Critics might be disappointed with the Penn State baseball team's 9-7 record. Coach Robbie Wine isn't thrilled either.

"I'm not happy with it," he said. "And I'm sure every one of these guys in a Penn State uniform isn't happy."

The Nittany Lions will look to improve on their average record when they square off against St. Bonaventure (7-6) at 3 p.m. today at Beaver Field in their home debut.

The Lions have shown marked improvement since last season, but the progress simply hasn't been translating into wins. Half of Penn State's losses have come from games decided by two runs or less.

Still, Penn State has been getting better. Recently, the club has been on fire, winning five of its last six games.

St. Bonaventure, on the other hand, has gone on a cold streak, dropping five of the last six contests.

The Bonnies, winner of last year's Atlantic 10 championship, are still a force with which to be reckoned. The closer, Brian Pellegrini, is one of the top pitchers in college baseball. He even earned one of 42 coveted spots on the watch list for the Roger Clemens Award, given annually to the top pitcher in college baseball.

"Hopefully, we'll build a lead," Wine said. "We don't want to get to that guy."

Left-hander Steve Cline will get the starting nod for Penn State, as he's currently vying for the No. 4 spot in the rotation. Cline is second on the team with a 2.61 ERA -- behind only Scott Gaffney, who has allowed no runs in just two innings of work.

"I just found out I was pitching," Cline said. "I'm gonna be looking to establish a change-up and an inside fastball because I'm not a power pitcher."

The 6-foot-5 sophomore also explained how this year's coaching staff differs from previous seasons.

"Everybody likes these coaches a lot better," he said. "We're focusing more on teaching skills and mechanics -- they're bringing a lot of things to the table."

One aspect Penn State should focus on today is the middle innings. Wine previously said it's difficult for a college team to remain fully concentrated for nine frames -- and the Lions have certainly evidenced that statement.

Penn State is being outscored in the fourth and fifth innings by a collective score of 32-11.

The Lions' lineup is also seeing some changes due to several injuries. Catcher Joe Blackburn, who leads the team in home runs (3), took a medical redshirt after recently undergoing surgery on his elbow. The anticipated recovery time is 9-12 months.

Pitcher/first basemen Clint Eury also fractured his right hand when a pitch hit him this weekend. Since he's a left-hander, however, he might still be able to throw -- he's not expected to bat for 4-6 weeks.

"We're not gonna go backwards," Wine said. "We'll have guys step up and fill in, no problem at all."