HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Mike Gonzalez of Pahrump Valley will pitch and play the infield for the American Legion baseball team this summer. He is shown scoring against Las Vegas Faith Lutheran during the Southern Nevada Class 3-A League season. Advertisement

Pahrump Valley American Legion Post 40 begins its 2008 baseball season at Honeysuckle Park Saturday, taking on undefeated Las Vegas Cimarron-Memorial in a Silver Division doubleheader.

The first game begins at 5 p.m., with the Trojans launching their season against the Spartans, who are 2-0, having beaten Western 11-1 and Shadow Ridge 13-12.

Monday, Pahrump Valley goes to Eldorado in a twin bill beginning at 5 p.m. Eldorado is 2-0, with wins against Shadow Ridge (15-2) and Chaparral (20-10).

The Trojans are managed by Brandon Bietar, who played for the Las Vegas Faith Lutheran American Legion team a few years ago and last year, directed the Pahrump Little League Senior Division team to a Nevada state championship and a berth in the Western regionals in Oregon.

Fred Pang, who once assisted Lou Banuelos, the founder and manager of the Pahrump Valley Roosters adult men's baseball team, is an assistant. Jim McHugh, one of the primary sponsors for the team, is another aide.

On the roster are:

* Ethan Wald, catcher, an all-state Class 3-A player from Pahrump Valley High School (where all of the boys have played);

* Iggy Wagner, center field; he is another all-state player who holds the PVHS single-season stolen base record (44);

* Daniel Miller, third base; he has been selected to play in the Sertoma Football Classic in Reno next Friday;

* Damien Nelson, one of PVHS's better soccer players who was on the Trojan JV team until he moved up to the varsity for the Southern Nevada Class 3-A regionals;

* Dax Duesing, a left-handed pitcher who played college baseball this past spring after graduating from PVHS;

* Cody Nielsen, a shortstop for the Trojans the last couple seasons;

* John McHugh, a senior second baseman;

* Ed Martinez, a backup varsity catcher and one of the better JV players this past season;

* Joey McCaw, a young pitcher who performed well with the PVHS JVs;

* Mike Gonzalez, a rising senior at PVHS, where he played infield and pitched. He had back-to-back wins against Faith Lutheran at the end of the season.

* Jaret Holley, a young infielder who had some strong performances during the Trojans' 2008 campaign;

* Tyler Lepley, an outfielder with plenty of potential;

* Brandon Uyeno, a left-handed pitcher who can also play first base and in the outfield;

* Justin Kelley, an outfielder who had several clutch hits during the Trojans' spring season.

The Trojans were 11-9 last season, finishing ninth in a 22-team division. The top four Silver Division teams will compete in the state playoffs in July.