WSU baseball blew a four-run lead and lost 8-5 in the second game of a weekend series against No. 16 University of California, Los Angeles.

WSU (4-11) scored five times in the top of the third inning to take a commanding 5-1 lead. A long home run to centerfield by junior infielder Justin Harrer brought in two of the runs, marking his second straight game with a homer.

The Bruins answered in the bottom of the third with a two-run home run of their own off WSU senior left-handed pitcher Scotty Sunitsch. UCLA (12-4) scored again in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Cougars lead to 5-4.

Sunitsch allowed four runs on four hits and five walks in his four innings of work.

Freshman right-handed pitcher Hayden Rosenkratz entered the game in the fifth and allowed only one hit in two scoreless innings.

With the Cougars still clinging to a 5-4 lead, senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Walker entered the game in the seventh inning. He pitched a scoreless seventh before giving up four runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Walker gave up four hits, a walk and hit a batter before recording an out, allowing the Bruins to take an 8-5 lead. Freshman left-handed pitcher Michael Newstrom entered the game and got two strikeouts with the bases loaded to end the inning, preventing any further damage.

The first two runners reached base for the Cougars in the top of the ninth inning but they could not cash in as UCLA held on to win.

The final game of the series will be played 1 p.m. Sunday at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.