Bowling Green, Kentucky– The Bowling Green Hot Rods are excited to announced that three players from the 2023 roster have been selected as South Atlantic League All-Stars. Outfielder Dru Baker, shortstop Carson Williams, and left-handed pitcher Keyshawn Askew were all rewarded for their phenomenal seasons by earning SAL All-Star awards.

Baker was a mainstay in the outfield for the Hot Rods, comfortable manning every outfield position he was asked. On top of his stellar defense, he batted .307 with 13 homers and 39 RBI before his promotion in early August. Baker was also a menace on the base paths, racking up team-leading 38 steals, and was the only Bowling Green baserunner to collect more than 20 this season.

On the infield, Carson Williams was a major component of the Hot Rods success, both offensively and defensively. The 20-year-old shortstop led the Hot Rods in long balls with 23, tying himself for second-most home runs in a single season in the Hot Rods’ history. He also drove in 77 RBI, another team-high, while batting .254. Williams also continued his top-tier fielding, committing just five errors over 100 games at shortstop.

Askew finished his season in Bowling Green with an 8-6 record with a 3.70 ERA. He was promoted with Baker in the beginning of August after going through his hottest streak of the year. He started the campaign in the rotation but transitioned to the bullpen in June. Once in the arm barn, Askew appeared in 15 games, going 6-1 with a 1.69 ERA over 42.2 innings of work. Over the same span he struck out 68 batters while walking just 15.

The Hot Rods three all-stars are the second-most for a single team this season, trailing only the Hickory Crawdads who boasted four.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football great Jack Doyle has been named a finalist for the Reese’s Senior Bowl 75th Anniversary Team, presented by the NFL Players Association, the Reese’s Senior Bowl announced this week.

The team is being assembled to honor some of the game’s all-time greats. To avoid duplicating players selected to the 50th Anniversary Team, only players who were on NFL rosters between 1998-2023 are eligible for selection to the 75th Anniversary Team.

The 75th Anniversary Team selection process will include fan participation, as well as input from current NFL executives and the Senior Bowl’s executive committee. The online fan vote is available here: https://goto.ps/VoteForDoyle

Doyle, a tight end and four-year letterman from 2009-12, had one of the best collegiate and professional careers of any Hilltopper. Doyle was a three-year captain and a member of WKU Football’s All-Century Team announced in 2018, and left with program records for receptions (162) and receiving yards (1,769) in a career by a tight end – marks that still stand today. His 53 receptions in 2012 are still a single-season high by a WKU tight end, and he holds the second- and third-best marks in receiving yards in a single season by a WKU tight end (614 yards, 2011; 566 yards, 2012). Doyle’s eight career touchdown receptions are tied for fifth-most by a WKU tight end.

Doyle was a First Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection his senior year and helped lead the Hilltoppers to the first bowl game of the program’s FBS era. He participated in the Senior Bowl in 2013.

After going undrafted following his career on The Hill, Doyle initially signed with the Tennessee Titans, but later found a home with the Indianapolis Colts, where he played from 2013-21. Doyle caught 295 passes for 2,729 yards and 24 touchdowns, all with the Colts, and his nine-year career included two Pro Bowl nods.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage in the NFL Draft process. The longest continual-running all-star game has taken place in Mobile, Alabama, the past 74 years.  More than 900 NFL personnel, including key decision-makers from all 32 teams, and over 1,100 media members from around the country were credentialed last year. In each of the past three years, the Reese’s Senior Bowl has had 100 or more players drafted and over 40 percent of the entire draft class, which are both record-setting figures for any all-star game.

This year’s Reese’s Senior Bowl will kick off at 12 p.m. CT at Hancock Whitney Stadium on Saturday, February 3, 2024, and will be televised live on the NFL Network. Game week festivities for the 75th Anniversary team will include a formal gala event on Friday evening and a halftime ceremony on Saturday afternoon.

Bowling Green, Kentucky – Carson Williams blasted a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the sixth inning, pushing the Bowling Green Hot Rods (31-23, 62-53) to a 4-3 win over the Asheville Tourists (21-34, 47-69) on Tuesday at McCormick Field.

Asheville began the scoring in the bottom of the first off Bowling Green starter Yoniel Curet. Zach Cole led off with a walk and later scored on an RBI single from Ryan Wrobleski to make it 1-0. Tommy Sacco worked a walk with the bases loaded, increasing the lead to 2-0.

The Tourists scored again against Curet in the bottom of the fourth. John Garcia was hit by a pitch and moved up to second on a balk to put a runner in scoring position. Miguel Palma singled to right, scoring Garcia to make it 3-0.

Bowling Green responded in the top of the sixth off Asheville reliever Deylen Miley. Blake Robertson led off with a walk, while Kamren James and Chandler Simpson notched back-to-back singles to load the bases. Carson Williams lifted a go-ahead grand slam over the right-center field wall to put the Hot Rods up 4-3.

Hot Rods reliever Kyle Whitten tossed a scoreless ninth, carrying Bowling Green to a 4-3 victory.

Alex Cook (2-0) earned the win, letting up a walk and striking out a career-high seven over 3.1 hitless innings. Miley (2-6) took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits, a walk, and five strikeouts over 4.0 frames. Whitten (7) collected the save, letting up a hit and striking out one during his scoreless ninth.

Bowling Green and Asheville play game two of a six-game series on Wednesday with first pitch set for 5:35 PM CT. RHP Sean Harney (2-0, 3.29) takes the ball for the Hot Rods, while RHP Tyler Guilfoil (0-1, 4.32) starts for the Tourists.

Catch Simmons and the Tennessee Titans on News 40 MeTV this Saturday when they take on the Chicago Bears at noon C.T.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Baseball left-handed pitcher Cam Tullar signed a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Angels following the 2023 MLB Draft on Tuesday. He joins CJ Weins in Major League Baseball after he was drafted in the sixth round by the Boston Red Sox on Monday. 

In his lone season on The Hill, Tullar pitched 33.1 innings over 18 appearances and finished 2-1 with a 3.78 ERA. He struck out 49 batters against just 14 walks and allowed opponents to hit just .234 against. 

Prior to coming to WKU, Tullar spent two seasons at Mississippi State and two seasons at Wabash Valley Community College. At Mississippi State, Tullar appeared in 45 games, recording 57 strikeouts in 43.2 innings pitched. 

Bowling Green, KY. – For the second year in a row Southcentral Kentucky native, Bartley Weaver had a chance to participate in the Nathans Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Weaver has one of, if not the most, unique resumes spending time as a Kentucky State Trooper, Tennessee Titans Hyperion, professional body builder, and competitive eater. his goal has been to inspire others.

“Being able to have all these crazy experiences and one kind of experiences continually provide me opportunities and places to advance and meet more people and influence others,” Weaver said. “I think that’s what it’s all about.”

Earlier this week, Weaver participated in his second Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. Weaver jumped from 29 hot dogs eaten in 2022 to 41 in his second go round.

“Everything happened so fast, and I remember Joey told me to savor the flavor and just take in your surroundings, cause you’re going to be here again,” Weaver said.

Rome, Georgia – Bob Seymour cranked a three-run homer in the top of the eighth that lifted the Bowling Green Hot Rods (4-2, 35-32) to a 4-1 win over the Rome Braves (2-4, 32-40) on Friday at AdventHealth Stadium.

The Braves offense scored the first run of the game against Hot Rods reliever Austin Vernon in the bottom of the fourth. Ignacio Alvarez led off with a solo blast over the left centerfield wall to make it a 1-0 ballgame.

Bowling Green tied it in the top of the seventh off Rome reliever Jonathan Hughes. Nick Schnell doubled and came around to score on an RBI single by Jalen Battles to tie the game at 1-1.

In the top of the eighth, the Hot Rods took the lead against Braves reliever Rob Griswold. Brock Jones and Dominic Keegan led-off with back-to-back walks to put runners on first and second. Seymour launched a homer to left, plating both runners to put Bowling Green up 4-1.

Hot Rods reliever Nate Dahle tossed a scoreless ninth to complete the 4-1 win for Bowling Green.

Keyshawn Askew (5-5) earned the win, striking out six, walking two, and allowing three hits over 3.0 frames. Griswold (1-2) took the loss, letting up three runs on a hit, three walks, and a strikeout over 1.0 inning. Dahle (3) allowed just one hit in his scoreless ninth to pick up the save

The Hot Rods and the Braves play game four of a six-game series on Saturday with first pitch set for 4:00 PM CT. Bowling Green is starting RHP Ben Peoples (3-5, 3.63), while Rome is rolling out RHP Ian Mejia (3-5, 3.84)