Lily Fortune was a four-year starter at Gilmer High School, and she will continue to play softball in college.
Fortune is a 2026 GHS graduate and will suit up for the Florida Southwestern State College Buccaneers when they take the field next spring. She also received interest from Berry College and the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
“I love the beach and I really like the coach,” Fortune said of her decision to attend FSW located in Fort Myers. “And it was a full ride, so I’ll be going for free."
“When I went on my visit I got to stay in the dorm rooms overnight," Fortune said. "One of the college girls gave me a tour of the campus and around town. The next day I went to the camp they had. I already had an offer at that point, but they wanted me to come down and check out the campus to see if I liked it.”
Fortune had the opportunity to put her skills on display at the camp as prospects faced off against the Buccaneers' current squad.
College softball has always been something on Fortune’s radar. She started playing rec softball locally before expanding her opportunities. Like the majority of college-bound softball players, Fortune joined a travel team and has been on the road since she was 13.
She took the field in recent travel seasons for Premier Fastpitch, Georgia Power, Atlanta Vipers and the E.C. Bullets. Her recent seasons took her to East Cobb’s baseball and softball facility where she frequently faced top teams.
“It’s definitely way different than school ball,” Fortune said of her time in East Cobb. “We play in the highest tournaments, which is against all of the big Division I commits. So, I’ve been playing against the highest competition there is.
“We play during the summer and then normally play a season once school ball is over. We have a little break when it's really cold around Christmas, then we start back in February or March.”
Fortune noted the time on the road can get a bit cramped at times.
“Travel ball is a really busy schedule because as soon as you get back from one place, you’re just going to the next,” she said. “Travel ball has taught me lessons on how to deal with pressure and change. I think that’s probably hard for some people. I feel like it’s helped me adapt to that really well.”
Fortune made an instant impact at GHS. Over the course of her career, she pitched 389 2/3 innings and struck out 406 batters. She secured an all-region honorable mention as a freshman. Fortune started 18 games, earned seven wins and struck out 70 across 87 1/3 innings with a 3.93 ERA. Offensively, she drove in seven runs, scored nine and stole five bases.
She earned first-team honors her sophomore season. Fortune was the Cats’ No. 1 pitcher by a wide margin and tossed 119 2/3 innings. She earned three wins, struck out 127 and walked 43.
As a junior, Fortune was on the all-region honorable mention list once again. She threw 90 1/3 innings, earned four wins, fanned 112, walked 47, allowed 51 earned runs and posted a 3.95 ERA.
She capped her GHS career with another first-team all-region spot. Gilmer had its best record over that four-year span with a 16-16 record.
Fortune started 15 games, pitched 92 1/3 innings and finished with an 8-8 record and 3.29 ERA. She gave up 43 earned runs while striking out 97 and walking 19. Offensively, she had a .337 average to go with 35 hits, which included 13 doubles and four triples. She scored 20 runs and drove in nine.
“It was really nice, finally, to win some more games,” Fortune said of her senior season.
Fortune also played outfield at GHS, but she is set to be a pitcher at FSW. Off the field, she plans to study nursing.
“I’ve always liked medical stuff,” Fortune said. “If I transfer after two years, I’m going to try and do something like a nurse anesthetist. I think I would like the environment of working in a hospital.
“I’m really looking forward to the beach and meeting new people and a new experience in life.”
FSW competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association as members of the Suncoast Conference. The Bucs were undefeated at home last season and finished with a 57-7 record. Their season ended in the NJCAA World Series semifinals.