2005

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((Who would have ever thlvugl1t it?" Fortenberry gets start, ~in at ECCC 0 After losing his eye, enduring numerous earned the save in Fortenberry's first col– legiate victory as a pitcher.

When Fortenberry toed the pitching rubber on Saturday in the second game of a double-header with Jones Communi– ty College, decked out. in a caged helmet welded by his father, Roddie, hi s per– formance most likely put to rest any doubts anyone had about his ability to pitch with just one eye. Over five innings, Fortenberry allowed only three hits (one of which was a two-run homerun ), while striking out five. After Fortenberry exited the ga~e with a 6-2 lead , his former CHS team– mate Kevin Hatch took the mound and

While Fortenberry acknowledged that. many people questioned his ability to return to the mound, he said he has refused to allow himself to think any dif– ferently despite undergoing six surgeries that included placing a titamum plate and 12 screws in the cheek bone around his crushed eye socket. "It was just another day," Fortenberry said. "You can't really take it any way other than that." > See FORTENBERRY on llA

surgeries, pitcher re_turns If John Fortenberry possesses any– thing as strong as his right arm, it. is without a doubt his determination. Last Saturday in Decatur Fortenberry made his regular-season pitching debut for the East Central Community College Warriors, just over one year after being struck in the face with a batted ball and losing his right eye as a result.

FORTENBERRY

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