FLORENCE, S.C. – Three Francis Marion University Patriots were recently named to the 2007 Peach Belt Conference All-Conference baseball team.

FMU senior catcher Michael Ward, senior outfielder Nick Stewart, and junior right-handed pitcher Dylan Owen were all named to the 22-member All-PBC squad. Owen was also named the PBC “Pitcher of the Year” for the second consecutive year.

Owen, a native of Chesterfield, finished 2007 with a 10-1 record and 1.14 earned run average, while fanning 121 in 102.1 innings pitched. He walked only 19 batters and opponents hit just .208 against him. He recorded three complete games and had six contests where his strikeout total reached double figures. In a first-round game at the recent PBC Tournament, he fanned a tournament-record 14 batters and in the process established a new PBC career record for strikeouts with 334.

Ward batted .330 with team-leading totals of 22 doubles, nine home runs, and 49 runs batted in. His 22 doubles tied the Patriot single-season record. He also led the squad with 33 walks and compiled a .448 on-base percentage. Behind the plate, the Florence native threw out 10 of 24 runners attempting to steal and posted a .991 fielding percentage.

Ward ended his career as the team’s all-time leader in RBIs with 157, and he shares the career mark for doubles at 50.

Stewart hit .340 with 43 runs scored, six doubles, eight triples, seven home runs, and 36 RBIs. He stole 10 bases and compiled a .395 on-base percentage. In right field, he posted a .976 fielding percentage that included an amazing 11 assists.

The Greenville native tied the Patriot career record for triples with 18, and finished fourth in career RBIs with 136.

Francis Marion ended 2007 with a 36-18 record and a Top-30 national ranking. FMU placed third during the PBC regular season and then narrowly missed earning a bid to the NCAA Division II national tournament.