File photo by Matt Filar/Humboldt Crabs Baseball

By Ray Hamill — The results may not be all going their way, but a return to league play this summer for the first time in over a decade has been good for the Humboldt Crabs.

Playing in the newly-formed Pacific Empire League, the Crabs are 6-9 (20-11 overall) as they get set for a key weekend series against the West Coast Kings at the Arcata Ball Park this weekend.

But after starting 0-6 with a tough road trip last month, the Crabs have now won three straight PEL series.

More importantly, many of the league games have been exciting, close and highly entertaining, and that’s a win-win situation for the players and fans.

“I think everybody’s enjoying it,” Crabs manager Robin Guiver said. “I think the crowd’s been into it a little more, which is a good thing.”

With 26 league games on the schedule, this summer is proving to be a little tougher than usual for a club that in the past has had to play a lot of lopsided games just to fill the schedule.

The two series against the Lincoln Potters in particular were highly entertaining, with four of them ending on a walk off, two for each club.

And the Crabs have been clutch at times too, taking their last three PEL series despite dropping the opener on each occasion.

“It hasn’t been boring baseball, that’s for sure,” Guiver added. “I really like it. I think everyone has. I think we would rather have a few more wins, but baseball games against good teams, that’s good baseball.”

The players too are enjoying the new league.

“They’re liking it a lot. That’s been a really good thing,” Guiver said. “We’ve been checking the box scores.

“We put ourselves in a bad position starting off 0-6. To have our first league games on the road against those two teams (Lincoln and Healdsburg) was tough. But we’ve won the last three league series after dropping the first two.”

A plethora of injuries — including injuries to locals Parker Rodgers and Keenan Morris — have not helped matters.

“We’ve had more roster changes this summer than in other summers,” the manager said.

Morris returned to the lineup this week and Guiver is hoping to have Rodgers back later in the month.

File photo – Keenan returned to the Crabs lineup this week.

The Crabs played two non-league games this week against the Alameda Anchors and took both by scores of 4-3 and 14-7, including another thrilling walk-off win in the series opener on Tuesday night.

The Anchors took a one-run lead in the top of the eighth, but the Crabs would respond with two runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Antonio Avila and Ethan Rivera each had two hits in the win, including a double by the latter, while Keoni Coloma added a double.

Bryce Stockton got the win on the mound in relief.

Starter Zach Romero threw six strong innings for a no decision, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk and striking out seven.

Both teams started Wednesday’s game well at the plate.

The Crabs scored six runs in the bottom of the first before the visitors responded with five in the top of the second.

The Crabs would break open a tight game with five runs in the seventh and held on after that.

Morris scored three runs in his second game back, while Rivera, Ty Kennedy, Javier Felix and Michael Mckernan all had two hits, including a double each and a triple by Kennedy.

Jehee also had a double.

Ty Schwaiger got the win on the mound in relief.

The Crabs will be back in action on Friday night, when they open a weekend league series against the West Coast Kings.

Game one is set for Friday night at 7 p.m., and there will be a special ceremony honoring the Nutter family before the game at 6:45 p.m.