Southeast softball slugger Kayla Fortner lifting Redhawks at the right time

Kayla Fortner could hardly call herself a power hitter four years ago.

Growing up just outside of St. Louis in Cedar Hill, Missouri, a 5-foot-7 Fortner was always looked at as more of a line drive hitter since she began playing softball in the first grade.

It wasn't until she played her first collegiate game at the University of Evansville under now Southeast Missouri State softball coach Mark Redburn that hitting home runs here and there instead of base hits became a reality.

"The wind was blowing out and coach Redburn told a couple of the girls, 'You all are home run hitters, so get the ball up in the wind,'" she said. "But he wasn't talking to me. He told the rest of us girls to just try and hit line drives. Ever since then I was just kind of like, 'Hey, I can hit home runs, too,' but I never thought about it. It just kind of started happening the last four years, I guess."

In Game 1 of a doubleheader against Eastern Illinois on Saturday, Fortner, a senior, who transferred to Southeast at the end of last season, didn't leave any doubt about her power when she hit her 16th home run of the season to become the Redhawks' all-time single-season home run leader.

"I wasn't trying to push it. It was more like if it's going to happen, it will happen," Fortner said of the home run record. "I didn't know if I would break it or not, but I was more anxious to get the opportunity to try."

The solo shot over the left field wall, which proved to be the go-ahead run for the Redhawks in a 6-0 win over the Panthers, may have surprised some who never expected her to come close to the record, but not Redburn, who has been at the forefront of Fortner's transition into a hitting threat for the past four seasons.

"That's just a testament to her over the years," Redburn said. "She wasn't always a home run hitter, but as she progressed over the years and kept getting better, she was able to transform into a really dangerous hitter. Sometimes it's not all about the home runs. We don't want our players going up there and just hacking away. She knows that and has been able to recognize pitches and turn them into runs in a number of ways, not just home runs."

It was Redburn who first recognized her talent while watching her play for Northwest High School in Cedar Hill, and he was the first to offer Fortner a college scholarship during her senior season.

Southeast Missouri State's Kayla Fortner returns to her ecstatic teammates after breaking the school's all-time single-season home run record with a shot to left field against Eastern Illinois during the first inning in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at the Southeast Softball Complex. (Fred Lynch)

"I had seen her back in high school and she jumped out at me right away," Redburn said about Fortner. "Just how she conducted herself and her focus, but yet being very respectful. She had all the things that a coach looks for."

That respect went to a different level after Redburn resigned following his fifth season at the helm of the Aces.

Fortner said one of the main reasons she pursued softball in college was because Redburn would be her coach. When he was hired at Southeast in June, it didn't take long for her to follow.

She admitted she was hesitant to make the move after seeing that the Redhawks had one of their worst seasons in program history a year ago and had failed to make the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the third straight season.

Southeast went 11-34 overall, the second worst finish in program history, and 3-20 in OVC play. Despite all that, she chose to ignore it and let Redburn implement his coaching regiment.

"I was nervous, but I trusted coach Redburn more than I ever have," Fortner said about her decision to transfer from Evansville to Southeast. "I just think he didn't have the support he needed and the resources he needed at Evansville. As for Southeast, I knew that they didn't have the greatest year, but I also knew that they didn't have maybe the coaching they needed. It's kind of hard to say. I was nervous to come here, but I knew that he hadn't gotten to work with them, so I gave it a chance."

For Redburn, having a player like Fortner, who he calls "one of the best" he's ever coached, has been a good for the team in more ways than one.

"Extremely fortunate to have her," Redburn said. "For our program and where I want it to be as far as our personnel and culture, she's just as important to us in that aspect as she is for her home runs."

Taking a chance with Redburn and the Redhawks has paid off for Fortner, who has a team-high batting average of .406 in 112 at-bats, which is second in the OVC. Her 44 RBIs and .536 on-base percentage are first in the conference.

But the right-handed swinging slugger doesn't concentrate on her numbers. For her, it's all about making the team around her better.

"They kind of get caught up in, 'Did I swing at a ball or did I swing at a strike?' And for me it's always just, 'Was it a pitch I could hit hard?'" Fortner said. "So even if it was a ball and I swung at it and hit it over the fence, I'm going to swing at it again. I've tried to help them not worry about just balls and strikes, but really looking at and dissecting whether or not it's a pitch you can drive, so that's what I try and help them with most."

And it's working for the Redhawks, who are 16-25 overall and 9-12 in the OVC.

Four players are hitting over .300 and have at least 16 RBIs for the Redhawks so far this season. Add in the pitching duo of sophomore Kearia Schilling (4-9, 6.34 ERA) and freshman Madeline Krumrey (10-10, 3.60 ERA) and the Redhawks are putting themselves in a position to return to the OVC Tournament for the first time since 2011.

Southeast Missouri State's Kayla Fortner poses for a photo Tuesday, April 28, 2015 at the Southeast Softball Complex. (Glenn Landberg)

"That's just another good sign for us," Redburn said of his team's pitching. "As we've progressed and gone through the year, they continue to develop and improve. Sometimes you see it go the opposite direction, especially with two young pitchers like we have. But they've fought and battled. I love that about them."

While the offense, pitching and entire program has seen significant improvement since Redburn and Fortner arrived 11 months ago, Southeast still has one goal to conquer.

With just three games remaining on their regular-season schedule, the Redhawks sit in eighth place in the OVC standings, tied with UT Martin for the final spot in the conference tournament.

"I want to do that for our seniors," Fortner said about making the OVC Tournament. "It would be cool for all of us to go, but especially for those seniors that have been here all four years. I think when we get in there people are kind of going to think that it's a sure win for the other team. But we'll surprise some people."

Southeast will go on the road to face Austin Peay (9-34, 5-19 in the OVC) in a three-game series beginning Saturday while UTM will host Murray State (33-17, 17-7).

In the event of a two-way tie, head-to-head records would be compared against the records of the No. 1, No. 2. and No. 3 seeds, etc. Since both teams were swept by top-seeded SIU Edwardsville and second-seeded Jacksonville State, UT Martin will hold the tiebreaker and eliminate Southeast from postseason play if they win one game against Murray State in its three-game series with the Racers this weekend since the Redhawks were swept by them earlier this season.

Southeast will wrap up its regular-season schedule with a three-game series at Austin Peay this weekend and won't worry about how the Skyhawks finish out their season.

"We control our own destiny and that hasn't changed," Redburn said. "On top of that, I think you could say we're peaking at the right time. Each one of these final three -- we take them one at a time with the mindset that we can win them all and get into the tournament."