LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - June 6, 2008 - Josh Hester's year keeps getting better and better.

On Friday, Hester was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 17th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.  It is the highest that any player from Freed-Hardeman has been taken.

Hester, a right-handed pitcher from Huntsville, Ala., was recently named a second-team NAIA All-American and set numerous school records during his four-year stint in a Lion uniform including single season wins (11), strikeouts (105), and ERA (1.52) as well as career wins (31) and strikeouts (304).

He is the first Lion to be drafted since pitcher Jonathan Estes was taken by St. Louis in the 41st round of the 2002 draft.

"We've [signed] several guys because they're counting on being drafted as seniors out of Freed-Hardeman," said FHU head coach Patrick McCarthy.  "It has a snowball effect.  It gets everyone excited about coming back."

Call it a wedding present from one of baseball's most storied franchises.  Hester married Morgan Passons on Saturday, June 7.  He will report to his assignment with the Cardinals the following week.