BOCA RATON, Fla. – Conference USA has named Florida Atlantic reliever Robert Wegielnik as its Pitcher of the Week, the league announced on Monday. The redshirt junior is the first FAU pitcher to win the award this season.
Wegielnik has been clutch all season but never more so than in wins on Friday and Saturday against Charlotte.
In the series opener on Friday, he entered with one man on base in the bottom of the eighth in a 2-2 game. After loading the bases with no outs, Wegielnik induced a slow comebacker to the mound leading to a rare 1-2-3 double play. He struck out the next batter to escape the jam with no damage done. The Owls went on to take the lead in the next half-inning, and Wegielnik closed it out with a perfect bottom of the ninth.
It was another tightrope walk on Saturday but again the hard-throwing righty delivered when it mattered most. This time, Wegielnik came in with the Owls down 9-8 in the eighth inning. With one out and the bases once again loaded, ‘Big Game Bob’ recorded a strikeout and a foul out to keep the FAU comeback hopes alive. And just as it went on Friday, the Owls took the lead in the top of the ninth and Wegielnik closed it in the bottom of the frame.
For the season, the Fort Myers native and product of Cypress Lake HS holds a 1.89 ERA in 33.1 innings. He’s made 21 appearances and is tied for second on the Owls with four wins. He last allowed an earned run on March 19 against UTSA.
UP NEXT
Florida Atlantic baseball (28-20, 12-12 C-USA) will head to Wegielnik’s hometown of Fort Myers on Tuesday for the third game in the season series with Florida Gulf Coast. The Owls return home Friday to face Louisiana Tech in the final C-USA home series of the season.
