When Lauren Burke was just 7 years old, she joined her first softball team under coach Mike White. Earlier this month, she signed her Letter of Intent to play in the outfield for the same head coach and the Oregon Ducks.

Burke, a Eugene native, is currently about to begin her senior season at Marist Catholic High School after having a stellar junior year on the field. She hit .712 with 21 home runs and 58 RBIs while playing shortstop under head coach Jon Burke — her father.

Softball is a family affair in the Burke household.

Lauren and her older sister Shawna — who is now a pitcher for Oregon State — were both coached by their father throughout their childhood.

“[Softball] is definitely the talk at home, which I have no issue with. I love it,” Lauren Burke said. She joked that the two sisters try to limit such talk around their oldest sister, who is a cheerleader.

Burke credits Shawna for being the reason that she plays softball. She said that when she was on a team, the coach would “take the little sister too.”

Now, Burke has made a name for herself. She’s become one of the most prominent players on a high school team that is bursting with talent. Four other Marist players will play at the collegiate level — two have verbally committed to Oregon.

One of the most notable Marist softball alumni is Kayla Braud, who was an All-American at Alabama from 2010-13. Braud came back to coach at Marist before she began working for the SEC Network.

“We definitely have influences to look up to,” Burke said.

Although other schools showed an interest in Burke through the recruiting process, she was set on being a Duck.

“It’s always been my dream school,” she said. “Eugene is home for me. It’s an amazing opportunity to be able to represent [Oregon].”

Burke was also influenced by the chance to play for White again. Her father, Jon Burke, credits White for teaching Burke the fundamentals, while calling to him as “the best coach in the country.”

GO DUCKS 💚💛 pic.twitter.com/sutbtXGoQE

— Lauren Burke (@lauren_b18) November 9, 2016

Coincidentally, White has referred to Burke as “one of the best players in the country.” FloSoftball ranked her the No. 18 recruit nationally and she was named 2016 Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year.

“It has been amazing to see her develop over the years,” White said in a news release.

She will join three other freshmen on the roster next year: Mary Iakopo (Los Alamitos, California), Shaye Bowden (Phoenix, Arizona) and Olivia Kinsey (Riverside, Missouri). The group of four was ranked the No. 8 class nationally.

Burke is ready to take her development to the next level in playing Division I softball.

“I’m excited for the workouts because everyone says that you get stronger,” she said. “I’ve always been smaller.”

Regardless of her size, Burke has always set high standards for herself, and chased her goals relentlessly.

“Coach White always told me to control the controllables, which is attitude and effort,” she said. “If you set a goal, do it.”

Follow Alexa Chedid on Twitter @alexachedid18

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