File photo – The McKinleyville Panthers

Tuesday’s non-conference game at Eureka showcased just how competitive this year’s Big 5 conference in softball should be.

The new league season gets under way this weekend and all five schools look capable of beating any other on any given day.

On Tuesday, a much-improved Eureka team entertained McKinleyville, with the visitors prevailing 3-2.

But it was a close battle.

After four scoreless innings, the visitors took a three-run lead in the top of the fifth, before the home team responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

That would prove to be the end of the scoring for the game, and the Panthers escaped with a victory by the narrowest of margins.

Fresh off a big winter on the basketball courts, Eureka junior Violla Kingsang continued her impressive start to the new softball season, finishing 2-for-4 with a stolen base, while the always dangerous Bailey Brown also had a good day for the home team.

The senior team leader finished 2-for-3 with a triple, a stolen base and a run.

The Loggers threatened to win the game on a walk-off.

Back-to-back one-out base hits by Kingsang and Brown in the bottom of the seventh put the potential tying run at second, but McKinleyville senior McKennah Sargent and her defense got out of the jam to secure their fifth win of the season.

No stats were immediately available for the Panthers, who improved to 5-2.

Bella Holbrook and Jaycee Childress each finished 1-for-3 for the Loggers, who dropped to 3-6, while Macy Secor had an RBI and scored a run and Megan Secor added an RBI.

Makenzie Wolff pitched all seven innings for the Loggers and gave her team a chance to win.

The junior pitcher gave up two earned runs, while walking three and striking out five.

Next up, the Loggers open conference play with a home doubleheader against Fortuna on Saturday, while the Panthers will play one more non-conference game at Maria Carrillo on Friday before opening conference at home against Fortuna next Wednesday.