Penn State redshirt junior center fielder Zack Smithlin's Murphy's Law season continues.

After sitting out six weeks due to the fracture of the hook of the hamate bone in his right hand, Smithlin was about to get back in the lineup this weekend. However, he suffered what x-rays show to be same injury in his left hand when swinging and missing on the first pitch of his third at bat against Northwestern Friday. Though Smithlin has not yet received confirmation that the injury is season-ending, he speculates that he will not return to the field this year.

"I was almost 100 percent, and I was ready to come back," Smithlin said. "Anytime you get an injury it's unexpected, but this one's even more devastating because it's the exact same injury."

X-rays taken yesterday showed that this fracture may be worse than the first. According to Smithlin, the bone on the right hand was chipped, the bone on the left is completely fractured.

He will travel to Philadelphia Wednesday morning to meet with a surgeon to decide whether the wrist will be casted or if surgery will be performed.

Smithlin was cleared to swing right handed for the first time Friday since the first injury occurred against Norfolk State Feb. 17. He was swinging left handed when he suffered that injury, and was still not cleared to do that Friday.

He entered the game as a pinch hitter and laid down two bunt singles in his first two at bats, batting left handed against a right handed pitcher. He switched to the right side in his third at bat when the Wildcats brought a lefty in the game. In his first swing of the third at bat, he felt the same pain in his left hand as he had in the right more than two months before.

"As soon as I swung I felt the exact same pain," Smithlin said. "I just thought 'Oh my God, I can't believe this is happening again,' because I knew instantly that I had the same injury."

Smithlin said he would be willing to return to the team to pinch run late in the season if possible, but he doesn't expect that to happen.

"I feel bad that I probably won't be able to help the team and I wish them luck. I'd love to help the team anyway I can," he said. "But I have to look long term if I'm going to play baseball after this, which I hope to do. Even if they cast it, I'll have that for at least six weeks and that takes us into June anyway."

Smithlin will be playing in the prestigious Cape Cod summer league in Massachusetts beginning in early June, and hopes to have the hand healed to get as much time as possible in the league that has served as a springboard to many Major Leaguers.

Smithlin's first injury kept him completely out of action for more than six weeks until he entered the game as a pinch runner against Cornell April 2. He had seen action as a defensive replacement, and laid down bunts in three at bats before Friday's game.

"I'm sure it's a real disappointment for him," second baseman Mike DeRenzo said. "He was really pumped to get back in the lineup. He was really motivated, he went to the trainer everyday and was doing everything he could to stay in shape."

This season was supposed to be much different for the returning All-Big Ten second teamer. He comes off a brilliant 2001 campaign in which he hit .337, scored 40 runs and stole 16 bases in 17 attempts.

"It's really frustrating for him because of all the work he's been doing," pitching coach Randy Ford said. "And it's frustrating for all of us, because we thought we would be getting a key player back in the lineup. This is a huge setback for our ball club."