The McKinleyville Panthers lost for just the second time this season on Saturday, as they closed out a three-game weekend road trip at Foothill.

With a bye in Big 5 action this weekend, the Panthers traveled to Oregon and won a pair of one-run games at Eagle Point on Friday, before heading to Palo Cedro on Saturday to take on the Cougars.

The home team prevailed 5-4 in extra innings, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth to secure the walk-off victory.

“It was a great game,” McKinleyville head coach Mike Dobrec said. “We played good. It was a back-and-forth game, real competitive.”

Senior Jackson Kelly impressed on the mound for the Panthers, who led 3-1 when he left the game after five innings.

Kelly gave up just one earned run on four hits and struck out six for a no-decision

However, the Cougars would rally to score twice in the bottom of the seventh to force the extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth, the Panthers re-took the lead with one run in the top of the ninth, before Foothill added two runs in the bottom half of the inning to sneak the win.

Freshman Tate Saso three innings in relief for McKinleyville and took the “hard luck loss,” according to Dobrec.

Bryce Sargent had a good day at the plate for McKinleyville and finished 2-for-4 with a home run,  a double and an RBI.

Freshman Jake Brunner continued to play beyond his years and impressed once again for the visitors, finishing 1-for-4 with a pair or RBIs to cap a big road trip for the young player.

Hunter Carper also had a good road trip and added a double in Saturday’s loss, finishing 1-for-4, while Rhythm Green was 1-for-2 and Kolbey Stolpe was 1-for-4.

Kelly was pulled from the game after five innings with eyes on the team’s Big 5 opener at Fortuna on Wednesday.

With Saturday’s loss, the Panthers are now 9-2.

Foothill improved to 8-5.