Libke back for farewell season with Mavericks

By Ryan McCracken on May 26, 2018.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

Medicine Hat Mavericks starting pitcher Jared Libke is ready to return to the hill at Athletic Park for a third consecutive season, but his love for the city extends well past the mound.

The 22-year-old righty joined up with the Mavericks in the 2016 Western Major League Baseball season, when he says owner-general manager Greg Morrison ‘gave him a shot.’ As a result, he’s hoping to give Medicine Hat a worthy farewell in his final college season.

“I feel like I owe it to him to not go to a different team,” said Libke. “This is one last ride. It’s the last summer of my career so I’m going to give it everything.”

Libke quickly became a fan favourite in the Gas City, both for his ability to keep opposing hitters off-balance and the way he regularly interacts with the Mavericks fan base. The Saskatoon product says even the smallest gestures can go a long way, especially when you’re trying to inspire the next generation of homegrown WMBL talent.

“It’s super important to give back to the kids coming to the ball park. We want them to be Mavs some day, so anything you can do to help positively influence their baseball career is no small thing,” said Libke, who will be out on the field with the crowd for the team’s second annual Fan Fest Tuesday at 5 p.m.. “It’s awesome. The fans are so great to me. They’ve supported me since Day 1. Being in Canada, I think that helps.”

Libke went 7-2 with a 3.26 earned runs average in his first season with the Mavericks before dropping his ERA to just 0.69 with a 2-1 record in the post-season — a promising run cut short by the Edmonton Prospects in the second round.

Libke came back to put up a 4-3 record with a 3.51 ERA in 2017 as one of just three returning players on the roster. But this year the Mavericks are returning at least seven key pieces from last year’s lineup, including infielders Louie Canjura and Rock Jordan, outfielder Jaxson Hooge and Hat products Nolan Rattai — who took off last summer due to injury —and Nathan Stark.

“It’s great to see guys coming back. Having guys in the mix who know the league, know the gruel it takes with the travelling and everything — I think it’ll make it easier to show the other guys coming in what you need to do to be successful in the WMBL,” said Libke.

Libke spent his school year with the NCAA Division 2 University of Arkansas at Monticello, where he posted a 3-2 record with an 5.36 ERA in the Great American Conference.

“It was good,” he said. “We ended up winning the conference but we lost out in the tournament.”

The Mavericks open the WMBL season at home against the Brooks Bombers on Thursday, May 31 at 7:05 p.m.