January 26, 2019 marks 20 days until Opening Day for the 100th Season of WKU Hilltopper Baseball, and over the next 20 days, WKU Athletics will treat fans to unique moments and interesting history from Hilltopper Baseball, all leading up to First Pitch at Nick Denes Field on February 15, 2019.
| DAY 20 (January 26) |
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| Matt Hightower was a staple in the outfield and in the WKU lineup from 2007-09. The Cartersville, Ga., native slashed .303/.403/.508 for his career on The Hill with 179 hits in 590 at-bats. He had 150 runs, 121 RBI, 27 doubles, 11 triples and 24 dingers, to go along with 45 stolen bases. As a senior, Hightower also emerged as a pitching stud, posting an 8-3 record in 16 starts with a 3.89 ERA in 90 innings. He was named SBC Pitcher of the Year, while also earning All-SBC honors at both positions. |
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| DAY 19 (January 27) |
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| Although the 1997 WKU Baseball club finished with a 26-27 record, the Hilltoppers boasted a quartet of hitters who appear on the All-Century Team ballot: catcher Erick Rosa, first baseman T.J. Freeman, infielder Josh Patton and outfielder Matt Idlett. With a .419 batting average, Patton led the Hilltoppers while posting the fifth-best mark in program history. Meanwhile, pitcher Stephen Stemle tossed six complete games, posting a 3.89 ERA in 88 innings with a team-best seven wins. |
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| DAY 18 (January 28) |
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| Infielder Ron Rocco finds himself in a pickle between third base and home plate against East Tennessee during the 1978 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native was an All-OVC selection that year, going 40-for-135 at the plate for a .296 batting average. He also added seven doubles, 26 runs scored, 23 RBI and three stolen bases, with 20 walks compared to only 22 strikeouts. The Hilltoppers went 26-19-1 in 1978 and won the regular-season OVC West Division title. |
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| DAY 17 (January 29) |
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| Members of the 1982 WKU bullpen look on in amusement as pitcher Craig Martin plays a game of "croquet" to keep entertained during a doubleheader sweep of Indiana State-Evansville (now Southern Indiana) on March 21. Through his first three years on The Hill, Martin had a 3.08 ERA and allowed only 99 hits in 123 innings. He boasted a record of 12-4 in 19 starts, eight of which went for complete games. On April 21 of that season, he threw a no-hitter in a 7-0 victory at Austin Peay. |
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| DAY 16 (January 30) |
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| Lefty Ian Tompkins switched to a bullpen role prior to the 2013 season; the next two years were nothing short of spectacular. As a sophomore, Tompkins went 4-4 and put up a 2.29 ERA in 25 appearances with four saves. He struck out 59 and only allowed 17 hits in 35 innings. As a junior, he set a program record with 14 saves while posting a 2.42 ERA. For his effort, Tompkins earned First Team All-SBC honors and was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 14th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. |
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| DAY 15 (January 31) |
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| Chris Turner turned in one of the most accomplished careers ever by a Hilltopper from 1988-91. For his career, he started 237 games and hit .322 with 271 base knocks, 215 runs scored, 68 doubles, 35 homeruns, 164 RBI, 64 stolen bases and 186 walks compared to only 112 strikeouts. As a senior, Turner earned Sun Belt Player of the Year honors after he slashed .394/.538/.633 with 31 extra-base hits and 25 stolen bases, with 40 walks and only nine strikeouts. Turner was selected by the California Angels in the 7th round of the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 1993 with the Angels and then enjoyed an eight-year career in The Show, culminating in a 2000 World Series Championship with the New York Yankees in 2000. |
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| DAY 14 (February 1) |
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| Upperclassmen position players (pictured from left to right) Jack Glasser, Bill Strong, Steve Tate, Neal Mills and Leo Peckenpaugh pose at Nick Denes Field prior to the 1973 season. That year, the backstop Glasser would be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American while earning All-Ohio Valley Conference honors. The shortstop Tate's performance also garnered All-OVC accolades. Under the direction of coach Jim Pickens, the Hilltoppers posted a 12-7-1 record in the spring of 1973. |
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| DAY 13 (February 2) |
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| Known for his strong defense at the shortstop position, Randy Strijek played on The Hill from 1984-86. He was a key part of the 1985 WKU club that set numerous offensive records. In that campaign, Strijek set the all-time mark with 265 at-bats, while scoring 72 runs (third-most in a single-season) and legging out seven triples (second-most in a single-season). He was named to the All-SBC Team in 1985, then selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 17th round of the 1986 MLB Draft a year later. |
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| DAY 12 (February 3) |
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| Completed in late 1968, Nick Denes Field has been the home of the Hilltoppers since the 1969 spring season, meaning 2019 will be the 50th anniversary year. This photo was taken prior to Opening Day 2017, the first game played on the $1.3 million AstroTurf surface that was installed in the summer of 2016. Overall, WKU has a 844-500-5 record at Nick Denes Field with 40 winning seasons. The Hilltoppers put forth a 27-3 home mark during the 2009 campaign, which is a program-record. |
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| DAY 11 (February 4) |
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| The 2008 WKU Baseball club went 33-27 under the direction of coach Chris Finwood, including a 4-1 run in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to claim the title and qualify for an NCAA Regional. Outfielder Chad Cregar, who slashed a team-best .360/.420/.680 with 21 homeruns and 82 RBI, was named SBC Newcomer of the Year and a Second Team NCBWA All-American. Pitcher Matt Ridings went 10-3 on the bump in 15 starts with 98 strikeouts in 97 innings pitched and a 3.88 ERA. |
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