Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – The Humboldt Crabs open the 2023 season on Friday night.

By Ray Hamill — With the season opener now just one day away, Humboldt Crabs manager Robin Guiver and his players held their first practice at the Arcata Ball Park on Wednesday.

The Crabs open the 2023 campaign against the Novato Knicks on Friday night, with the two clubs also facing off on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

The good news for Guiver is that he will have around 23 players on hand for the season-opening series, which is more than usual as players tend to arrive in town spread out over the opening two weeks.

This year’s team includes a sizable group of five local players — Merek Sears, Cameron Saso, Caleb Ruiz, Garrison Finck and Jackson Giacone — all of whom are back form the 2022 roster.

As for the Knicks, Guiver admits they are a bit of an unknown quantity, but says he is expecting them to be up for the occasion.

“I have no idea,” he said when asked what he expected. “It’s been so long since we played them. I imagine they’re going to be fired up and there’ll be a big crowd, so our guys better match their intensity.”

The Knicks will also be playing their first games of the season.

First pitch on Friday hight is set for 7 p.m., with Saturday’s game at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday’s starting at 12:30 p.m.

The Crabs’ season runs through the first week of August and will feature 47 games, all but seven of which will be played at the Arcata Ball Park.

All of the games this summer will be broadcast live on 107.3 FM and 1340 AM, as well as streamed live on YouTube.

After they conclude their series with the Knicks, the Crabs will welcome the Humboldt Eagles 19Us to the Arcata Ball Park for a Wednesday night game.