Photo by Matt Filar/.Humboldt Crabs Baseball – Hayden Bode (second from right) was one of five former Eureka Loggers to play for the Crabs this summer, along with (from left to right) Myles Standish, Rogan Bode, Parker Rodgers and Keenan Morris.

By Ray Hamill — After an impressive summer playing for the Humboldt Crabs, former Eureka Logger Hayden Bode is looking forward to his senior season at Minot State in North Dakota.

Bode, who was one of five former Loggers to play for the Crabs this summer, will join his Crabs and Eureka teammate Parker Rodgers at Division-II Minot State this fall.

And the 2021 Eureka graduate is determined to close out his playing career with a bang.

“I’m just going to try and enjoy every moment of it,” he said. “I’m pumped.”

By his own admission, the injury-riddled Beavers struggled to compete this spring as they finished 15-34 overall and 12-27 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

But Bode, who was the Beavers’ setup man out of the bullpen, expects them to be far more competitive in 2025, especially with Rodgers and 11 other former California JUCO players now on the roster.

“It was good. I enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun,” Bode said of his junior season. “But there was three weeks in a row where it was rough. But I’m really excited about this year.”

Bode first played for the Crabs two years ago while he was still at Butte College, and he was brought back for another summer this year.

And returning to the team for a second season was a great experience for Bode, who played a similar role out of the bullpen for the Crabs.

“It was hella fun,” he added. “I really enjoyed getting to play in Humboldt one more time and getting to play in front of my family and everybody one more time.”

And he believes his game has benefitted from the experience, with one teammate in particular helping him out.

“I feel like the biggest benefit for me was definitely developing a sinker,” said Bode, who added that Crabs teammate Blake Ignaciak was the one who encouraged him to go with the new pitch. “And going into games locked in and fired up and ready to pitch.”

Bode appeared in 13 games for the Crabs and had 38 strikeouts in 30.2 innings.

Playing in the newly-formed Pacific Empire League meant the Crabs faced a more competitive schedule in 2024 and Bode says he was more fired up for games because of it.

“I feel like the competition was a lot better this year, and that made it a lot more fun,” he said. “When the competition is better you’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game or you get beat in front of the home crowd. You’ve got to step up for the competition. I think the league is very good for the Crabs honestly.”

Another highlight for the local standout this summer was getting to play alongside his younger brother Rogan, who joined the team late in the summer and impressed in the stretch run.

Rogan, a 2023 Eureka High graduate who red-shirted at Folsom Lake College this past spring, batted .333 in four games with the Crabs, hitting successfully in three of them.

The two brothers were among the five former Eureka High players who played for the Crabs this summer, along with Rodgers, Myles Standish and Keenan Morris, all five of whom featured on the 2021 Loggers team.

And Hayden believes Rogan has a bright future at the Arcata Ball Park.

“That was so cool,” Hayden said. “I played with him in high school and being able to play with him one more time was awesome. He’ll be tearing it up with the Crabs for the next few years for sure.”

Hayden, who is majoring in Business Management with an emphasis on sales, will return to Minot State this weekend where he will begin preparation for his senior season and final year playing baseball.

And he wants to enjoy every minute of it.

“When I stepped off the mound in the last Crabs game I knew that was it and I was kind of bummed,” he said. “So I’m just going to try and enjoy every moment of it. But I’m pumped.”

As for his goals for his final year?

“I want to earn all-conference honors and make sure we win games,” he said. “And do whatever I can do to help team.”