HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Cody Nielsen, 4, above, and Brittney Lindgren, 12, below, are among the key players for the Pahrump Valley baseball and fast-pitch softball teams which host Las Vegas Faith Lutheran today, starting at 1 p.m. The games are the last at home for the Trojans, who move into Class 4-A in the 2008-2009 school year. Advertisement

A split today against Las Vegas Faith Lutheran will assure Pahrump Valley's baseball team a berth in the Southern Nevada Class 3-A regional playoffs next week.

After winning 11-4 and falling 4-3 at Overton Moapa Valley Tuesday, the Trojans are 5-9 in the league going into the twin bill against Faith Lutheran, the defending league, regional and state champion. The Crusaders are 13-1 in the league after their 5-2, 12-10 sweep of Mesquite Virgin Valley Wednesday.

Moapa Valley and Boulder City clash today; the Pirates and Eagles are still in contention for the No. 4 seed, along with the Trojans.

Today's twin bills in baseball and fast-pitch softball start at 1 p.m.; they are significant in another way. Today's games, which match the co-league leading Trojans and Crusaders in fast-pitch softball, are the final regular-season contests in Class 3-A for the Trojans. In fall 2008, Pahrump Valley moves into the Class 4-A Sunset Region Southwest Division.

With the regular-season softball title still to be decided, PVHS and Faith Lutheran are both 13-1 in league games. They split a doubleheader in Las Vegas two weeks ago, the Trojans winning 12-5 after bowing 9-0.

Both teams are assured of a top two seed, regardless of the outcome. Still at issue in softball, the No. 4 seed, which will be decided today in a Boulder City (3-11) vs. Moapa Valley (2-12) doubleheader.

The playoffs begin Thursday at Boulder City High School. Only the regional champion in both baseball and softball will advance to the state tournament, to be played May 15-16-17 at Bishop Manogue High School in Reno (softball) and Western Nevada College and Peccole Park in Reno (baseball).

Pahrump Valley's baseball team is 5-9 in the league, but consider the Trojans have lost 4-3 to Moapa Valley, 11-10 and 5-3 to Virgin Valley, 8-7 to Boulder City and 5-3 to Faith Lutheran this spring. That's five losses by a total of seven runs; in that loss at Moapa Valley Tuesday, the Trojans had the go-ahead run on base when the game ended.

Pahrump Valley's softball team, which defeated Moapa Valley 2-1 and 6-0 Tuesday, is led by senior righthanders Tori Thomas and Ashleah Thomas. The Lady Trojans have won nine straight since losing at Faith Lutheran. The Crusaders, powered by veterans Jessie Tracy and Angie Miller, are on an eight-game unbeaten streak going into today's twin bill at Floyd Field.