Although the early part of the season hasn't panned out quite the way it had hoped, the Penn State baseball team is showing signs of life lately, in large part to one of its big bats coming around.

Junior infielder Chris Wright is hitting .545 with 2 home runs and 7 runs batted in over the last three games, all Nittany Lion wins. Wright's resurgence is one of the main reasons why Penn State is ready to turn things around after a slow start. After the Lions lost six of their first seven games over Spring Break, they beat Troy State and compiled two wins against Texas-Pan American to raise their overall record to 6-11.

"These three wins are just going to help us get back on our way," said Wright, who is getting his swing back on track after a slow start of his own. Wright was second on the team in batting average (.382) and RBIs (58) a year ago, but he had just ten hits in 48 at-bats until last Friday's clash with the Trojans.

Wright's explanation is simple.

"More balls are finding places where people aren't," he said.

Wright's skipper, Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang, has a somewhat different view.

"He's really started to get back on track and hit the ball with authority," Hindelang said.

Wright has batted out of the third spot in the order in all 17 of the Lions' contests thus far, where hitters are not likely to see a lot of juicy pitches. Not only has Wright responded to the challenge by hitting for average, however, he has also shown some early-season pop. He had only two homers in 64 games last year, but has four already this season.

"I'd consider myself more of an average hitter than a power hitter," Wright said of the sudden power surge. "Home runs are eventually going to happen, but it's cool when they go out."

Wright, who Hindelang calls the team's most athletic hitter, has also displayed versatility on the defensive end. Although he was penciled in as the starting third baseman at the start of the year, Wright has also spent a great deal of this season at shortstop, and has also played first base and right field during his Penn State career.

Hindelang said Wright will lineup at short against right-handed pitching for the remainder of the season, with redshirt freshman Adam Warchal taking over at third, and return to the hot corner against lefties, with sophomore Willie Melendez at short.

Hindelang said he has been pleased with the recent pickup in offensive production from a number of other Lions, including sophomore right fielder Doug Rodio, but that he isn't surprised by offense from Wright. While the junior is not one of the team's captains but an integral part of the machine in other areas than at the plate.

Hindelang said: "He's a leader by his work ethic, performance, his attitude, and his poise."