Crabs earn split with A’s

By Ray Hamill

Karson Klauer continued his impressive start to the summer season Sunday afternoon, leading the Crabs to a 9-3 win over the Fontanetti A’s and a split of the four-game weekend series.

Klauer, out of San Jose State, finished 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, three RBIs and three runs as the Crabs scored early and often on the way to the comfortable win. Klauer, who has started all eight games for the Crabs this summer, now has 15 hits on the season, including five doubles, and is batting a team-high .469.

On the mound, Gene Escat, out of Fresno State, made his first start in a Crabs uniform and tossed seven scoreless innings for the win, allowing just four hits while walking two and striking out six. Closer Chris DeBoo pitched one-and-a-third innings to seal the win.

At the plate, Jeff Giacomini finished 2-for-5, including a two-run single to cap a four-run fourth inning for the Crabs, who opened up a 9-0 lead by the sixth and appeared to be cruising toward a mercy-rule victory.

The visitors, however, avoided the early showers with three runs in the top of the eighth, although four errors on the afternoon certainly didn’t help matters.

For Humboldt, third baseman Nick Hom finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and is now batting .368 on the season, one of eight Crabs players averaging at least .300 at the plate. Tommy Pavesi and Michael Reiling each also finished with two hits in the win as the Crabs lit up the A’s pitching for 12 hits.

With the win, the Crabs improved to 6-2 on the season. Humboldt will play the Solano Mudcats Wednesday in a doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m.