USC Snaps 2 Streaks by Rallying in 9th Inning to Beat UCLA, 7-6

Don Buford’s bases-loaded single with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday at Dedeaux Field scored pinch-runner Jay Hemond to give USC a 7-6 victory over UCLA in the opener of a three-game Pacific 10 Southern Division series.

The victory snapped the Trojans’ 13-game losing streak to the Bruins. USC, idle the last 10 days because of final exams, had also lost its last five games. The Trojans had not won since April 20, when they beat Loyola Marymount, 15-2.

USC, 11-14 in the Pac-10 and 31-24 overall, scored three runs in the ninth to hand UCLA its seventh loss in its last eight conference games. The Bruins, in second place behind Stanford, are 15-13 and 36-21-1.

Jim Campanis was hit by a pitch to lead off the ninth, and Gregg Hokuf singled. With one out, Manny Anguiano singled to load the bases. Al Villasenor walked, forcing in Campanis with the first run.

Reliever Bill Wenrick, who replaced Keith Shibata, got Kraig Washington to ground into a force play, but Hokuf scored the tying run. Wenrick then hit pinch-hitter Kalani Perry with an 0-2 pitch, loading the bases. Buford followed with his game-winning hit, a sharp single to left.

Sophomore right-hander Dave Latter pitched the final 1 innings to gain his first victory.