2013: Appeared in a staff-best 26 games as a reliever and posted a .386 earned run average and a 1-5 record in 37.1 innings pitched … Named to the All-Atlantic Sun second team … Finished the season tied for third in the Atlantic Sun with seven saves … Ranked fourth in the conference with 20 games finished … Paced the Upstate relievers with 45 strikeouts … Limited hitters to a .225 batting average … Featured an eight-game scoreless streak that spanned 10.0 innings … Struck out six hitters in three innings of work against Kentucky (Feb. 18) … Recorded saves in the final two games against Northern Kentucky to secure the series victory … Turned in a stretch where he struck out 12 hitters in just 9.2 innings on the hill … Recorded five strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work against Northern Kentucky (Mar. 29) … Tallied four punchouts in 1.2 innings of mount duty at Kennesaw State (May 12).
2012: Made 25 relief appearances on the mound for the Spartans as a freshman… Named to Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team as one of two unanimous choices… Earned Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Honors… Named a Freshman All-American by the National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA)… Finished second in the A-Sun with 12 saves… His 12 saves are the most in a single season in USC Upstate history… Sits just eight saves away from the program’s all-time mark for saves in a career… Posted a 3-0 record in 25 relief appearances as he became the premier closer for the Spartans… Recorded a 1.72 earned run average in 31.1 innings of work… Tallied 34 strikeouts, while opponents hit just .196 against the right-hander… Did not allow an earned run in his first nine collegiate appearances and 12.0 innings pitched… Had nine multi-strikeout performances, including four punch outs at The Citadel (March 6) and at Mercer (May 17).
Before USC Upstate: Played baseball for four years at Riverview High School in Sarasota, Fla… Posted a 4-2 record with a 3.20 ERA as a senior… Earned team’s Most Valuable Pitcher award as well as Scholar-Athlete honors… Helped squad advance to 2011 state playoffs… Recipient of the school’s Varsity Athletic Award in 2009 and served as a reading mentor in various elementary schools in the Sarasota, Fla., area.
Personal: Born on July 10, 1993 in Sarasota, Fla… Son of David and Kim Sobotka… Has one brother… Majoring in Physical Education... Favorite season is spring… Favorite actor is Adam Sandler… Hero growing up was Justin Verlander… Enjoys watching any show on ESPN… Favorite food is steak… Favorite movie is “Happy Gilmore”… Wants to be a professional baseball player… Father, David, played collegiate football at Western Michigan University… Brother, Matt, was a member of the crew team at the University of Wisconsin.
