The Border War, a seven-game showdown between Illinois and Missouri’s best high school baseball teams, begins today at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Ill.

Powered by the Prep Baseball Report, the Border War features the top teams from the St. Louis-metro area. Of the seven Illinois teams, four are ranked in the PBR’s preseason Power 50 rankings: No. 14 Belleville West, No. 28 Granite City, No. 30 Edwardsville, and No. 32 O’Fallon. Other Illinois teams include Belleville Althoff, Belleville East and Collinsville.

The Illinois representatives will face stern competition from some of Missouri’s finest. Valle Catholic is the defending Class 2 champions and is ranked No. 1 by the Missouri Baseball Coaches Association. Valle Catholic will square off against Granite City, which is led by the No. 2-ranked senior prospect, catcher Jake DePew.

CBC is ranked No. 4 in Class 4 (biggest school classification), and Festus is ranked fifth. Vianney, which plays Belleville West in perhaps the best matchup of the event, has won two Class 4 state championships since 2004. Belleville West features two top-level junior prospects – OF/LHP Garret Schlecht and INF Kane Sweeney.

O’Fallon is fresh off a third-place finish at the Class 4A state tournament, and perennial powerhouse Edwardsville is led by PBR first-team All-State 3B Michael Failoni.

If rain whipes out Thrusday's games, they will be added to Saturday's schedule.  No rain is forcasted for Friday or Saturday.

Border War Game Schedule:

Thursday, March 25

Althoff vs. Chaminade, 4 p.m.

Belleville East vs. Festus, 7 p.m.

Friday, March 26

O’Fallon vs. Marquette, 4 p.m.

Edwardsville vs. McCluer North, 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 27

Collinsville vs. CBC, Noon

Belleville West vs. Vianney, 3 p.m.

Granite City vs. Valle Catholic, 6 p.m.

GCS Ballpark, which is home of the Gateway Grizzlies, is located at 2301 Grizzlie Bear Blvd. in Sauget, Ill.