By Caleb Knudsen
The Prune Packer pursuit of a fifth straight league championship might get interesting this month. After knocking off eight wins in a row to start the season, the Pack came up short in the second of their three-game series against the Humboldt Crabs last Wednesday, losing 5-3.
It was the first loss of the year for the Packers, but the Crabs, too, are a contender: They had only lost once so far this season, too—the previous night, to the Packers.
The Crabs are, like the Prune Packers, a collegiate league team with some deep history. Founded in 1945, they have played every season since. The Healdsburg team, though first fielded in 1921, has not had as consistent a playing history. This version of the Packers was reborn in 2012.
The June 18 game was as dramatic as it was unexpected for the home team. The previous night, in the teams’ first meeting this year, Healdsburg built a seemingly insurmountable lead of 11-3 at the end of only five innings, and it looked like another one of those Packer blowouts.
Then their bat attack ended. Humboldt reliever Spencer Jacobs held them to just two hits and a walk while striking out six in three innings—that’s about as good as it gets.
The Crabs made a play in the top of the eighth, scoring three runs after two quick outs to make it close. Healdsburg’s reliever came in to stop the bleeding and the game ended, 11-6.
The next night, the two teams were evenly matched through eight innings, with the Pack leading, 3-2. But the Crabs would not go down easily, or at all: Using hits, steals and a hit-by-pitch, the visitors broke the spell and scored three times in the top of the ninth, winning the game 6-3.
Getting the groove back
The Healdsburg team bounced back with a 10-5 victory the next day to win the series. As Jacob French hit a double and a triple to drive in three runs, Alex Leopard homered and ended with three RBIs, and Alex Birge doubled for another two runs. It looked like the Pack had again found its groove.
The Prune Packers racked up two more wins at home last weekend, against the West Coast Kings on Friday and Saturday. The week ended with Healdsburg on top of the PEL standings with a 4-1 record, followed by the Humboldt Crabs and the Medford Rogues.
The Pack plays those same Rogues this week as they take the show on the road for two away games in Medford, Oregon. These will be their first road games of the year, against a contender for the PEL pennant.
The Prune Packers return to the comforting field of Rec Park on Friday to open another nine-game home stand before returning to the road next month, on July 8.
Follow the Prune Packers at prunepackers.org.
