Photo by Matt Filar/Humboldt Crabs Baseball

The Humboldt Crabs responded to a series-opening loss with three straight wins over the West Coast Kings over the weekend to keep their Pacific Empire League championship hopes well on track.

After dropping the opening game 6-2 on Friday night, the Crabs swept a doubleheader on Saturday night, winning 6-4 and 4-1, and followed that with a 7-5 win on Sunday.

Sunday’s win was the team’s 30th of the season, as they improved to 30-5 overall and 12-5 in the PEL.

They are now tied with the Healdsburg Prune Packers with a league-leading 12 wins each, although the latter have two less losses.

The two clubs will face off in a huge three-game series at the Arcata Ball Park this coming weekend.

Jonah Fragus pitched six strong innings for the win on the mound in Saturday’s opener, giving up just two hits and two walks and striking out four.

Cameron Sewell and Houston Hirschkorn both had two hits for the Crabs, including a double each.

Game two on Saturday was a pitchers’ duel, with the two teams combining for just seven hits, including five by the Crabs.

Jacob Pappas led the way at the plate and finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

McKinleyville’s Cameron Saso got the win on the mound, his first of the summer.

Saso threw five innings and allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out five.

Brody Jacobs threw two hitless in relief for the save.

Sunday’s series finale saw the Crabs overcome an early four-run deficit.

They tied the game at 5-5 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth before taking their first lead of the day with two more runs in the eighth.

Keenan Morris led the Crabs offense and hit his first home run of the summer.

The former Eureka Logger finish 3-for-4 and also had a double, a walk and two RBIs.

Tate Medicoff also hit a home run in the win, which was his second of the season.

Max Hippensteel got the win on the mound in relief of starter David Zazueta.

Hippensteel gave up just two hits and no walks in five innings and struck out seven.

Next up, the Crabs will play a two-game non-league series against Seals Baseball on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

First pitch on both nights is set for 7 p.m.