Box Score SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The No. 13 Cal State San Marcos baseball team fell 10-3 to Arizona Christian in the first game of the teams' three-game series on Thursday afternoon at CSUSM Baseball Field.

CSUSM (30-10) took an early one-run lead, but was held scoreless by ACU starter Tanner Tripp (4-1) between the second and eighth innings. Joel Thys was 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI for Arizona Christian (28-19).

Kenny Belzer handed the Cougars their only lead of the afternoon, singling home Tyler Bernard and Kyle Secciani in the first to make it 2-1.

The advantage would be short-lived. Thys led off the top of the second with a ground-rule double down the right-field line before Trevor Santor singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. Nathan Enriquez made it 2-2 on a sacrifice fly and Seth Neely helped the Firestorm regain the lead with an RBI single, 3-2.

CSUSM starter Steve Messner (6-3) was chased after allowing four runs, seven hits and striking out four in five innings of work. Thys hit a two-run homer off reliever Mike Scaramella to put the Firestorm up four in the sixth. Neely added an RBI single in the at-bat to make it 7-2.

Bentson and Belzer singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth, but Tripp got out of the inning by striking out two of the next three hitters and forcing Marcus Meraz to pop out.

ACU added three more in the eighth, taking advantage of four hits and an error by the Cougars.

Pinch runner Jacob Woolsey scored in the ninth inning after Jon Putnam's one-out double. Dylan Costello singled down the left-field line with Woolsey on second base before Woolsey scored on a misplay by the ACU shortstop.

The Cougars wrap up the regular season with a doubleheader against ACU on Friday. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m.