Yogi Berra once said, when asked how he had so many runs batted in during a game, "Every time I came to bat, there were men on base."

Sounds simple, but the Penn State baseball team has had problems driving in runners this season. The Nittany Lions had no such trouble yesterday, however, as they overcame the elements and an early six-run deficit to defeat St. Bonaventure, 11-9.

Chris Wright's eighth-inning triple brought home Zach Smithlin with the winning run, the second timely hit of the day for the Nittany Lions (19-21), who left 13 men on base in Sunday's 5-4 loss at Purdue. Chris Netwall had ripped a clutch two-run homer earlier in the game.

"Instead of leaving guys on base like we have been, we now have guys coming in," said Wright, who was 3-for-5 and knocked in five of the Lions' 11 runs. "It's good because it keeps the pressure on (opponents)."

St. Bonaventure (12-13) lit up Lions starter Clayton Hamilton for six runs in the second inning. Penn State responded with five on the board in the bottom half of the inning, however, and Aaron Tressler came on to chill the Bonnies offense.

Not that things needed cooling down. Game time temperatures dipped into the low 30s, and snow flurries had descended onto Beaver Field by the seventh inning.

Netwall stayed hot, however. He launched a curveball from the Bonnies' Saul Solveson into deep left to break a seven-all tie in the sixth, breaking into his home run trot almost before the ball left his bat.

"I just tried to ease back, and look for a strike," said Netwall of his blast. "I just sat on a curveball and went with it."

Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang, who handled his regular managing duties despite spending Tuesday in Centre Community Hospital after complaining of nausea, said his senior catcher was "on fire".

"He played very well in the Purdue series and that's why we put him in the third spot," Hindelang said.

The Lions committed four errors on the afternoon, and were never really able to deliver the blow that put the Bonnies out of the game, but Hindelang was pleased that the Lions got it done during the week against a non-conference opponent, something that hasn't been easy this season.

"We didn't play great but we won, and that's a good sign," he said. "You can't play flawlessly in midweek games."

Kevin Damiano (2-3) worked the last 1 1/3 innings, shutting out St. Bonaventure and picking up the decision for the fourth straight game.