2014: Kayla had a terrific season for Evansville, as she continued her success in the UE uniform. Fortner hit .288 this season, starting all 51 games for Evansville at first base and leftfield. Defensively Kayla recorded 300 putouts, nine assists and had a .987 fielding percentage. The junior had 40 hits and drove in 28 runs to go along with nine doubles, 10 HRs, tying her with Parr for fourth in the UE Single Season Record Book, and 27 RBI. Fortner was walked a team leading 30 times and had six hit-by-pitch and six stolen bases. After her successful 2014 season, Fortner sits in the top five in multiple categories in the UE Career Record Book. Kayla is fourth in RBIs (97), second in HRs (24), third in slugging percentage (.555), second in on-base percentage (.446), second in walks (95), fifth in HBP (16), third in SF (6), and fifth in fielding percentage (.986).
2013: Fortner appeared in all 53 games in the 2013 season starting every game..Kayla ranked first on the team with a batting average of .557 on the season while driving in 36 runs and 9 homeruns...Kayla was walked 38 times throughout the season and was 2 for 3 while stealing bases...Fortner was a 2013 MVC Scholar Athlete honorable mention and was named to the 2013 MVC Softball Championship All-Tournament Team..
2012: Appeared in all 55 games…ranked fourth in the MVC with a .359 batting average and tied for seventh in the MVC with 34 RBI ,with a career-high 6 against UTEP…ranked first for the Aces in total bases with 83, including a career-high 8 against Southern Illinois …tied for first for the Aces with 20 runs and tallied 6 stolen bases out of 9 attempts…recorded three multi-hit games and tallied 4 walks against Indiana State…notched 10 putouts against two different opponents and also tallied 2 doubles against two different opponents…led the Aces with 27 walks and had first career triple against UTEP.
Background: Earned letters in four sports for the Lions, receiving first-team all-conference recognition in all four sports…named first team all-conference, region, district and metro for softball… named the Suburban Journal and the Post-Dispatch Athlete of the Year in 2011…a part of the USSSA 2007 national championship team (St. Louis Esprit)...daughter of Greg and Debra Fortner…has three younger sisters, Brittany, Taylor and Megan, and one younger brother, Seth…majoring in math education.
