BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – If there were any questions surrounding Adam Liberatore’s return from Tommy John surgery that ended his 2009 season after just three weeks, he answered them in convincing fashion over the weekend. Tennessee Tech’s senior left-handed pitcher was dominant in his 2010 debut, earning the win in Tech’s season opener against perennial power and defending Southern Conference champion Georgia Southern on Feb. 19. And Liberatore caught the attention of the folks around the Ohio Valley Conference, as Monday he was named the OVC’s Pitcher of the Week.

Liberatore threw 6.0 innings and allowed no runs and only three hits. He struck out five batters and walked only one while GSU hitters batted only .150 against him.

But this performance shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody. In three starts in 2009 Liberatore pitched 17.0 innings without allowing a run. In that time he struck out 21 batters and walked only six while allowing opponents just a .119 batting average. But Liberatore pulled himself out of his third start of the season with an elbow injury that would eventually require season-ending surgery.

The honor is the second Pitcher of the Week honor of Liberatore’s career. He was also named the OVC Pitcher of the Week in early March of 2009.

The Golden Eagles will return to action with a three-game series against Cleveland State on Feb. 26, 27, and 28 in Cookeville. Admission to all Tech home baseball games is free.