The Virgin Valley High School baseball team opened the season by placing fourth in its own Cactus Classic last weekend.

After playing a crossover game against San Juan of Blanding, Utah, on Thursday, which ended in a 2-2 tie, the Bulldogs opened bracket play by dropping a 5-2 decision to eventual tournament champion Emery of Castle Dale, Utah on Friday morning at Bulldog Field.

Virgin Valley bounced back from the loss to defeat Alta of Sandy, Utah, 8-2, Friday night which forced the two teams to play again Saturday morning for third place. The Bulldogs were not as fortunate in the rematch as they fell to the Hawks, 9-6.

Emery defeated San Juan, 6-2, in the championship contest Saturday afternoon.

Seniors Jayden Perkins and Cade Anderson had outstanding performances in the tournament for the Bulldogs. Perkins collected 10 hits in 15 at bats while Anderson had eight hits and also threw a strong game against Emery, striking out six batters in five innings.

Perkins drove in both Virgin Valley runs in the second inning as the Bulldogs jumped in front 2-0. The Spartans came back with two runs in the third and three more in the fifth to record the win.

In Friday’s game against Alta, Dakota Munford threw five solid innings while Anderson stroked three base hits while Perkins and Easton Jensen had two hits apiece.

Saturday’s game saw the Bulldogs jump in front 2-0 in the first inning, but Alta responded with three runs in the second four in the third to move in front 7-2.

The Bulldogs scored twice in the third and fourth innings to get within 8-6, but that would be as close as they would come as the Hawks added an insurance run in the seventh.

Both Anderson and Perkins paced the Bulldog offense with three hits apiece.

Emery went 4-0 in tournament play in taking home the championship trophy. The Spartans defeated Pahranagat Valley of Alamo, 12-8, Thursday before defeating Virgin Valley, 5-2, and Valley High of Las Vegas, 10-7, on Friday to reach Saturday’s title contest.