UCLA 4, UW 3

SEATTLE - UCLA scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to spoil a complete game effort by Nick Haughian and beat the Huskies 4-3 in the finale of a three game Pac-10 series at Husky Ballpark on a showery Sunday afternoon.

With the victory the Bruins won the series two games to one and improved to 6-6 in the Pac-10 and 22-17 overall, while the Huskies fell a game behind UCLA in conference at 5-7 and dropped to 25-16.

Haughian went into the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead, efficiently limiting the Bruins to a run on three hits in seven innings while throwing only 85 pitches, but he got into trouble quickly in the eighth. Alden Carrithers led off with a line single to center field, advanced to second on a passed ball by catcher Joey Dunn, and took third on an infield single by Jermaine Curtis.

Brandon Crawford then grounded a one ball pitch up the middle that shortstop Doug Cherry looked like he would field to start a potential double play, but instead he booted the ball for an error, allowing Curtis to take second and Crawford to reach safely. Carrithers would have scored regardless the outcome of the play, but instead of having a run in with at least one and perhaps two outs, the Bruins had a run in with still none out.

Casey Haerther, who led the Bruin offense in the series with 6 hits in 12 at-bats, then grounded a 2-2 pitch into left field to score Curtis with the tying run. After Haughian struck out pinch hitter Eddie Murray for the first out, Crawford stole third and scored on a squeeze bunt by Mickey Weisser to give the Bruins a 4-3 lead.

Hard luck loser Haughian (4-4) recorded his second complete game of the season, allowing four runs, two earned, on seven hits and two walks. He struck out eight to raise his season total to 84 and regained the Pac-10 lead from the Bruins' Tim Murphy, who has 77.

Gavin Brooks (5-2), the Bruin starter, benefited from the three run eighth to get the win. He allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits and five walks while striking out eight in seven plus innings. After he walked Sean Meehan to lead off the bottom of the eighth, the Bruins brought in reliever Brendan Lafferty, and all he did was pitch two perfect innings, striking out four, to record his third save.

The Bruins got to Haughian for a run in the top of the first. With one out Curtis walked, stole second, and one out later scored on a single to center by Haerther.

The Huskies took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Ty Rasmussen led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice by Sean Meehan. Troy Scott then walked to put runners at first and second. After Jarrett Jackson struck out looking, Dunn grounded a single to left field to score Rasmussen. The Bruins attempted to throw out Rasmussen at the plate but Crawford's relay got past catcher Brent Dean for an error, allowing Scott, who was already on his way to third, to continue home for the Huskies' second run and Dunn to advance all the way to third. Brooks stranded Dunn at third by retiring Cherry on a groundout to third.

The Huskies went up 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth when Bradley Boyer led off with a single, went to third ona bloop single to right by Kyle Conley and scored on an infield hit by Meehan. They had a chance to do more damage as they had the bases loaded following a walk to Scott but Brooks fanned Jackson to end the inning.

The Huskies, after a day off, host British Columbia in an exhibition at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29 and then resume Pac-10 play with a three game series in Los Angeles against the USC Trojans from Friday, May 2 to Sunday, May 4.