Ross Durke didn’t draw a lot of interest from college baseball coaches despite a four-year baseball career at Loreauville High School that saw him earn Best of the Teche Baseball honors as a senior.

But Durke has a couple of things that coaches love to see in their players, namely speed and a tremendous work ethic, his high school coach, Rob Segura, said. Playing for the Louisiana Legends this summer brought him to the attention of coach Chris Bertrand, an assistant coach for the LSU-Shreveport baseball team, and Durke joined a growing list of Teche Area players on the Pilots’ roster when he signed a letter of intent this week to play for LSU-S beginning next year. 

Bertrand could not be immediately be reached for comment.

“I’ve always wanted to play at the next level,” said Durke. “Nobody really showed interest in me except Louisiana College.”

While a good school, Durke said Louisiana College is a private university and therefore a little expensive. So he looked around and eventually found LSU-Shreveport, which fits him very nicely.

“LSU-S is more like playing in Loreauville,” said Durke, who also was the quarterback for the LHS football team. “It’s a small community.”

This spring, LSU-Shreveport reached the NAIA World Series with four area players on the squad — sophomore pitchers Ben Suit and Jason Mouton, both of Catholic High, freshman pitcher Cody Boutte of New Iberia Senior High and freshman outfielder Ridge Gonsoulin of Catholic High. Erath’s Rynn Touchet signed with the Pilots earlier this year.

But Durke said that really didn’t factor into his decision. Once he had signed and found out about all the local players, as well as several others from teams around South Louisiana he’s played against over the years, it basically confirmed to him that he’d made the right choice, said Durke.

Segura thinks it’s a good choice for Durke, as well. Durke batted .386 with six doubles, four triples, a homer and 35 RBIs as a senior, and was successful in 12 of 13 stolen base attempts.

“I really do (think it’s a good choice,” said Segura. “He’s going to get a quality education, No. 1. And there’s a few kids from New Iberia and the area up there.”

Durke’s speed is his biggest asset right now, said the Loreauville coach. 

College baseball went to new bats that perform more like wooden bats than the aluminum ones used in the past, and still in use in high schools, which plays into Durke’s strengths, said Segura.

“He’s definitely got speed that you can’t coach,” said Segura. “With the new bats coming into play, that shouldn’t hurt his game at all. He’ll bunt, get on base. It’s just going to take some time (to adjust to the new bats).”

Durke said he also makes good decisions on the basepaths, which will help him when he gets to college.

“He’s got a great attitude and a great work ethic,” added Segura. “I think that’s what kind of sold them on him. A lot of times they’d see he was out there working alone (after practice).”

Segura, who graduated with a 3.68 grade point average, plans to study dentistry.

“I figure it’s always good to have a backup plan, if I don’t continue my baseball career,” he said.