December 27, 2018 marks 50 days until Opening Day for the 100th Season of WKU Hilltopper Baseball, and over the next 50 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 50 (December 27) |
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| On April 22, 2008, WKU Baseball letterwinner Paul Orberson (right, pictured with former Athletic Director Dr. Wood Selig, left) led a group of donors with a $500,000 donation towards a $1 million clubhouse, which includes a locker room, player lounge, coaches' offices, lounge area, laundry area and storage areas. It was dedicated on May 8, 2010, as the Paul Orberson Clubhouse. Orberson played for the Hilltoppers from 1976-78, earning All-OVC honors as a DH in 1977 and as a pitcher in 1978. |
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| DAY 49 (December 28) |
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| Catcher Ralph Antone paced the WKU bats in the early 1980's, and some of his records still stand to this day, as his 53 career homeruns are tied for the most in Hilltopper history. Antone was a four-year letterwinner from 1980-83, earning All-NCAA Regional honors in 1980 and back-to-back All-OVC honors in 1981 and 1982. His 1983 senior season was one to remember, as he posted a program-record .437 batting average along with 13 dingers and was named an ABCA All-American. |
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| DAY 48 (December 29) |
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| Despite being selected in the fourth round of the 1989 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds, Oldham County native Paul Jackson decided to attend WKU and make an impact on the baseball program. From 1990-93, Jackson (right) played in 217 games, drew 124 walks and produced a 22-game hit streak (the sixth, fifth and fourth-best marks in Hilltopper history, respectively). His 1992 performance of 13 homeruns and 61 RBI earned the outfielder All-Sun Belt Conference honors. |
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| DAY 47 (December 30) |
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| Righty Andrew Edwards was only on The Hill for the 2013 campaign, but the Marshall County native made it count. A JuCo transfer from Rend Lake College, Edwards came to WKU after posting a 1.94 ERA with 73 strikeouts in 69 innings for the Warriors. For the Hilltoppers in 2013, he led the squad with six wins, 75 strikeouts and 80 innings pitched in a team-high 14 starts. Following the season, was selected in the 19th round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals. |
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| DAY 46 (December 31) |
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| Catcher Jack Glasser is one of the most decorated catchers in WKU history in a program that has had a number of great ones. Glasser was named All-Ohio Valley as a senior in 1973 when he posted a .364 batting average with 17 RBI. In 1973, he earned Hilltopper Baseball's first-ever All-American nod when he was honored by CoSIDA as a First Team Academic All-American. Glasser was inducted into the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999 and his No. 14 jersey was retired on April 19, 2011. |
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| DAY 45 (January 1) |
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| Outfielder Antone Towns came to The Hill from Manual High School in Louisville. His father Tony was a two-time All-OVC defensive lineman for the Hilltoppers in the 1970's, while his mother Angie was a 1980 All-American in the long jump, and was inducted into the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987. Antone put his own name in the record books in 2002, as he slashed .338/.397/.487 in 49 games (37 starts) to earn an Honorable Mention Freshman All-American nod from Collegiate Baseball. |
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| DAY 44 (January 2) |
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| Shortstop Terrence Dayleg was a three-year starter and an integral part of back-to-back Hilltopper regional teams in 2008 and 2009. The Surrey, British Columbia native started 164 total games for WKU and slashed .333/.395/.494 with a .951 fielding percentage in 716 total chances. He also finished fourth in program history with 52 career doubles. Dayleg earned Second Team All-Sun Belt honors as a senior, then the Florida Marlins selected him in the 22nd round of the 2009 MLB Draft. |
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| DAY 43 (January 3) |
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| In 1997, senior catcher Erick Rosa became WKU's first CoSIDA Academic All-American since fellow backstop Jack Glasser in 1973, earning a spot on the Second Team as an Accounting major. On the field that season, the Puerto Rico native led the Hilltoppers with eight homeruns and 57 RBI and was named a First Team All-Sun Belt Conference performer to boot. The Cleveland Indians selected Rosa in the 21st round of the 1997 MLB Draft and he made his professional debut with Watertown. |
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| DAY 42 (January 4) |
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| Lefty Ryan Thurston's time on The Hill ended in 2018, but he left his name scattered through the record books. With 52 starts, 307 innings pitched and 299 strikeouts, he finished third, fifth and second, respectively, all-time in program history. In addition, Thurston's 10-inning performance on April 30, 2016, vs. FIU is the only such effort dating back to when WKU single-game records begin in 2005. Following his Hilltopper career, Thurston signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent. |
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| DAY 41 (January 5) |
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| Three-sport Hilltopper athlete Estill "Eck" Brenham (left, pictured with E.A. Diddle, right) was inducted into the Warren Central HS Hall of Fame today. At WKU, Brenham earned letters in baseball, football and basketball in the 1930's, then returned as a volunteer coach for the basketball and football teams from 1959-60. He was a charter member of the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation and served as W-Club President. For the Dragons, he coached baseball from 1957-68 as well as football from 1961-68. |
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