With the NCAA baseball tournament getting underway this week, it seemed like a good time for us at FAUOwlAccess.com to hand out our superlatives for this year's Florida Atlantic baseball team. A 30-26 record wasn't what first-year coach John McCormack was hoping for, but there were plenty off good moments and players worth recognizing.

Team MVP: David Wilson
This was the player FAU thought it was getting when Wilson (scoring in photo) transferred to Boca Raton from Barton County (Kansas) Community College prior to last season. He followed a junior season in which he hit .247 by raising his average nearly 100 points. Wilson's .338 average led all Owl regulars. He went hitless only eight times in the 52 games he played, and never in back-to-back games. Wilson started the season hitting in the No. 9 slot and playing leftfield, but moved to the leadoff spot and centerfield when Anthony Mesa struggled. Neither move affected Wilson, who McCormack considers to be the best leftfielder in the Sun Belt.

Pitcher of the Year: Barry Rooks
This is the hardest award to hand out because there aren't any truly deserving candidates. Anytime your second baseman finishes the season with the second best ERA on the club, something is not going well. Glen Troyanoswki's four wins and six saves put him in consideration, but Troyanowski's demotion from the weekend rotation started the Owls' pitching woes. Rooks (3-2, 5.46) was lights out early before injuring his elbow. He pitched well in relief toward the end of the season, and should be at the top of the Owls' rotation next year, provided he doesn't get drafted and sign.

Most Improved: Nick DelGuidice
It would be Wilson if we were judging improvement from one year to another, but for these purposes we're judging from the beginning of the season to the end. A good case could also be made for Albaladejo, but the daily improvement of DelGuidice sways the award in his favor. DelGuidice's play at shortstop was shaky at best early in the season, when nearly every catch and throw seemed to be an adventure. DelGuidice committed 18 errors on the season- a number that could have been significantly higher were it not for some generous score keeping - but only four of them came after April 10, a span of 26 games. DelGuidice was the lone Owl to appear in all 56 games, and he started every one of them.

Newcomer of the Year: Mike Albaladejo
Pitcher Ahmed Garcia showed flashes of brilliance and fellow freshman hurler Brent Adheen showed he could have a solid FAU career, but it was Albaladejo who had the biggest impact on the Owls' season. His .373 average led Owls, but was truly only a bonus. McCormack likes the way Albaladejo handles pitchers, pointing to the Owls' 13-7 record this season in games Albaladejo started behind the plate. He should be a stalwart back there for at least two more seasons.

Defensive Play of the Year: Jeremy Griffiths' catch vs. FIU
Griffiths played a solid right field all season, but anyone who saw this play will remember it for quite some time. In the third inning of the series opener against Florida International Garrett Wittels hit a pop-up into foul territory on the right side. Griffiths sprinted to the fence, lept to catch the ball, then flipped over the fence, landing among the spectators. He held onto the ball, making a catch that should have been on SportsCenter.

Offensive Play of the Year: Troy Bubley's double against FIU
We'll stay in the same series because in many respects it was the most important one of the season. The Owls trailed by a run heading into the bottom of the ninth of the series' second game - one that that Owls desperately needed to keep hope of reaching the Sun Belt tournament alive. Bubley pinch hit for Mike Albaladejo and after fouling off several pitches, smacked a two-out, RBI double that sent the game into extra innings. From that point FAU seemed destined to win, and when Tom Hatcher's RBI double in the 12th brought in Wilson with the winning run, the Owls had the victory that ultimately put them in the SBC tournament.


chuck

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