LIVING THE DREAM: BROOKE VESTAL
COLLEGE STATION TX- Brooke Vestal’s softball journey began at Canyon High School in New Braunfels, Texas. During her stellar high school career, she was named an All-American three times by FloSoftball and twice by MaxPreps and All-USA. Brooke posted a 1.31 ERA with 244 strikeouts and an 18-6 record in 144 innings in 2017. She also hit .381 with 33 RBIs and eight home runs. In 2016, she went 25-8 with a 1.73 ERA and 346 strikeouts in 210 innings, hitting .432 with 41 RBIs and 10 home runs. As one of the nation’s top recruits, Brooke signed with Oklahoma.
Arriving at Oklahoma, Brooke quickly realized she wasn’t ready for softball at that level. After some honest self-evaluation and conversations with the coaching staff, she redshirted her freshman season. This experience taught her how to be a supportive teammate, contributing behind the scenes to her teammates’ success. When she finally got her shot, Brooke participated in two combined perfect games in 2021 and made eight appearances in the shortened 2020 season, posting a 3-0 record in 25 innings.
After 2022, Brooke entered the transfer portal and brought her championship mindset to Ole Miss. She helped lead the Rebels to their sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and a 40-win season. Brooke made 20 appearances with eight starts, posting an 8-1 record and a 2.60 ERA in 59.1 innings, with 63 strikeouts and a .194 opponent batting average.
In her senior year at Ole Miss, Brooke appeared in 22 games, making seven starts. She helped the team to its seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance with a 5-5 record, a 3.16 ERA in 55.1 innings, one complete game shutout, and three combined shutouts. She struck out 47 batters and held opponents to a .174 average, the lowest on the team.
With one more year of eligibility, Brooke returned home to Texas A&M. She appeared in 16 games, helping the Aggies make a surprising run to the Super Regionals, pushing Texas to the brink. Brooke finished the season with a 4.97 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 31 innings.
Brooke’s journey underscores the importance of self-evaluation and honesty about one’s readiness and capabilities. Her story teaches young players the value of being a great teammate and adapting to different roles to contribute to the team’s success. Brooke has everything you want in a teammate, and young athletes can learn a lot from her journey. Don’t miss the latest edition of “Living The Dream” only on YSN!
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