SAN MARCOS, Calif. -- The Cal Poly Pomona baseball team couldn't rally from an early three-run deficit despite getting double-digit hits for the 19th time this season, falling 7-4 in the series opener with Cal State San Marcos Friday in San Marcos.

Needing a win to improve their playoff chances, the Broncos fall to 22-25 overall and 20-21 in the CCAA, sliding back down to seventh place in the conference standings with three games to play.  The Cougars (23-24 overall) are now a game behind CPP at 19-22 in CCAA action.

The host Cougars plated three runs off of Broncos starter Tim Holdgrafer in the first two innings before CPP could score its first run of the game, it came on a solo home run off the bat of Patrick Vizcaino to make it 3-1.  However, CSUSM rallied for three more runs during its next two at bats to take a 6-1 lead through five innings of play.

The Broncos got a run back in the top of the sixth when Drew Cowley singled home Vizcaino, then Patrick Flynn doubled to bring Vizcaino home in the eighth to make it 6-3.  Trailing 7-3 in the top of the ninth, Nick Peifer reached on an error, allowing Cesar Lopez to score, but that would be all for CPP in falling 7-4.

Holdgrafer (8-4) got the loss, giving up six runs on 10 hits, striking out five in five innings of work.  At the plate, Vizcaino ended the day 2 for 5 with a double, home run, three runs scored and a RBI.

Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Marcos returns to the field Saturday for a single game beginning at 3:00 pm.  The two teams will then wrap up the series (and the regular season) Sunday with a doubleheader at Scolinos Field in Pomona.