BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – When coming to Nick Denes Field to watch the Hilltoppers in action in 2010, fans might want to allow extra time to see all of the new additions around the ballpark.
The crown jewel of offseason renovations is a brand new clubhouse being built down the left field line that will house the Hilltopper baseball program. Other areas of Nick Denes Field have been improved in the offseason and will compliment the already top-notch facilities that make “the Nick” one of the finest ballparks in the country.
“Every year we’ve been able to do one or two new things to build up the ballpark,” WKU head coach Chris Finwood said. “The big one this year is the clubhouse, but we’ve also been able to clean up the area between the dugouts with new turf that looks phenomenal.”
The Paul Orberson Baseball Clubhouse has been under construction since mid-August and is scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the 2010 season. The project was made possible by a donation by Paul Orberson, a former baseball player at Western Kentucky University. The clubhouse will be linked to the indoor batting facility.
“It’s neat for our guys to be able to glance over there every day and see their building, their new home going up,” Finwood said.
The 4,200 square-foot clubhouse will feature a head coach’s office and two assistant coaches’ offices, in addition to a 250 square-foot equipment room. The Hilltopper baseball team will have a locker room and a players’ lounge, and the clubhouse will also have an on-site training room for injury prevention and rehabilitation. The team’s offices and locker room are currently in E.A. Diddle Arena.
To go along with the new clubhouse, the area of grass behind home plate between the dugouts was replaced with new turf, and there are plans to put in a new sound system at the ballpark in the near future.
All of the renovations are scheduled to be complete by the time WKU takes the field against Kent State to open the 2010 season on February 19, the first of 30 home contests on the Hilltopper baseball schedule.
A photo gallery following the progress of the construction on the Paul Orberson Baseball Clubhouse is linked at the top of the page and can also be accessed at the link on the baseball home page. “Ten About ‘10” Series Continues Friday: The “Ten About ‘10” feature series detailing for fans 10 aspects of the 2010 WKU Hilltopper baseball team will continue on Friday with item number nine. A different element of the 2010 Hilltoppers will be highlighted each weekday, leading up to the start of the Fall World Series on November 5. Item number one will be revealed on Wednesday, November 4. Keep checking the website each day to find out what’s ahead for the baseball team in 2010.
