File photo – Hunter Carper

The McKinleyville Panthers split a tournament doubleheader at Yreka on Saturday, suffering their first loss of the season.

They opened the day with a 7-3 win over Etna to go to 7-0 on the season, before falling 8-1 to the host school later in the day.

The Panthers also defeated Mt. Shasta 13-1 in their tourney opener on Friday.

Saturday’s game against Etna was a classic pitchers’ duel, with McKinleyville ace Jackson Kelly throwing six strong innings for a no-decision.

The senior pitcher gave up just two runs on three hits and struck out six, leaving the game with the teams tied 2-2.

Kolbey Stolpe got the win in relief and helped his own cause with a huge three-run home run to help key a five-run seventh inning for McKinleyville.

“It was a good game, back and forth,” McKinleyville head coach Mike Dobrec said. “Etna had a really good pitcher. It was a pitchers’ duel.”

In addition to Stolpe’s big blast, five other McKinleyville players hit successfully in the win.

Hunter Carper finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Pat Wilson also was 2-for-4.

Stolpe, Rhythm Green and Bode Reininger each went 1-for-3 and Jake Brunner finished 1-for-4.

The Mack bats, however, never really got going in the second game of the day against Yreka and managed just three hits in the loss.

Kelly finished 2-for-3, while Stolpe remained hot with his second home run of the day and finished 1-for-3.

Joe Tanno took the loss on the mound, allowing three earned runs in six innings and striking out six.

The Miners broke open a tight game with six runs in the fifth inning, taking full advantage of three Mack errors in the inning.

It was a 2-1 game going into the fifth.

“Hats off to their pitcher,” Dobrec said. “He threw a complete game and we just didn’t make adjustments.”

Next up, the Panthers will travel to play a doubleheader at Eagle Point on April 4, before playing a game at Foothill the following day.

They are scheduled to open the Big 5 at Fortuna on April 9, before hosting Eureka in a doubleheader on April 12, which will be their first home games of the year.