The sky did tricks over Bomber Field Thursday night

A comfortable July evening proved a fine stage for a bout of America’s favorite pastime as the Humboldt B-52s walloped the visiting, Bay Area-residing NBO Baseball Club by the score of 13-2.

With the 52s sophomore season rounding third base and heading for home, the Eureka-based organization came out swinging hot bats. Jeff Giacomini, who finished the game 4-5 with five runs batted in, secured the initial tallies, slicing a ball down the right field line to score a pair. Caleb Lee followed with a skyscraping double over the head of NBO centerfielder Trevor Hale, scoring another to punctuate a three-run bottom of the first inning. Giacomini struck again in the bottom of the second, this time lacing a ball through the third baseman and into left field to tack on another couple of runs.

On the other side, opportunities on offense were scant, as NBO’s first attempt to push a run across the board was quickly snuffed out in the top of the second. A leadoff single was negated by a strike-them-out, throw-them-out double play. Following a swinging strikeout, the NBO runner on first base strayed too far from the bag and was promptly erased on a laser-beam throw from 52 catcher Brad Morgan. 

One frame later, the only two runs the visitors would garner crossed the board, though less on NBO’s accord than that of 52 starting pitcher Tyler Janowski. A worm-burning single up the middle predicated a prolonged fit of wildness in the otherwise brilliant performance by Janowski, as three walks and a hit-by-pitch plated two.

The B-52’s Brad Morgan swings for the fences

“I felt pretty good going in there, it was my first start for them,” said Janowski regarding his efforts on the mound for the 52s, “I struggled in one inning, but got out of it and I was just trying to have some fun out there.” Janowski attributed the rough patch to a simple mechanical flaw, and upon correcting it he proved too worthy a foe for the NBO Baseball Club, as his line sparkled to the tune of 5 innings pitched and only 3 hits allowed while striking out a whopping 11 batters, securing the win.

An emphatic six run sixth inning by the 52s put them up 13-2, ending the game in the seventh due to the ten-run mercy rule.

“I’m pretty happy with how things went,” said B-52s head coach Scott St. John, “we got some good pitching from some young guys out there. Janowski gave us five strong, then Wyatt (Eglian) and Eugene Palmer finished it out. These are guys we may be looking at for next year. Giacomini swung the bat really well tonight, but that’s what he’s been doing all year.”

The 52s will take on the NBO Baseball Club in one final game Friday night before the organization’s second season in existence comes to a conclusion.

And a successful season, it was.

“The B-52s are here to promote baseball in Humboldt County. We’re a semi-professional team with a big emphasis on the college guys, but we also take older guys who are out of options. We like to keep local, we bring in a few imports, but again, we are just looking to keep baseball alive in Humboldt County,” St. John said.

When asked if the club is around to stay, St. John responded with a stone-cold, “Yes.”

Assuredly, baseball is alive and well.

The B-52s are a burgeoning brand within the small area of Humboldt County, having not only put forth a quality semi-professional product on the diamond, but also establishing an avenue for younger players to play in the form of the Little Bombers, an age 12 and under youth team, and the Five-Twos, a high school aged team coached by Mike Ford.

Above all, the support of local fans provided the boost the 52s needed to continue their steady ascent.

“Tremendous.” Giacomini, who is also the team’s owner, said of the support displayed by fans, “They’ve been terrific. They’ve been coming to the games, they’ve been looking at our website, and they’ve been following us all the way through. This would not have happened without them. We want Eureka to take us on and see us as their baseball team. Arcata has the Crabs, while Eureka has the Bombers”

Having secured a home field at Redwood Acres fairgrounds, the B-52s will continue to expand their efforts in the community, as plans for the 2016 campaign are already under way.

For now, the B-52s will fly off into the sunset, ready to pilot another run when the spring days turn to summer.

Perhaps next season’s trajectory will fly them over the Humboldt Crabs, a match every fan of baseball deserves to see.