2007 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team

2007 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball
ConferenceSun Belt Conference
Record36–22 (15–15 Sun Belt)
Head coach
Home stadiumFAU Baseball Stadium
Seasons
← 2006
2008 →
2007 Sun Belt Conference baseball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Louisiana–Lafayette  ‍†‍‍y 23 – 7   .767 45 – 17   .726
New Orleans  ‍‍‡‍y 16 – 14   .533 38 – 26   .594
Middle Tennessee  ‍‍‍ 16 – 14   .533 32 – 28   .533
Troy  ‍‍‍y 16 – 14   .533 34 – 27   .557
Louisiana–Monroe  ‍‍‍ 15 – 14   .517 29 – 28   .509
Florida Atlantic  ‍‍‍ 15 – 15   .500 36 – 22   .621
Western Kentucky  ‍‍‍ 15 – 15   .500 17 – 30   .362
South Alabama  ‍‍‍ 13 – 16   .448 31 – 26   .544
Arkansas State  ‍‍‍ 13 – 17   .433 23 – 32   .418
FIU  ‍‍‍ 12 – 17   .414 26 – 29   .473
Arkansas–Little Rock  ‍‍‍ 9 – 20   .310 21 – 31   .404
† – Conference champion
‡ – Tournament champion
y – Invited to the NCAA tournament
As of June 30, 2007[1]
Rankings from Collegiate Baseball


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, 20071 vs. Mississippi Valley State Boca Raton, FL W 33-3 2-0 7 innings
February 3, 20071 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, 20073 at Louisiana-Monroe Monroe, LA W 5-2 23-11 (6-8)
April 7, 20073 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, 20074 at Middle Tennessee Murfreesboro, TN W 16-1 29-17 (11-14)
May 5, 20074 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 Cookman5 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.[2]

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
  • 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

Notes and references

  1. ^ Baseball Record Book All-Time Standings (PDF). Sun Belt Conference. p. 417. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  2. ^ "Widlansky Named Louisville Slugger All-American". FAUSports.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2007.