Everything was in place.
Leading by two runs, the UCLA baseball team was three outs away from earning its second consecutive victory.
The Bruins held a four-run lead heading into the seventh inning, yet went into the ninth inning with a slight two-run edge.
That’s when things fell apart.
The Bruins (3-11) allowed six runs on five hits in the final frame and the Aztecs of San Diego State (8-6) escaped with a 10-6 victory Wednesday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
San Diego State capitalized on a shaky Bruin bull pen, which allowed nine runs and surrendered seven hits in the final three innings.
The UCLA bull pen was without the services of its usual closer, Trevor Bauer, a freshman right-hander who took the hill to start the game.
Bauer, who has lost three games this season as a late-inning reliever, was impressive as a starter, giving up a run in six innings of work. The 18-year-old gave up two hits, walked three and struck out four batters before leaving the game with a 5-1 lead.
But the Bruin bull pen spoiled Bauer’s debut as a starter. The Aztecs tagged UCLA junior left-hander Gavin Brooks for a run in the seventh and scored two runs off of junior right-hander Charles Brewer an inning later.
San Diego State was within a run before UCLA senior designated hitter Cody Decker launched a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to give the Bruins a two-run lead heading into the ninth.
Yet experienced Bruin relievers Brendan Lafferty and Jason Novak allowed three runs apiece in the final inning, putting UCLA at a 10-6 deficit.
Aztec reliever Addison Reed struck out two Bruin batters in the ninth to prevent a UCLA rally.
The Bruins, who snapped a 10-game losing streak Tuesday night with a 5-3 win over No. 25 UC Santa Barbara, look to bounce back this weekend as they travel to Greenville, N.C., to face East Carolina.
UCLA will be seeking its first road win of the year after losing the first seven away from Westwood.