The Humboldt Crabs opened their 83rd season with a bang Friday night, May 29, with a 13-0 win over the Novato Knicks. The win in front of 1,000-plus fans marked the beginning of a new era for the Crabs. Jeff Giacomini has taken the helm as the ninth head coach in Crabs history. Giacomini has been coaching with the Crabs since 2012 under Robin Guiver. He is also a former Crabs player who was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2014 after being a three-time team MVP.
As for the action on the field, five doubles in the second inning for the Crabs would lead to six runs, and they would never look back. All but one starter would log a hit. Returner and last year’s NCJ MVP Adam Enyart had a multi-hit game, as well as Jaden Shabry, Jason Arriola and Jamie Mullin. Mullin and Shabry each drove in three runs apiece. Local product Aiden Dorsch got the start on the mound for the good guys and, despite some early control issues and four walks, would go on to throw six shut-out innings with six strikeouts, while not allowing a hit. Overall, the Knicks would only collect one hit as Ben Lukens and Jackson Kelly would combine for three scoreless innings of relief. Crabs took game one 13-0.
Game two was more of the same. After getting on the board in the first, the Crabs would take command with four more runs in the second inning. Led by four hits and three RBIs from returner Liam Forsyth, the Crabs piled up 12 runs on 14 hits. Joe Fagan, Mike Pickett and Chyran Humphries all had multi-hit games with runs batted in, and a committee of four Crabs hurlers would combine to give up just a single Knicks run. The Crabs won again, 12-1.
On getaway day, game three felt like it would never end. The Crabs would put up six in the first and three in the third to jump out in front 9-0, but the game would get sloppy after that on both sides. The Knicks pitchers walked six, the Crabs pitchers walked nine, and the pace slowed to a crawl. The teams would combine for nine pitching changes. Offensively, the Crabs were led by three RBIs a piece from Jaden Shabry and Crabs veteran Kawana Soares. Damien Casas got the Crabs on the board hitting his first home run of the summer. The Knicks showed some fight in the later innings but ultimately the Crabs’ command was too much. Crabbies sweep the series, taking game three 14-6.
“It felt good to get the first one and get that off your back,” said Giacomini. “The guys played great, I was excited to see some of the new players get settled in, and the crowd was great all weekend.” Overall, the Crabs outscored the Novato Knicks 39-7. With players still trickling in from college playoffs, the team is still rounding out, and we should expect to see a few more new faces in the coming weeks. The Crabs are back in action Wednesday night against the Humboldt Eagles before starting a three-game weekend set Friday night with the South Bay Storm coming to town.
Brandon Dixon (he/him) is a former All-American who played college baseball for Orange Coast College, Point Loma Nazarene and the Peninsula Oilers. Father to two little girls, he’s also the host of The Brando Show podcast.
This article appears in Cowbells and Crab Hands.
