Prune Packers ready for big series this week against Humboldt Crabs

Baseball fans will get the chance to see some hot young talent tonight and Wednesday as the Healdsburg Prune Packers host the Humboldt Crabs for a two-game series.

The Crabs, in their 74th consecutive season of summer ball on the North Coast, head south for their biennial trip to Sonoma County to play the Packers at 6 p.m. both nights at Recreation Park.

Competition should be solid as both teams have started their summer seasons hot. The Prune Packers are 11-1 overall while the Crabs are 9-3.

The Packers are part of the California Collegiate League, and like the unaffiliated Crabs, typically pull their players from Division I colleges.

Healdsburg has a half-dozen Santa Rosa Junior College players on the roster as well as players from Texas Tech, Cal, Houston and other schools.

The Crabs also are stocked with D-I athletes this season, including ambidextrous pitcher Alexander Trautner from UC Davis.

“From playing them in years past, we know they are a highly skilled team,” said Humboldt assistant coach Brad Morgan. “It’s a team that definitely has developed over the years into an overall solid program. We know that this is one of tougher teams on the schedule.”

Humboldt is waiting for University of Washington pitcher Jack Enger to join the squad from the College World Series and also for catcher Jackson O’Boy (Davis) and pitcher Jonathan Stroman (Arizona) to arrive.

Founded in 1945, the Crabs are the oldest continuously operated summer collegiate, wood-bat baseball team in the country. The team has been traveling further out from home over the past two years and has an every-other-year home stand rotation with Healdsburg.

Fans can expect tunes from the World Famous Crab Grass Band and possibly a brass duel with local musicians.

Tickets are $5 for general admission, while children under 12 are free.

You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 707-521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.