LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 3rd-ranked UC San Diego baseball team dropped the first game of a four-game set against Cal State L.A. by a 2-1 score on Thursday afternoon at Triton Ballpark. The Tritons allowed single runs in the first two innings, but could not produce runs to tie and take the lead, scoring a single run in the sixth inning to pull within 2-1, and that would be the final. UCSD had eight hits on the afternoon, including three doubles, but CSULA came through with the big outs. With the loss, UCSD sees its conference lead shrink, as the Tritons fall to 34-6, 24-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Golden Eagles improve to 17-21, 15-14 CCAA.

Tim Shibuya pitched his second consecutive complete-game, lowering his ERA to 2.22. Shibuya gave up single runs in the first and second frames, and that was it. He went 9.0 innings, allowed two runs on nine hits, walked two and struck out three.

Offensively, the Tritons had their biggest inning in the sixth, getting three hits in the frame. UCSD had runners on the corners with one out and attempted a double steal. The runner on first got caught in the run down and the runner on third scored. That would be it for the Tritons in the inning.

UCSD had a runner reach second base in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but could not get the key RBI.

Brandon Gregorich and Robert Sedin had two hits apiece. Gregorich, Aaron Bauman and Kellen Lee had doubles for UCSD.

CSULA was paced by Sam Wiley who went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Matt Miraldi who had an RBI.

UCSD limited the Golden Eagles to just two runs, with the help of two double plays.

CSULA's Matt Clark earned the win to improve to 1-0, the freshman's first start of the year. Matt Stropoli earned his third save of the year.

UCSD is back in action on Friday against CSULA. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. at Triton Ballpark.