Piedra Vista (Farmington) senior
Krissy Fortner pitched only two innings her sophomore year.
That's why Panthers coach Kevin Werth expected to use two to three pitchers for the 2012 season. It didn't work out that way.
"She became a one-man rotation," Werth said. "The turning point was when she pitched all five games during a national tournament in California. We came back home, never lost another game and we rode her arm to a state championship."
Despite having limited varsity experience entering her junior season, all Fortner did was go 23-7 with a 1.97 ERA.
Krissy Fortner, Piedra Vista
Courtesy photo
"I was a little bit anxious to see how well I would do last year," Fortner said. "It was a surprise but what I expected because of all the hard work I put in over the summer."
There's nothing surprising about what Fortner is doing this season. To say she's been flat-out dominant would be an understatement. The 5-foot-5 right-hander has a 10-1 record and 1.38 ERA, with 69 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched. She has also proven to be a dual threat, as she hits sixth in the order and is batting .387 with a home run and eight RBIs.
"The great thing about Krissy is when it's gut-check time, she delivers," Werth said. "She knows how to close things out."
Piedra Vista has only been around since 1998, but it didn't take long for it to become a softball dynasty. The Panthers (11-1) have won a New Mexico record-tying seven consecutive 4A state championship titles — and they're a prohibitive favorite to make it eight straight this season.
Piedra Vista, the second-ranked team in the state and 47th nationally in the
MaxPreps Freeman Rankings, plays El Toro (Lake Forest, Calif.) in the Michelle Carew Classic in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday.
"It's basically an invite-only tournament, and it's a great test for your team because you're playing against some of the best teams in the nation. The tournament organizers have trusted us that we'll be pretty good every year, even though we're from New Mexico," Werth said, laughing.
Ever since Werth took over the program in 2005, Piedra Vista has been an unstoppable force. In the seven 4A state championship games, the Panthers have outscored their opponents by a combined margin of 36-4, including five shutouts. Werth credits the tremendous talent that comes through the program every year, but talent alone can't explain why Piedra Vista has emerged as a national power.
"Our coaching staff is spot on," Fortner said. "Everything we do in practice has a specific purpose to prepare us for our games. Our last three outs in last year's state title game (a 6-1 win over Aztec) was a ground ball to me, a ground ball to our shortstop and a ground ball to our third baseman. Before the game, the coaches had set up our left side of the infield to be in position to make those plays against Aztec, and it was a perfect scouting report."
Werth, who is one of eight finalists for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association award for National Softball Coach of the Year, went 86-60 in six years at Shiprock before taking the position at Piedra Vista. Now he's just two wins away from 300. Like most coaches who have excelled at a high level, Werth puts the spotlight on his players.
"Our area is great for baseball and softball players," Werth said. "The Farmington area is known for those two sports."
Werth, who also coaches Fortner on the Farmington Rivercats during the summer season, is particularly proud of helping Fortner develop into one of the state's premier pitchers. With a fastball that consistently hits 57 mph, a devastating curveball and wicked change-up, Fortner possesses all the tools to dominate any lineup. Her change-up is a good 20 mph slower than her fastball and curve, putting opposing hitters on the defensive from the get-go.
"Her change-up has a unique spin on it compared to other change-ups, so it's hard for hitters to pick up on," Werth said.
When it comes to mental and physical toughness, Fortner has those in reserve. To wit: During a tournament last summer, Fortner pitched five complete games in one day. Despite throwing close to 500 pitches that day, Fortner said the experience was more taxing mentally than physically.
"Just focusing on every pitch and making it your best one was tough," Fortner said. "Don't get me wrong. I just wanted to go home, get off my feet and sit down, but my arm was fine."
Much to the surprise of Werth, Fortner hasn't received any interest from Division I programs. Fortner hasn't decided where she'll attend college yet, but she said trying to make it as a walk-on at the University of New Mexico is one option.
"Krissy has done everything we've asked of her and more," Werth said. "She's a great team player and a hard worker, something we try to instill in every player. We came here and put in a system, and it's taken off from there."
Has it ever.
