PREP BASEBALL : Late Loss Costs Simi Valley Top Seeding in Division I

Simi Valley High, The Times’ top-ranked baseball team for most of the season, suffered a costly setback when it was upset by cross-town rival Royal in a Marmonte League finale last Friday, 5-1.

The defeat cost the Pioneers (23-3) the top position in the Southern Section Division I playoff pairings, which were announced Monday.

The No. 1 spot went to Encino Crespi (24-2). The Celts, champions of the parochial Mission League, swept two games from Mission Hills Alemany last week, while Simi Valley defeated Oxnard Channel Islands before losing to Royal.

Crespi, eliminated by Long Beach Millikan in the first-round of the playoffs last season, opens at home against Hawthorne on Friday. Simi Valley plays host to Loyola.

The Southern Section released pairings for all six of its divisions Monday. Wild-card games are scheduled for Wednesday and the first round on Friday. The tournament concludes June 4-5.

Division I shapes up as the toughest battleground. Two-time defending champion Millikan (18-6) is seeded fourth. The Rams appear to be hitting their peak at the right time, however, coming off an impressive 4-1 victory over Lakewood last Thursday in the Moore League championship game.

Fountain Valley (22-4), Sunset League titlist, is the third-seeded team.

Diamond Bar, last year’s Division I runner-up, is the Sierra League champion and plays host to Victor Valley in the first round.

Other top-seeded teams:

West Covina South Hills (23-2), Division II; La Puente Bishop Amat (25-0), Division III; San Marino (20-2), Division IV; Pasadena Poly (17-3), Division V, and Linfield (20-1), Division VI.

The Southern Section also released softball playoff pairings. The six divisions begin first-round action on Friday. Wild-card games are set for Wednesday.