UA19/17/1/1 Baseball Media Guide WKU Athletic Media Relations
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Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® WKU Archives Records WKU Archives 1975 UA19/17/1/1 Baseball Media Guide WKU Athletic Media Relations Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records Recommended Citation WKU Athletic Media Relations, "UA19/17/1/1 Baseball Media Guide" (1975). WKU Archives Records. Paper 1381. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/1381 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in WKU Archives Records by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 1974 FALL SCHEDULE JIM PICKENS 1974 FALL AND 1975 SPRING OUTLOOK Head Coach Date Opponent (Games) Site Jim Pickens enjoyed one of the Just as he has been in nine previous seasons, Western Head Coach Sept 17 Kentucky Wesleyan (2) Home best seasons in his nine years of Jim Pickens is optimistic about the outlook for his HiDtowersduring Sept 18 Campbellsville (2) Home coaching the Hilltoppers this past 1914·15. Pickens enjoyed one of his best seasons last spring when Sept. 24 Kentucky Wesleyan (2) Owensboro, Ky. spring. His squad finished the his squad fmished the season with an 18-11 record. Sept 2S Indiana State-Evansville (2) Home season with a 18-11 record and But gone from the squad are five pitchers. Three of the five, Mike Sept 26 Eastern Kentucky Home Grubb, Marty Matusiak and Greg Stahl, were starters. Pickens \. placed third in its division. The Oct 2 Indiana State-Evamville (2) Evansville, Ind. WESTERN Hilltoppers were in contention for added, "We also lost two fine relief men in the Parrent twins, Rick Oct 5 * Middle Tennessee State (2) Home the Western Division spring title and Rob." Matusiak was the workhorse of the pitching staff with a Oct. 8 Camobellsville (2) Campbellsville, Ky. until the closing game of the total of 38 2/3 innings. He had a 5-3 record and a team·leading 44 Oc t 11 • Murray State University (2) Home KENTUCKY season. strikeouts. OcL 19 * Austin Peay State University (2) Clarksville, Tenn. Entering his tenth year at the "We feel our defense is sound ·Ohio Valley Conference Western Division game helm of the Hilltoppers, Pickens enough in the infield if we can Home doubleheaders start at 1 p.m., COT. UNIVERSITY has a lifetime record of 148 wins, come up with a strong third 136 losses for a winning baseman," said Pickens. Coming 1974 SPRING RESULTS percentage of .521. back are Neil Mills, the ALL·OVC WKU OPP After suffering through three rather lean seasons in rebuilding second baseman, and Dee Deener. March 23 1 Vanderbilt Unive'rsity 7 Western's baseball fortunes, Pickens' last six Hilltopper clubs have Pickens said Deener had a fine 1974-75 season last year as a freshman 23 9 Vanderbilt University 3 bCen among the most respected in the OVC. His 1969 team won the 26 4 David Lipscomb College 3 Western Division championship. shortstop. Mills was the second 26 4 David Lipscomb College 6 Pickens' baseball background is a solid one. He was a star pitcher, leading hitter on the squad last 27 4 University of Louisville 3 as well as an outstanding football quarterback and defensive back, season with a .365 batting 27 9 University of Louisville 8 for Western in his collegiate playing days. Later, the Princeton, Ky., average. Deener batted .320 with 31 14 University of Louisville 7 native pitched professionally in the Detroit Tigers' organization. 22 runs batted in. Bill Moore will 31 6 University of Louisville 1 Pickens came to Western in the fall of 1965 after a sparkling return to help at rust base and see April 1 1 Bellarmine College o coaching career in the high school ranks, where he fashioned some action on the mound. 1 5 BeUannine College 4 championship teams in both baseball and football. In six seasons at The ou tfield is led by 3 1 David Lipscomb College 9 Bowling Green High SchooL. his baseball teams won 118 games centerfielder Steve Keck. He was the leading hitter on the squad, 3 8 David Lipscomb College 3 while losing 20, a percentage of .855. He clim axed his coaching stint banging out 34 hits in 92 at·bats for a .310 average. Pickens feels 5 7 Union University (Tenn.) 6 there by guiding the Purples to the State Championship in 1965. that he has a number of fine outfielders to flank Keck. Returning 6 3 Murray State University 9 Before coaching at BowLing Green. Pickens held similar positions are Mike Hurst, Terry Mitchell, Gary Larimore, Mike Parker and 6 5 Murray State University 3 at Danville and Elizabethtown High Schools. Over a 15·year span, Bob Bristow. 10 4 Centre College 7 his high school teams won 221 victories against just 59 losses, a .189 The catching should be improved, with Dave Carter, Jimmy Feix, 10 10 Centre College 2 percentage. Wally Moss and Hurst all returning. Carter was the squad's third 13 8 Austin Peay State University 15 In addition to his coaching duties, Pickens is Director of leading hitter with an average of .354. He led the squad in RBIs with 13 6 Au stin Peay State University 3 University Centers, a position he has held since 1910. He received 24 and doubles with eight. But the talented athlete is also the 17 13 Kentucky Wesleyan 7 the B.S. and M.A. degrees from Western in 1951 and 1%2, Hilltoppers' starting center in football and will miss the fall diamond 17 4 Kentucky Wesleyan 6 respectively. He and his wife, Anna Jo, a former Hilltopper action. 20 8 Middle Tennessee State University 7 cheerleader, have one son, Jimmy, 15. "The big question mark for our club will be in the pitching 20 2 Middle Tennessee State University 8 department," said Pickens. "In Steve Carter, Jeff Ralph, Rey Ford 22 11 Kentucky Wesleyan 5 BUCK SYDNOR and Moore, we have adequate strength, but we still could use some 22 13 Kentucky Wesleyan 6 Assistant Coach immediate help from our incoming freshmen." 23 7 Oellarmine College 8 Buck Sydnor's experience and 23 7 Bellarmine College 6 knowledge of the game have been FINAL 1973-74 OVC STANDINGS 24 4 Southern Illinois University 8 definite factors in Western 1973 Fall Standings 24 1 Southern Illinois University 8 Ken tucky University's baseball success the past few seasons. Western Division Eastern Division 1974 Spring Record: 18-11,3-3 OVC He became Jim Pickens' W L Pet. W L Pct. assistant coach in the spring of Murray State 4 2 .667 Morehead State 5 I .833 1912 after spending six seasons as Middle Tenn. 3 3 .500 Eastern Kentucky 4 2 .667 a basketball assistant under John Western Kentucky 3 3 .500 East Tennessee 2 4 .333 UNIVERSITY INFORMATION Oldham. Austin Peay 2 4 .333 Tennessee Tech 1 5 .167 Sydnor, a native of Olmstead, Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky Ky., was a star on Western's first Conference: Ohio Valley, NCAA two National Invitation 1974 Spring Standings Nickname: Hilltoppers Colors: Red and White Tournament basketball teams in Western Division Eastern Division President: Dr. Dero G. Downing Enrollment: 11,736 (1913-14) 1942 and 1943. WL Pet. W L Pct. Chairman, University Athletic Committee: Dr. John Minton Before returning to Western as Middle Tenn. 4 2 .667 Tennessee Tech 5 1 .833 Athletic Director: John Oldham a coach, Sydnor was a vetern of Murray State 4 2 .667 East Tennessee 2 2 .500 Baseball Coach: Jim Pickens 15 years of high school basketball Western Kentucky 3 3 .500 Eastern Kentucky 2 4 .333 Assistant Baseba ll Coach: Buck Sydnor coaching at Daviess County, Hopkinsville, and Bowling Green High Austin Peay 1 5 .167 Morehead State 1 3 .250 Schools. He coached 13 years at Daviess County, taking the Athletic Office Phone: (502) 745-3542 or 745-3348 Panthers to the State Tournament in 1952. 1951 and 1958. In his Western Division: Middle Tennessee defeated Murray State 1-3 Home Field: Nick Denes Field one year at Bowling Green, Sydnor brought the Purples home a to win spring tiUe. Murray State defeated - FOR INFO RMATION ON ALL SPORTS winner with an 18-9 won-lost record after they had won only eight Middle Tenn. 7-2 for the division title. Assistant Public Relations Director: Ed Given games the previous season. Eastern Division: Morehead State defeated Tennessee Tech 6-3 Phone: 145-4295 Under Oldham at Western, Sydnor was in charge of the freshmen in playoff for division title. teams. His basketball freshmen, over six seasons (1956·11), won 62 and lost 50 while playing some of the toughest schedules ever faced OVC Championship: Murray State won conference championship by the Western frosh. by defeating Morehead State 6-2 and 3-2. Sydnor received his B.S. and M.A. degrees from Western in 1948 ove Champion-Murray State D'tor and 1949, respectively. He and his wife, Deane, have four children. Coach of the Year-Johnny Reagan (Murray) SOME mLLTOPPER STANDOUTS 1974 FALL AND 1975 SPRING 1974 SPRING STATISTICS Mike Hurst BASEBALL ROSTER BATTING Senior Ou tfield Players, Pos. Ht. WI. Jl.T Ooss Hometown PLAY ER G AD H R RBI IB 2B 3B HR TB BB SO AYG. Mike Hurst, a transfer from Jeff Baker, inf 5·1 0 160 R· R Jr. Owensboro, Ky. Steve Keck 25 92 34 20 6 28 5 I 0 41 10 7 .370 R· R So. Shepherdsv ille, Ky. Martin Junior College, will see Bob Bristow, of 6·1 180 Neil Mills 29 96 35 25 19 26 3 2 4 54 16 7 .365 ac tio n a s b o th catcher and George Brooks, p 6· 1 195 R· R So.