Despite injury and limited players, the Dawgs fought an epic battle to win the Father’s Day Tournament held in Richfield, Utah last weekend. 

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Top Row (left to right): Coach Jensen, Coach Goodsell, Logan Felix, Dallan Tanner, Dillan Fuqua, Jaden Perkins, Coach Eaton, Coach Tanner and Coach Felix Bottom Row (left to right): Josh Abbott, Easton Jensen, Dakota Munford, Cade Anderson and Nathan Cannon. Submitted photo.

Over Father’s Day weekend nine Bulldog baseball players packed up their gear and traveled to Richfield, Utah to play in the 15u tournament. Friday night at 6:30 started the emotional roller coast that the players, coaches and fans would ride until Saturday afternoon. Behind the great pitching from Dakota Munford and Cade Anderson, as well a multiple hit game from Dallan Tanner and Nathan Cannon, the Bull Dogs went on to defeat North Sanpete 10-6. The following game the Dawgs had to face Piute, which proved to be more than they could chew as they experienced a 15-2 loss.

Saturday morning, the start of a new day, competition began a 9 o’clock for the Bull Dogs and it was a must to win situation. The Dawgs played North Sanpete again and with a win they would have to face Piute in the championship game. The Dawgs had a slow start and went into the last inning down 3-1 for North Sanpete. Following an amazing triple from Jaden Perkins, Easton Jenson hit a single to score Perkins and tying the game 2-2. Logan Felix hit a single to move Jensen to second base. With the winning run at second, Dillan Fuqua hit a screaming line drive to left-center field to score Jensen and win the game.

Going into the championship game, the embarrassing loss against Piute weighed heavily on the minds of all nine players. Because of the loss the day before to Piute, the Dawgs were forced to be the visitors. The top of the first inning Jaden Perkins hit a single and went on to steal second and third. Cade Anderson hit a single to score Perkins from third but that was the end of any scoring from the Bull Dogs until later in the game. Going into the sixth inning the Dawgs were facing a 5-1 deficit and running out of innings to win the game. Leading off the inning Logan Felix hit a single up the middle. Anderson now at bat hit a single to right field to move Felix to third. Tanner reached first base by getting hit with the pitch, consequently loading the bases. An awesome at bat from Josh Abbott earned him a base on balls and an RBI from scoring Felix. With the score 5-2 and two outs Dakota Munford hit a double to score two making the score 5-4. Continuing the two out rally, Perkins hit a scorcher to second to score one. Behind the spectacular pitching from Dillan Fuqua, the Dawgs closed the next two innings out with three up three down. Going into extra innings the Dawgs went to work at the top of the eighth inning. Abbott again reaching first base by getting walked put Nathan Cannon at bat. Cannon lays a perfect and fundamentally sound bunt down the third base line, moving Abbott into scoring position. With Abbott on third and Cannon on first, Perkins hits a single to left field to score Abbott making the score 6-5 for the Dawgs. In the bottom of the eighth inning with a one run lead, Fuqua steps on the mound with poise and surety. The first batter was expired as Fuqua threw three straight heaters past him. The next batter hit a single but was caught stealing and thrown out at second by Abbott.  The third batter reached first and then second on two extremely questionable calls. However, it did not matter because after Fuqua calmed everyone down he went to work and force the forth batter to hit a fly ball to Perkins in center field for the third out.

With much heart and desire the Virgin Valley Bulldogs were triumphant in the 15 and under tournament held in Richfield, Utah over the Father’s Day weekend. The Dawgs were coached by Travis Eaton, Justin Goodsell, Troy Tanner, Jeff Jensen and John Felix. Coach Goodsell could not give enough praise to these nine amazing players stating, “I wish I could put into words how proud and excited I am for each one of these nine players. Their dedication and desire to be better players and teammates has now started to payoff with this tournament win. I know we have much work ahead of us but this is a milestone and something to celebrate. I certainly hope each player knows how talented they are and what their future could hold for them if they continue to work hard”.

Coach Goodsell continued to explain the tournament results; “To win a tournament like this it takes an excellent performance by all players that step onto the field.  Games are not won or lost by one or two players. However, there are times when a player or two will have an exceptional game or tournament. In this case, Nathan Cannon was named the MVP of the tournament because of his error free defense and multiple clutch hits throughout the tournament. Tanner added, “I cannot help but mention how important it was that our pitchers came through when they were called upon, GREAT JOB!”