Drury third baseman Luke Burk’s story is one of an Ozarks kid who made it. He wanted to play at college baseball’s highest level and put in the work to get there.
“That’s why I went to a junior college rather than a smaller school,” Burk said.
The former Galena High School standout dominated his freshman and sophomore seasons at Neosho Community College in Kansas, and caught the eye of the Auburn Tigers. But his time with Tigers became an unfamiliar role.
“Last year was pretty tough,” Burk said. “It was kind of the first time I came off the bench. I was sitting a lot of the game. Then ramping up.”
Burk played in 11 games as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement. But after accomplishing his dream, he realized something else was even more important.
“I had a great time, was treated really well down there,” Burk said. “Then kind of just decided I was ready to come home. Come somewhere I was going to play every day and get to enjoy the last couple of years and really make the most of it.”
He’s now Drury’s team leader in home runs and RBIs. You may think his teammates look to him for some SEC-style wisdom. You’d be wrong though.
“I think he gets more crap than actually them picking his brain,” said Drury Head Coach Scott Nasby. “He gets a base hit and people are yelling, ‘War Eagle!’ He’s had a relationship with a lot of the guys because he’s local and he takes it all in stride.”
While Burk is giving the Panthers a jolt on offense, this place has given him something too.
“Kind of being around home and getting to enjoy some of the other things I like has kind of revived my love for baseball,” he said.
Now, Burk is breathing life into a lineup where he’s penciled in every day.
