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Junior Sean Smith and the Bruins, who are mired in a 14-game losing streak, will head into their

The crosstown rivalry will be renewed this weekend as UCLA’s baseball team travels to USC’s Dedeaux Field in a match-up between two teams in vastly different situations.

After missing the postseason a year ago, the Trojans are 18-9 this season, having won nine of their past 12 games.

Meanwhile, the Bruins, who reached the postseason last season, have lost their last 14 games and currently sit at 7-18, 0-3 in the Pac-10.

Last year, the Bruins took two out of three from USC in their season series, including a five-run comeback in the bottom of the ninth in the rubber game to win 13-12.

This year, a win of any kind for the Bruins would be welcome and first-year UCLA coach John Savage is optimistic that the team’s play has improved enough of late to finally break the school’s record losing streak.

“It’s all about defense and pitching and then getting some key base hits, and we feel we are close,” Savage said after Tuesday night’s 2-1 loss to No. 13 Long Beach State.

That loss to the Dirtbags was probably the best game UCLA played since it last won a game in late February.

The Bruins did not commit an error in that game and pitched well, but they could not produce late in the game with runners on base.

Long Beach State won on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Things won’t necessarily be easier for the Bruins against the Trojans, who have been equally effective with their bats and arms.

Junior catcher Jeff Clement, considered one of the top players in the conference, is batting a team-leading .367 and also leads the team in home runs and RBI.

Furthermore, Ian Kennedy, who is slated to be the Friday starter for USC, is second on the team with a 3.57 ERA and boasts a team-high 62 strikeouts in only 42 2/3 innings.

“Kennedy is a premier pitcher and Clement is a catcher who puts up big offensive numbers,” Savage said.

“We have to make sure that we control their impact on the game.”

But Savage also made the point that because every team in the Pac-10 is tough, UCLA must primarily concentrate on itself.

“Everybody is good in the Pac-10 – you have to take care of your parts of the game,” Savage said. “No matter who we play, we still have to defend and pitch and hit,” he added.