File photo/Erik Fraser -Sophomore pitcher Branson Dobrec in action for the Panthers earlier this season.

A good early season continued for a young McKinleyville Panthers team at the St. Bernard’s baseball tournament on Saturday.

The Panthers closed out tourney play with a 6-1 win over Middletown to place third, gradually pulling away and scoring runs in five of the six innings they went to bat.

Impressive sophomore Branson Dobrec pitched all seven innings for the win, allowing just one earned run on three hits and two walks, while striking out nine.

Seven players combined for 10 hits in the win, including senior Austin Brown, who finished 2-for-3 with a triple and scored a run.

Bryce Sargent and Tyson Bragg each also had two hits, with Bragg driving in two runs, while Kolbey Stolpe was 1-for-1 with a triple and also drove in a pair of runs.

Riley Bates, Beau Karrer and Brayden Craven each also had a base hit.

With the win, the Panthers improved to 5-2.

Mack opened the tournament with a 15-0 win over South Fork on Friday morning, before pushing St. Bernard’s all the way in a 5-3 loss in the tournament semifinal later in the day.

With Saturday’s loss, Middletown dropped to 1-6.