. Juliet … Rabun Camp vs. Baylor … Red Bank vs. Baylor

At Red Bank (10 a.m.)  … Station Camp vs. Red Bank

Team Previews

Baylor (1-0)

Coach: Gene Etter (39th season, two state championships)

Red Raiders host Cleveland (0-2) tonight at 7:30 p.m.) … Baylor opened the 2013 season Tuesday with a 10-1 win at Boyd Buchanan .  Coach Etter is in his 39th season as head coach … top players are Colton Jumper (Sr., P/OF) and Taylor Maxey (Jr., SS/P)

Cleveland (0-2)

Coach: Ted Carson

Blue Raiders play Baylor at 7 p.m. … Blue Raiders lost a pair to cross-town rival Bradley Central, 8-6, and 1-0 … top players are Jake Wyrick and Eric Powers

Red Bank (2-0) …

Coach: Trey Hicks (3rd season, 43-35) … Lions defeated Tyner 14-5 on Wednesday

District champs the past two years … Region 3 AA champs and state qualifiers in 2012

Top player are Hagen Wilkey (Sr.OF/P), Ryder Pierce (Sr. UTL), Gage Winton (C/P), Johnny Goodman (3B/P)

 McCallie (0-0)

Coach: Greg Payne (1st season)

Blue Tornado opens the Greg Payne Era of McCallie Baseball today with a doubleheader vs Rabun Gap (4:30 pm.) and Station Camp (7 p.m.)

Blue Tornado is led by Mitch Dolinger (Sr.), Tyler Payne (So. SS), Spencer Morgan (Jr.) … McCallie has been playing baseball since 1906 …

Mt. Juliet (1-1)

Coach:  Jim Carter

Plays Northwest Whitfield today at 4:30 p.m. at Baylor …

Golden Bears (38-6) were District, Region and Sectional champs in 2012 … have been to the state the past five years and final four in 2010.

Northwest Whitfield (3-1)

Coach Todd Middleton (11th season, 138-132)

Opens the Scenic City Classic with Mt. Juliet (4:30 p.m.) at Baylor

Top players are Seth Pierce (So., P), Brady Middleton (Sr., 2B), Edwin Hernandez (So., 3B), Btandon Smith (Sr., CF)

Rabun Camp (2-1)

Coach: Jason Grove (167-123, 14th season)

Coach Grove started the program at Rabun Camp in 1999 …

Rabun Camp is in the northeast Georgia mountains and plays in the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association …Top players are Perez Knowles (Jr., 1B), Gerrio Rahming (Jr., OF) , Lance Edwards (Jr., SS/P) … assistant coach, Stuart Jump, is a native Chattanoogan having played at Red Bank, Cleveland State, and UNC-Chapel Hill ...

Notes on top players … Perez Knowles from Freeport, Grand Bahama … recruited by several Atlantic Sun, Southern Conference, and Big South schools ... Gerrio Rahming from Nassua, and recruited by MEAC and Peach Belt schools and is also a D-I recruit as a tailback in football ... Lance Edwards has some interest from D-I and D-II schools.

Station Camp (0-1)

Coach: Jerry Ballard

The Bison opened the season with a 7-2 loss to White House … plays at McCallie tonight at 7 … 2012 District 9 AAA champs

St. Benedict (0-0)

Coach: Steve Heinz

Season opener is today at Red Bank (7:30 p.m.)

In 2012, St. B was 15-19 and lost to MBA in the D-II regionals.

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net