LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Matt Manskar and Cesar Lopez each recorded a RBI in the contest that gave Cal Poly Pomona a 2-0 lead, but host and No. 2-ranked UC San Diego rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning which proved to be the difference in the Broncos' 3-2 loss on Friday night at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla.

The Broncos fall to 2-3 overall and open the CCAA slate at 0-1.  The Tritons remain undefeated this season at 6-0 and are 1-0 in league action.

The Broncos got things started with getting an infield single by Cesar Lopez and Brennan McKenzie reaching on an error in the first inning.  While the Broncos stranded those two on base in the first, they managed to plate one run across in the second with a rally that started with a Drew Cowley walk, followed by a Christian Moya single to get runners to second and third. Matt Manskar brought home Cowley with a ground ball to first to make the game 1-0.

The score remained the same until the top of the seventh where Manskar led off the inning with a single to center field, along with a sacrifice bunt by John Pappas, followed with singles by Ryon Knowles and Cesar Lopez, both their second hit of the day, to bring Manskar home for run number two of the ballgame to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead going to the bottom of the seventh.

Up to this point, starter Gavin Velasquez had been through six shutout innings, but started off the inning allowing two base runners that later went on to score and getting only one more out in the inning. Connor Tousignant was the first to come on in relief with Velasquez's two runners on, but was unable to contain the Tritons, giving up the two runners from Velasquez and a run of his own through his third of an inning of work, giving the Tritons a lead 3-2.  Chris Burnette followed Tousignant, limiting the damage of the inning and starting the eighth inning off with an out. Steven Ordorica was then called in to finish the inning and get the Broncos to the ninth only down one run and got the job done.

The Broncos had a spark of hope in the ninth from Manskar reaching base on an error. However, the Broncos were unable to bring Manskar home dropping the first game of the series with UC San Diego.

Knowles, Lopez and Moya all had two hits apiece as CPP outhit UCSD, 8-5 in the contest.  Velasquez gave up four of the five Triton hits in his 6.1 innings, but struckout 11 batters.

Cal Poly Pomona and UC San Diego return to action Saturday in La Jolla for game two of the four-game series.  First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm.