One of Penn State baseball coach Joe Hindelang's favorite axioms is that you don't play against another team, you play against the game of baseball.

It's something his team will have to remember this week. After facing some stiff competition in recent weeks, including Richmond (15-2) last Saturday, the Nittany Lions seem to be getting a bit of a breather this week as they travel to Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis, Md., to play Navy (5-10) tomorrow and Sunday. Both games start at 1 p.m.

"People ask me about how good Navy is. I tell them the opposition is always nameless," Hindelang said.

"What we need to do is get some good starting pitching, continue making routine plays like we did against Richmond and get some quality at bats, and we'll be in good shape no matter who we play."

Though the Midshipmen are favored to win the Patriot League, they are struggling through their non-conference schedule. They have lost six of their last eight games and are hitting just .227 as a team. Only two of their regulars are hitting over .270, and the pitching staff sports a 4.56 ERA.

The Lions (5-8) have more than enough reasons not to overlook these games. Their game at Bucknell Tuesday is their last before the Big Ten season begins with Purdue coming to Beaver Field for a four-game set next weekend.

"These two games are real big," pitcher Mike Watson said. "You always want to win going into the Big Ten season. In these two games and the one against Bucknell we want to make sure we're headed in the right direction going into the conference schedule."

The Lions have some momentum to build on. They split two games against Richmond last weekend, winning the second game 7-2, when they committed no errors in a game for the first time all season.

The lone error they committed in the first game was the only one they had all weekend after being plagued with defensive struggles through much of the early part of the season. Hindelang and many of his players said that showing has added a lot of confidence to the Lions' play and in-tensity to the practices.

"Enthusiasm has been a lot higher," second baseman Mike DeRenzo said. "We had a really intense practice (Wednesday) morning at 5:30. Coach said that he was really impressed by the intensity. Everyone's excited, so hopefully we can keep that going into the weekend."

Hindelang will start Watson (2-2, 4.93 ERA) on Saturday, then hand the ball to freshman Josh Palm (1-0, 4.32 ERA) on Sunday. He got some good news from another one of his pitchers yesterday when senior Justin Nash was cleared to pitch after sitting out last week's games due to bicep tendonitis.

Nash threw yesterday for the first time since detecting the injury in a game against Stetson March 8. Though he will not be used this weekend, he will likely get a relief appearance against Bucknell Tuesday. Hindelang will make a change in the lineup this week. He hopes to give infielders Brock Upshaw, a redshirt junior, and John Ruhf, a redshirt freshman, opportunities to get game experience. Both will likely see time at designated hitter this weekend. Sophomore Adam Warchal, who is hitting .316 while being bounced around between right field, first base, and DH, will start in right. Hindelang stressed that the Lions could not get complacent with their recent victories.

"After beating Stetson and Richmond, we know we can beat some outstanding teams," Hindelang said. "But we know consistency is the mark of greatness. We have to work on putting some consistent games together."