The reverberating ping of metal bat connecting with a ball rang out across the backside of the sprawling Baylor School campus.
The distinctive sound was a clear signal that spring sports will soon be in full swing at Chattanooga-area high schools as Monday marks the opening day for baseball and softball teams across Tennessee, as well as for soccer, tennis and track and field.
At Baylor, the sounds were also a call to witness something rarely seen on prep fields anywhere as both the baseball and softball programs look to extend dominating state championship streaks that have now reached record levels.
The Red Raiders baseball program has won three TSSAA Division II-AA state titles in a row - one behind the state record for consecutive championships - while the softball program owns the past six state titles, which is tied for the longest run in state history.
"It's fun to show up at the yard every day," Baylor baseball co-head coach Greg Elie said as he watched a group that includes six players who have committed to college programs, including two who are potential MLB draft picks.
Baylor outscored its three state tournament opponents by a combined 20-2 margin last spring and has won nine straight state tournament games. A fourth straight title this season would move the Raiders into a tie with Farragut for most consecutive titles. The Admirals pulled it off from 2008-11, and Baylor enters this season tied with Christian Academy of Knoxville, which won three straight DII-A titles from 2017-19.
Baylor also won state titles in 2003 and 2006, and with another the Raiders would break the record they share with Central for most TSSAA baseball championships by a Chattanooga-area program.
"There's a difference between playing baseball and being a baseball player," said Elie, who has helped the program compile a 78-16 record over the past three seasons. "It's the old saying 'A rising tide lifts all ships'. We've got some dudes who push each other to show up and get better at the game every day. They all know that with our talent level, you either get better or you get exposed real quick.
"The older players help bring the young guys along. They show them how to work and hold them accountable and groom them to be ready for when their time comes."
Despite graduating Cooper Kinney - last season's Tennessee Mr. Baseball award winner who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays - as well as a pair of Wake Forest signees and two other players who signed with Southeastern Conference programs, there is still enough talent for Baylor to enter the season not only as the favorite in DII-AA, but also ranked 17th nationally by MaxPreps.com.
That includes a senior class highlighted by four college-committed players. Henry Godbout (Virginia), a shortstop, is a potential MLB draftee, while catcher Jonathan Larrea (Murray State), right-handed pitcher Patrick Johnson (Middle Tennessee State University) and outfielder Carson Yates (MTSU) also rank among the state's top prep talent.
The junior class is just as loaded, including outfielder Caleb Hampton, who has committed to South Carolina. Baylor coaches expect Hampton to have a "breakout season," along with Virginia-committed Henry Ford, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound second baseman who transferred in last fall and brings a ton of power potential to the lineup. Sophomore outfielder Amari Jefferson, who recently was rated as a four-star football prospect at receiver, is committed to Tennessee in baseball.
Staff photo by Robin Rudd / Baylor third baseman Raven Jones pursues a teammate during a rundown drill in practice.LADY RAIDERS REIGN
As impressive as the Baylor baseball program's run has been, the Lady Red Raiders can set a new state record for consecutive titles if they win a seventh straight this spring. Currently, Baylor - which is 192-17 during its title streak, including 26-1 last season - is tied with Ezell-Harding (1990-95) and Goodpasture (2003-08).
The Lady Raiders have won 12 straight state tournament games since 2017.
"It's truly been remarkable. To think a high school program can go on the type run we have," Lady Raiders coach Kelli Smith said. "I credit the coaches on our staff and all the great players in our program.
"The culture of team first is what has stayed consistent. We've been able to get a lot of really talented kids willing to work together to do what's best for the team."
Baylor holds the state record with 14 titles overall, one more than Ezell-Harding.
After breaking in six new starters last season, a big reason the Lady Raiders are once again state favorites is their defense up the middle. It starts with shortstop Cadashia Collins, who has been cleared to return to action after offseason knee surgery, and includes sophomore center fielder Addi Yates and senior pitcher Raven Jones, who can also played third base.
Senior all-state pitcher Syd Berzon, an LSU signee, will not play this season, a mutual agreement between her and the program to take this spring off.
One accomplishment Baylor's softball program has yet to attain is to finish a season unbeaten, and Smith admitted that is something she has set as a goal for her team.
One almost certain road block for Baylor will be rival GPS. Either the Lady Raiders or the Bruisers have reached the championship game in 18 straight years, with those Chattanooga teams facing off in the past seven championship games and 10 of the past 11.
The Bruisers' 2014 title is all that stopped Baylor from owning 10 straight.
"We want it to be GPS and us in the championship," admitted Jones, who is about to begin her fifth varsity season. "We actually cheered for them two years ago in an elimination game because we wanted it to be them who we got to play.
"We don't let what happened in the past affect how we prepare for this season. But it is fun to compete and argue with the baseball guys about who is better in our sport. They brag about having guys who get drafted, but we let them know that we've won more championships.
"It's pretty special to have two teams from the same school that everybody else in the state sees as the best there is."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.