During batting practice on the sun-drenched Medlar Field Wednesday, Penn State baseball coach Robbie Wine formed a double-play combination of himself, closer Drew O'Neil and freshman pitcher Drew Irsfeld.

Fielding ground balls at second base and shortstop, Wine picked them from the dirt with ease before pivoting and making a strong throw to second while sophomore pitcher John Karr was diving all over the outfield trying to catch fly balls.

It's been two days of loose practices for the Nittany Lions as they prepare for a series with Indiana that begins at 6:35 tonight at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

"Better weather, you know, guys are able to get out here and take swings on their own," catcher Joe Blackburn said.

"Coach is always going to be here and make those things available to us. As the weather gets better, you'll see that a lot more."

Yesterday Wine offered batting practice before their regular practice -- but it wasn't just position players who stepped into the cage. A groundskeeper, pitching coach Jason Bell, assistant coach Sebastian Saraceno and Wine all took batting practice.

Wine structured the loose practices to let his team relax a little bit. The Lions are in the latter half of their 56-game schedule and are coming off a road trip to Purdue where the weather was poor -- that coupled with a rough road schedule has meant making up schoolwork.

"Keeping them relaxed out here gives them a little outlet," Wine said. "But yet it gives them enough time off the field to get caught up."

The loose practices will jump start Penn State, Wine believes. Last year, Penn State played its best baseball late in the season. Wine knows why -- his team was having fun when they were playing and that led to better baseball.

Relief pitcher Paul Cianciolo echoed that statement.

"Anytime you come out to practice and have a good time, guys sort of get into the zone where they're enjoying baseball," he said.

Despite playing in tomorrow's Blue-White game, Cianciolo said he will be available to pitch in all four games this weekend.

But the most important result from these loose practices will be on the field. Penn State sits tied for last place with Indiana and Iowa in the Big Ten, but a series win or sweep could put the Lions into the top half of the conference standings with 16 Big Ten games to go.

"Maybe things haven't been going the way we would have liked them so far," Blackburn said. "It's important to realize that it's just a game. We're capable of playing a lot better, just keeping that mindset of playing loose."