FLORENCE, S.C. – Four Francis Marion University Patriots have been honored with the release of a pair of All-Region baseball teams.

FMU junior pitcher Dylan Owen, senior catcher Michael Ward, and senior outfielder Nick Stewart were selected to the ABCA/Rawlings All-South Atlantic Region Team, while both Owen and junior relief pitcher Zach Farry was named to the Daktronics Inc. All-Region squad.

Owen was named the region’s “Pitcher of the Year” for both teams, an honor he received earlier for the Peach Belt Conference. Ward, Stewart, and Farry were all second-team honorees.

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, had six contests with double-figure strikeouts, and established a new PBC career record for strikeouts with 334.

Ward, a native of Florence, 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.

Stewart, a native of Greenville, 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.

Farry, a southpaw from Charlotte, was 3-2 with a school-record 10 saves and a 2.03 ERA. He made a team-leading 31 appearances and struck out 31 while walking 11 in 62 innings. Opponents batted .267 against him.

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.