THE SIDELINES : Dunckel’s 2 Home Runs Lead to San Diego State Win at Regional

Leadoff batter Bill Dunckel, who hit only four home runs during the regular season, homered in his first two at-bats today to power San Diego State to an 18-6 victory over Middle Tennessee State in the opening game of the NCAA West I Regional tournament.

Dunckel, who also doubled and singled, drove in six runs as Western Athletic Conference champion San Diego State, seeded third in the regional, improved its record to 47-20. Starter Kurt Archer (8-2) pitched 8 1/3 innings for the Aztecs, who advance to a second-round game Friday against either Southern Illinois or Cal State Fresno.

Southern Illinois and Cal State Fresno were scheduled to play the second game in the tournament this afternoon.

Fourth-seeded Middle Tennessee State, the Ohio Valley Conference champion, slipped to 42-14.

After Middle Tennessee State had scored two runs in the top of the first, Dunckel hit the first pitch from MTSU starter Chris Crabtree (10-2) over the left-field fence. San Diego State went on to take a 3-2 lead.

Dunckel hit his second homer, a three-run shot, as San Diego scored four runs in the second.

San Diego scored three runs in the sixth, three in the seventh and five in the eighth, as the Aztecs totaled 17 hits off four MTSU pitchers and took advantage of nine walks and five errors.