Baker's Locke headed for NWF State

BAKER – Bucky Locke won’t be going far to continue his baseball career. Locke, the top pitcher and outfielder on the Baker baseball team, signed scholarship papers with Northwest Florida State on Wednesday.

Locke is the first Gator baseball player to sign a baseball scholarship since Drew Griffith signed with NWFS in 2005 when it was still known as Okaloosa Walton Community College.

Raider coach Doug Martin was excited to sign a local pitcher with Locke’s skill sets. 

“As a baseball coach, when you come and see him play the first thing that stands out is he has good athletic ability,” Martin said. “And he’s got a bright future on the mound. I think pitching is going to be his ticket as he continues to move on at the higher level.

“He’s got a load of potential and he’s got good size. And, when you get to talk to him after the game, you are attracted to his personality a little bit. He’s real fun to talk to and very entertaining.”

For Locke the decision to sign with NWF State was a no brainer for a couple of reasons.

“For one thing it’s just 30 minutes down the road,” Locke said. "And I can’t complain about the ball team because they’ve got one of the best around here.

“I’d rather play at home than anywhere else and it’s right here (in Okaloosa County) and I can do it.”

Baker baseball coach Gary Taylor couldn’t be happier for his star player.

“It is a great day,” Taylor said. “It’s a great day for Bucky. He deserves it.

“He works hard on and off the field at getting better at baseball and his pitching. He’s just an outstanding young man.”

Taylor pointed out that Locke’s fastball has been clocked in the low 90s and that he has struck out more than 100 batters each of his three high school seasons.

Taylor also said Locke hit five home runs last year and had the second highest batting average on the team.

Martin said he made a commitment to recruit locally and that Locke is just the kind of player the Raiders are looking for.

“We don’t get them all, but we do recruit the ones that we feel like are Panhandle Conference ability players,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate (to sign Okaloosa County players) and Bucky is another one that joins us on that list.”