RENO - It was a case of too much Beau Bickel.
Bickel drove in five runs with a two-run double and three-run homer, and he scattered nine hits to lead Carson American to an easy 8-1 win over Carson Valley in the first day of pool play at the District 1 11-12 all-star tournament at Swope Middle School.
After a rough first inning, which was littered with passed balls and wild pitches, Bickel settled down. He went the distance, striking out 12 of the final 24 batters he faced. He struck out the side in both the second and third innings.
Only in the sixth did manager John Valley consider pulling him.
"He was throwing well," Valley said. "His pitching count wasn't real high. I wanted to let him have his success.
"Dom (Mariani) had never caught him before; wasn't used to catching Beau. It was a new experience for him. He did a real good job from the second inning on."
That first inning was a scary one for Carson American. Carson Valley should have scored more than one, but had two runners thrown out at the plate, one on a delayed steal and one trying to score on a wild pitch.
Those two big outs gave Carson American some momentum, and the locals took the lead for good with three runs in the first.
Bickel doubled home Brett Valley, who had singled, and Andrew Mims, who walked. Blake Plattsmier followed with a run-scoring single to make it 3-1.
In the second, after Anthony Torkeo had scored on the front end of a double steal, another walk to Mims and a single by Mariani set the stage for Bickel. The youngster delivered a high drive over the fence in center to make it 7-1.
"During the season he (Bickel) was overstriding," Valley said. "We cut down his stride and made his hands quicker to the ball. I don't think he hit the homer that well; he got just enough of it."
Bickel scored Carson's last run of the game, doubling to left in the fourth and eventually scoring on a throwing error after an infield out.
Carson Valley had runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings, but Bickel seemed to come up with good pitches when he needed them.
"It was a good start," Valley said. "If we play together as a team... These are pretty tough kids."
TRUCKEE 4, CARSON NATIONAL 2
Truckee scored three third-inning runs and held on for the victory despite some sixth-inning fireworks by Carson National.
Carson National, 0-1 in pool play, returns to action Monday at 6:30 p.m. against Washoe. Daniel Gall is the probable starter for Carson.
"They beat us with a couple of key hits," Carson National manager Kevin Hogan said. "He (Truckee pitcher Travis Dwyer) settled down after that first inning."
Indeed.
After the first when Carson National scored a run on three hits, Dwyer allowed only a run and four hits over the final five innings. He finished with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Carson took as 1-0 lead on singles by Ricky McDonald and Jacob Price plus a leadoff walk by Jared Wells.
Price, who breezed through the first two innings, ran into trouble in the third.
After one out, Price issued his first walk of the game and Matt Theis singled. After a strikeout, Dwyer helped his own cause with a run-scoring single to make it a 1-all game. Theis moved to third on the play and Dwyer took second on the throw home. Two errors accounted for the final two runs of the inning.
The score remained 3-1 until the top of the sixth when Truckee finally scored against reliever Clay Holton, who had pitched two scoreless innings of relief. Josh Tamietti singled home Alex Cesmer, who had doubled to right.
"Clay did a great job," Hogan said. "He mixed his pitches well."
Carson wasn't done quite yet.
With two outs, Price slammed a homer over the right-centerfield fence to make it 4-2. Cameron Mayville followed with a deep drive that hit the fence in right-center. Dwyer retired the last batter on an infield roller to end the game.