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.