# 2007 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team

The 2007 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team was the intercollegiate baseball team of Florida Atlantic University. It competed on the Division I level in the Sun Belt Conference. The 2007 team marked the first season of baseball to compete in the Sun Belt, as last year the Owls played in the Atlantic Sun Conference. After a disappointing 2006 season, FAU looked to bounce back in 2007, hoping to return to Regionals - possibly farther. However, the first season in the Sun Belt did not live up to expectations in Boca Raton, and the Owls finished the regular season at .500 in conference and were bounced from the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in their third game. For a second straight season, FAU would not reach the Regionals.

## 2007 schedule and results

| Date | Opponent | Location | Result | Record | Notes |
| February 2, 2007 | vs. Mississippi Valley State | Boca Raton, FL | W 8-1 | 1-0 | |
| February 3, 2007$^1$ | vs. Mississippi Valley State | Boca Raton, FL | W 33-3 | 2-0 | 7 innings |
| February 3, 2007$^1$ | vs. Mississippi Valley State | Boca Raton, FL | W 11-7 | 3-0 | |
| February 9, 2007 | vs. Cincinnati | Boca Raton, FL | W 4-3 | 4-0 | |
| February 10, 2007 | vs. Cincinnati | Boca Raton, FL | W 14-13 | 5-0 | 12 innings |
| February 11, 2007 | vs. Cincinnati | Boca Raton, FL | W 15-9 | 6-0 | 8 innings |
| February 16, 2007 | vs. Ball State | Boca Raton, FL | W 8-3 | 7-0 | |
| February 17, 2007 | vs. #17 Oklahoma State | Boca Raton, FL | W 9-6 | 8-0 | FAU's 1,500th game |
| February 18, 2007 | vs. La Salle | Boca Raton, FL | W 16-8 | 9-0 | |
| February 23, 2007 | vs. #6 Rice | Houston, TX | L 4-2 | 9-1 | FAU ranked #27 entering |
| February 24, 2007 | vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | Houston, TX | W 13-12 | 10-1 | |
| February 25, 2007 | vs. #19 Nebraska | Houston, TX | L 8-7 | 10-2 | |
| February 26, 2007 | at St. Louis Cardinals (exh.)$^2$ | Jupiter, FL | L 3-2 | 10-2 | |
| March 2, 2007 | vs. Villanova | Boca Raton, FL | W 12-3 | 11-2 | |
| March 3, 2007 | vs. Boston College | Boca Raton, FL | L 6-5 | 11-3 | Drops from ranking after loss |
| March 4, 2007 | vs. Boston College | Boca Raton, FL | W 15-3 | 12-3 | |
| March 6, 2007 | vs. Maine | Boca Raton, FL | W 3-1 | 13-3 | |
| March 9, 2007 | at Western Kentucky | Bowling Green, KY | W 13-3 | 14-3 (1-0) | |
| March 10, 2007 | at Western Kentucky | Bowling Green, KY | L 12-11 | 14-4 (1-1) | |
| March 11, 2007 | at Western Kentucky | Bowling Green, KY | W 9-7 | 15-4 (2-1) | |
| March 13, 2007 | vs. Rutgers | Boca Raton, FL | W 9-4 | 16-4 | |
| March 14, 2007 | vs. Northern Illinois | Boca Raton, FL | W 13-7 | 17-4 | |
| March 16, 2007 | vs. Troy | Boca Raton, FL | L 12-6 | 17-5 (2-2) | |
| March 17, 2007 | vs. Troy | Boca Raton, FL | L 8-3 | 17-6 (2-3) | |
| March 18, 2007 | vs. Troy | Boca Raton, FL | L 13-5 | 17-7 (2-4) | |
| March 21, 2007 | vs. Dartmouth | Boca Raton, FL | W 14-6 | 18-7 | |
| March 23, 2007 | at Louisiana-Lafayette | Lafayette, LA | L 5-2 | 18-8 (2-5) | |
| March 24, 2007 | at Louisiana-Lafayette | Lafayette, LA | L 5-2 | 18-9 (2-6) | |
| March 25, 2007 | at Louisiana-Lafayette | Lafayette, LA | L 3-2 | 18-10 (2-7) | |
| March 27, 2007 | vs. Harvard | Boca Raton, FL | W 10-9 | 19-10 | |
| March 30, 2007 | vs. Arkansas State | Boca Raton, FL | W 5-2 | 20-10 (3-7) | Cooney's 700th FAU win |
| March 31, 2007 | vs. Arkansas State | Boca Raton, FL | W 6-5 | 21-10 (4-7) | |
| April 1, 2007 | vs. Arkansas State | Boca Raton, FL | L 9-6 | 21-11 (4-8) | |
| April 6, 2007 | at Louisiana-Monroe | Monroe, LA | W 3-1 | 22-11 (5-8) | |
| April 7, 2007$^3$ | at Louisiana-Monroe | Monroe, LA | W 5-2 | 23-11 (6-8) | |
| April 7, 2007$^3$ | at Louisiana-Monroe | Monroe, LA | L 7-6 | 23-12 (6-9) | |
| April 10, 2007 | at Bethune Cookman | Daytona Beach, FL | | | Ppd. due to rain |
| April 13, 2007 | vs. UALR | Boca Raton, FL | L 7-6 | 23-13 (6-10) | |
| April 14, 2007 | vs. UALR | Boca Raton, FL | L 3-2 | 23-14 (6-11) | |
| April 15, 2007 | vs. UALR | Boca Raton, FL | W 4-2 | 24-14 (7-11) | |
| April 17, 2007 | vs. North Florida | Boca Raton, FL | W 4-2 | 25-14 | |
| April 20, 2007 | at New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | L 8-4 | 25-15 (7-12) | |
| April 21, 2007 | at New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | W 10-9 | 26-15 (8-12) | |
| April 22, 2007 | at New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | L 11-9 | 26-16 (8-13) | |
| April 26, 2007 | vs. South Alabama | Boca Raton, FL | W 9-3 | 27-16 (9-13) | |
| April 27, 2007 | vs. South Alabama | Boca Raton, FL | W 6-5 | 28-16 (10-13) | |
| April 28, 2007 | vs. South Alabama | Boca Raton, FL | L 11-9 | 28-17 (10-14) | |
| May 4, 2007 | at Middle Tennessee | Murfreesboro, TN | | | Ppd. due to rain |
| May 5, 2007$^4$ | at Middle Tennessee | Murfreesboro, TN | W 16-1 | 29-17 (11-14) | |
| May 5, 2007$^4$ | at Middle Tennessee | Murfreesboro, TN | W 8-4 | 30-17 (12-14) | |
| May 6, 2007 | at Middle Tennessee | Murfreesboro, TN | L 12-7 | 30-18 (12-15) | |
| May 8, 2007 | vs. Bethune Cookman$^5$ | Daytona Beach, FL | L 5-2 | 30-19 | |
| May 10, 2007 | vs. Bethune Cookman | Boca Raton, FL | L 6-5 | 30-20 | |
| May 11, 2007 | vs. Bethune Cookman | Boca Raton, FL | W 4-2 | 31-20 | |
| May 12, 2007 | vs. Bethune Cookman | Boca Raton, FL | W 14-2 | 32-20 | |
| May 17, 2007 | vs. FIU | Boca Raton, FL | W 17-9 | 33-20 (13-15) | |
| May 18, 2007 | vs. FIU | Boca Raton, FL | W 5-0 | 34-20 (14-15) | |
| May 19, 2007 | vs. FIU | Boca Raton, FL | W 11-10 | 35-20 (15-15) | |
| May 23, 2007 | vs. Middle Tennessee | Mobile, AL | L 6-1 | 0-1 | G1 of SBC Tournament |
| May 24, 2007 | vs. Western Kentucky | Mobile, AL | W 7-6 | 1-1 | G5 (Loser Bracket) |
| May 25, 2007 | vs. Middle Tennessee | Mobile, AL | L 7-4 | 1-2 | G9 (FAU Eliminated) |
| * Sun Belt Conference games in GREEN. $^1$ February 3 was a double-header against MVSU. $^2$ The exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals does not count against the Owls' record. $^3$ April 7 was a double-header against ULM. $^4$ May 5 was a double-header against MTSU, to make up for the rain-out on May 4. $^5$ May 8 was a make-up against BCC, to make up for the rain-out on April 10. ||||||

## 2007 Roster
### Starting lineup

Starters based on number of games started at each position.
* Center Field: 13 Marion Streptfert (So.)
* Second Base: 13 Kyle Doherty(Fr.)
* Right Field: 12 Robbie Widlansky (Jr.)
* Left Field: 25 Mike McKenna (Jr.)
* Third Base: 13 Alfonzo Gonzales (So.)
* Catcher: 11 Justin Martin (Sr.)
* Designated Hitter: 4 Tyler Stevens (Sr.)
* First Base: 19 Travis Ozga (So.)
* Shortstop: 14 Nick Arata (Sr.)

### Reserves

* 5 Ryan Cheatham (Fr.)
* 22 Billy Degnan (Jr.)
* 23 Justin Ferreira (Jr.)
* 44 Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg (Fr.)

### Pitchers

* 7 Mickey Storey (Jr.)
* 16 Mike Obradovich (Jr.)
* 17 Joel Schmal (Sr.)
* 18 Brett Cannon (Jr.)
* 24 Alex Pepe (So.)
* 26 Lou Morey (Fr.)
* 27 Chris Eberhart (Jr.)
* 30 Brandon Cooney (Sr.)
* 31 Andrew Tomlin (Sr.)
* 32 Justin Phillabaum (Jr.)
* 33 Anthony Bradley (Sr.)
* 34 Chris Salberg (Sr.)
* 36 Mike Salivar (Jr.)
* 49 Brandon Kloess (Sr.)

## Team leaders

Minimum to qualify in statistics: 1.0 inning/game played or game pitched.

### Offense

* Average: Robbie Widlansky (.433)
* Runs batted in: Robbie Widlansky (69)
* Home runs: Williams Block (18)
* Hits: Robbie Widlansky (104)
* Doubles: Robbie Widlansky (24)
* Triples: Williams Block / Daniel Bomback (3)
* Runs: Daniel Bomback (67)
* Walks: Mike McKenna (36)
* Stolen bases: Daniel Cook (15)
* On-base percentage: Robbie Widlansky (.498)
* Slugging percentage: Robbie Widlansky (.729)

### Pitching

* Wins: Mike Obradovich (9)
* Earned run average: Chris Salberg (3.05)
* Innings pitched: Chris Salberg (100.1)
* Saves: Mike Obradovich (3)
* Appearances: Chris Salberg (25)
* Games started: Mike Obradovich (13)
* Complete games: Mike Obradovich / Chris Salberg (2)
* Earned runs: Alex Pepe (18)
* Strikeouts: Chris Salberg (124)

### Defense

* Percentage: Travis Ozga (.990)
* Putouts: Travia Ozga (365)
* Assists: Daniel Bomback (158)
* Chances: Travis Ozga (405)
* Errors: Chris Salberg (1)
* Double-plays: Daniel Bomback (27)

## Awards and honors
### All-American

Junior outfielder Robbie Widlansky was named a 2007 Louisville Slugger All-American, becoming the 11th FAU baseball player to be honored as an All-American.

### Conference Player of the Year

Robbie Widlansky was named the 2007 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. Widlansky finished the 2007 season with a .433 batting average, 15 home runs, 69 RBIs, and started all 55 games for the Owls. Widlansky broke FAU single season records for: hits (101) and total bases (170).

### All-Conference

* First Team All-Conference Honors
** 3B Williams Block (Sophomore)
** OF Robbie Widlansky (Junior)
* Second Team All-Conference Honors
** SP Chris Salberg (Senior)
** OF Mike McKenna (Junior)
** OF Daniel Cook (Junior)

### Batting Champion

Robbie Widlansky won the Sun Belt Conference Batting Title (.433).

## Records broken in 2007

2007 saw a handful of school records broken.
* Junior outfielder Robbie Widlansky broke the single-season batting record (.430).
* Junior outfielder Mike McKenna joined Widlansky to mark the first time two Owls would bat over .400 in a single-season (.414).
* Widlansky broke the single-season school record for hits (101) and total bases (170).

## 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft

Owls selected in the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft:
| Player | Class | Round | Pick | Team |
| Anthony Rizzo | HS Signee | 6 | 204 | Boston |
| Robbie Widlansky | Junior | 11 | 339 | Baltimore |
| Daniel Cook | Junior | 20 | 610 | Washington |
| Mickey Storey | Junior | 22 | 692 | Minnesota |
| Stephen Vento | HS Signee | 23 | 697 | Chicago NL |
| Justin Phillabaum | Junior | 29 | 880 | Washington |
| Brandon Cooney | Senior | 30 | 909 | Baltimore |
| Daniel Bomback | Junior | 42 | 1427 | Pittsburgh |