Louisiana softball infielder Brooke Ellestad has seen a ton of success this season.
She earned Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, but there is a motivating factor that’s bigger than her.
It comes from a loved one which is why she wears the number 17.
“She was so special,” Ellestad said. “I’m so sad that she can’t be here. I’m so glad we get to do things in memory of her.”
Kate Marty dreamt of being a great softball player.
Her older sister, Grace, and Ellestad played travel ball together in Wisconsin, and Kate’s desire for greatness drew her closer to the UL star.
“She wanted to be so good,” Ellestad said. “She knew that you had to work hard to get there. That’s what she did. She was always working hard, being positive, and smiling. She was a breath of fresh air.”
But on June 6, 2022, Kate passed away in a UTV accident. She was only 14.
“I was in a horrible spot in life at that point,” Ellestad said. “To know that somebody that loved life so much lost it and somebody that’s still here to deal with it, it sucks. I wanted to be there for them so bad.”
Ellestad was living in Minnesota at the time where she was dominating the diamond with the Univerisity of St. Thomas.
However, after two seasons, she entered the transfer portal. The Wisconsin native needed a new place to call, and the Marty family held a relationahip that became the perfect pitch to Ellestad.
The Marty’s bonded with Cajuns’ softball head coach Gerry Glasco, who also lost his daughter, Gerri Ann, in 2019.
“I can’t be more thrilled that Brooke’s a Cajun,” Mary Marty, Kate’s mother, said. “A Saturday afternoon when the Cajuns are playing just helps you get out of bed.”
“It just fit,” Ellestad said. “Everything was perfect. To know that he cared about me that much before softball, it let me know that this was going to be a great place.”
On her recruiting visit at UL, Ellestad took photos in a Cajuns’ uniform and the jersey she picked showcased a divine message.
“Kate got buried in her jersey that was red, black, and white,” Ellestad said. “The jersey that I picked was black, red, and white. When I got here everything fell right into place.
While Ellestad rounded the bases at Lamson Park, someone even closer to her had to step up to the plate face their own battle.
“I know that she’s so strong,” Ellestad said. “She was so strong through the whole thing. It was just hard not being able to see her.”
In May 2023, Ellestad’s mother, April, received a breast cancer diagnosis.
Ellestad showed up for her mom while helping lead the Cajuns to hosting their first NCAA Regional in eight years.
“You can’t do anything about it,” Ellestad said. “Being there for her was really helpful. I would just be with her through the chemo treatments and send her texts.”
April is now a cancer survivor and her daughter is a star in Cajun Country, all while donning the number of her favorite angel in the outfield.
“Kate Marty is my why,” Ellestad said. “I play for all the people, not just Kate Marty. I play for the people who don’t get to play and don’t get the opportunity to play.”
“We were watching Brooke play one time, we looked down, and we were sitting in seat number 17,” Marty said. “It was just another sign that Kate’s there.”
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