John Pawlowski hopes Year 4 is when Western Kentucky can make the jump.

A week ahead of the Hilltoppers’ 2019 opener against Northern Kentucky, the coach likes his depth and options that can make that push happen.

“I feel like we’re deeper this year,” Pawlowski said. “We have some more options.”

The fourth-year coach spoke Thursday before practice at Nick Denes Field about the talent of 15 transfers looking to help take WKU another step forward in its 100th season as a program.

The Hilltoppers finished 2018 with a 21-31 record and went 11-18 in Conference USA. That was a five-game improvement in the overall win column from Pawlowski’s second season in 2017 when WKU won just six conference games.

WKU finished 10th in the league standings last season and is projected to finish in that same ranking in the preseason poll.

But the skipper is quick to note what looks like a completely new bullpen and added talent at the plate that brings new optimism this season.

“We have a strong bullpen, something we haven’t had the last couple of years I feel like,” junior outfielder Ray Zuberer said. “We have guys that come in and throw strikes and they’re very consistent.”

WKU is replacing nine pitchers who combined for 16 wins on last year’s squad. But of the 20 newcomers, 11 are pitchers – eight right-handed and three left-handed pitchers.

Seniors Troy Newell (0-4) and Colby Taylor (2-4) were weekend starters a year ago and are expected to lead the new pitching staff. WKU will also use Ohio State transfer Reece Calvert, a right-handed senior who sat out last season because of transfer rules.

“I feel like this group we have the most options, especially on the pitching staff, than we’ve had before,” Pawlowski said.

With the bullpen set, Zuberer and junior infielder Kevin Lambert are expected to lead a batting order replacing its 2018 leaders.

WKU graduated last year’s leaders in batting average, runs, hits, home runs and RBIs in Jacob Rhinesmith and Steven Kraft. Then in January, Bowling Green native Luke Brown transferred to John A. Logan College, then announced last week his commitment to the University of Louisville.

Brown was a reliable outfielder as a freshman last year who produced the second-highest batting average on the team at .369. With Brown’s exit, the Hilltoppers boast three local players in junior pitcher Michael Darrell-Hicks (South Warren), freshman catcher Hunter Evans (South Warren) and freshman outfielder Eli Thurman (Bowling Green).

While WKU loses the top of 2018’s lineup, it hopes the new additions can bring them out of the bottom half in C-USA in offensive production. The Hilltoppers finished no better than ninth in the league in batting average, slugging, on-base percentage, runs, hits and RBIs.

“The recruiting piece is important,” Pawlowski said. “We try to get some junior college guys with experience that can step in and contribute, then we go out and find those high school guys. We’ve got some guys that will be playing a major role in what we’re trying to do.”

A newcomer WKU will rely on heavily in the middle of the lineup is Davis Sims, a graduate transfer from Murray State. In two seasons with the Racers, the Paducah native batted .333 with 150 hits in 451 at-bats.

Davis, who will play his former school Feb. 26, will have two years of eligibility with WKU.

“I always like to try to lead by example,” Sims said. “I hope that I can set an example for other guys around here.

“I’ve been able to come in here and they make me feel part of the family. This is my third go-around and I love it here. It’s a little bigger than Murray. I think I’ll adjust well to it and I love it here.”

The Hilltoppers open their season Feb. 15 for a three-game series with NKU. Eight of their first nine games will be played at Nick Denes Field.

“Last year we played well and struggled down the stretch,” said Pawlowski, who is 61-100 in three seasons. “We’ve made some strides last year and we talked to the group we have back this year about what we need to do as a program to take that next step. They understand and we look forward to it.”{&end}