Photos by Matt Filar/Humboldt Crabs Baseball – Aidan Dorsch

By Ray Hamill — The Humboldt Crabs will face their biggest test of the summer so far this week, as they get set to open the Pacific Empire League.

After playing 12 games at the Arcata Ball Park — and winning all 12 of them — the team has hit the road for three games against the Lincoln Potters in a rivalry that has grown over the past two summers since the founding of the PEL in 2024.

And three local pitchers look set to play a key role in the series as the Crabs look to hit the ground running in league play and continue what has been an impressive start to the summer.

The three-game series begins on Tuesday night, with former St. Bernard’s Crusader Aidan Dorsch getting the start on the hill.

Arcata’s Ben Lukens, who helped lead the Tigers to a North Coast Section championship a year ago, will get the start for game two on Wednesday night, with 2025 Crabs pitcher of the year and former Eureka Logger Myles Standish getting his first start of 2026 in Thursday night’s series finale.

All three local pitchers have impressed in Crabs uniforms.

Dorsch has started in all three Friday night games this summer and is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.29.

He has allowed just two runs on four hits and five walks and has posted team-highs in strikeouts (15) and innings pitched (14).

“We’re very happy with Dorsch,” Crabs manager Jeff Giacomini said. “He’s a guy that’s we’ve been wanting to bring on for a while now and it’s good to have him.

“We’re very pleased with what he’s brought to the table. He’s one of our best pitchers for sure.” 

Lukens, meanwhile, has appeared in four games this summer, mostly out of the bullpen, and has yet to allow a run in 10.1 innings, while giving up nine hits and three walks and striking out 12.

Myles Standish in action for the Crabs last summer.

Standish was the team’s most impressive pitcher in 2025, finishing 6-1 with an ERA of 2.76 and posting team-highs in innings pitched (52) and strikeouts (59).

With 12 wins in 12 games this summer, the pitching has played a big role in the fast start to the new season.

So too have the catchers, a group that includes Ryan VandenBrink, Kawana Soares, Jason Arriola and Liam Forsyth, as well as Eli Burnham, who just joined the team last week.

Forsyth, however, will miss some time after picking up an injury, although Giacomini is hoping to have him back in the lineup later in the season.

And the first-year Crabs manager is happy with what he’s seen from the catchers and the way they’ve been working with the pitchers.

But while the battery has been effective for the team, the bats have been stealing the show this summer.

The Crabs are averaging more than 12 runs a game through the opening two weeks of the season and batting a remarkable .372 as a team with nine home runs.

“We have a very solid offensive approach,” Giacomini said. “We’re happy to see that, and our guys have responded to the adversity and challenges that have been presented.”

Asked what has impressed him the most through the opening 12 games, Giacomini replied without hesitation.

“Just their ability to be able to slow the game down when it matters,” he said. “And if the other team starts fast, we do a good job of answering quickly.

“There is a lot of power up and down our lineup and we’re very happy to see that, and I’m very happy with everybody that’s come in.”

The Potters have been equally impressive this summer and are also unbeaten with a record of 15-0, having faced many of the same opponents.

So something has to give on Tuesday night.

“I think this is going to be a good test for us,” Giacomini said. “They have a lot of left-handed hitters and I think it’s going to be a good matchup.

“We’re going to have to show up, and it’s going to come dow to who makes the least mistakes.”

All three of the games against the Potters begin at 6:35 p.m., and they will be streamed live on the Crabs YouTube Page, as well as broadcast live on 107.3 FM, 1340 AM.