The Penn State baseball team has been like a bunch of caged animals. They've been practicing inside for months, smacking baseballs into the netting of batting cages.

It isn't very satisfying.

So now that Doug Rodio is getting his bat on the ball, he wants nothing more than to be outside taking his hacks.

"The first few weeks, I wasn't hitting the ball at all," he said. "Now that I am, I just want to keep it going. It feels good."

Rodio took advantage of every at-bat yesterday, stroking two doubles and two singles in a 6-1 win over Bucknell. Last weekend he was 4-for-8 against Indiana.

"Things are rolling now," he said. "I'm getting really good pitches because of the guys around me."

Rodio generally protects Donnie Wright from getting pitched around, a job he is comfortable with.

But in recent games, Rodio has been protected by a streaking Mike DeRenzo and Chris Netwall. With Chris Wright also in the equation, the middle of the Penn State order is solid and powerful.

"Guys like Donnie and Chris hit the ball very hard," Rodio said. "And even the guys behind me have been pounding it. It makes it so much easier if a pitcher is worried about a guy already on base or the next guy up to bat."

Yesterday's game was Rodio first ever at Beaver Field. He transferred from George Mason after his freshman year and had to sit out his sophomore season. He spent that time lifting weights and improving his stroke.

"I put on about 20 pounds," he said. "I just wanted to be ready. The extra strength has given my bat some more pop."

Rodio enjoyed a productive first season at George Mason. He hit .333 and ripped five home runs, tallying 35 RBI. But he wasn't content where he was.

"I came to Penn State over the summer and stayed with (Penn State pitcher) Justin Nash and I just fell in love with the place," he said.

The move is already paying dividends for the Nittany Lions. Rodio is still young though, and getting adjusted to playing again after his year off.

"He's a very confident hitter and a very talented hitter," Penn State head coach Joe Hindelang said. "We believe he's going to put up some big numbers eventually."