With the departure of leadoff hitter Charlotte Honciano, the Chico State softball team knew it would have a big hole to fill in the top of the lineup for the 2011 season. Britt Wright, a junior transfer from Grossmont College, has been asked to step into that difficult role, and during the season-opening Mizuno Best of the West Invitational, the left-hand hitting outfielder did not disappoint, batting a team-high .467, scoring three times, knocking in a pair of runs and stealing five bases to help the ’Cats win three of their five weekend games. Wright’s extremely productive weekend has earned the Castro Valley native Wildcat of the Week honors.
Wright’s combined numbers would make Honciano proud. Britt pounded out seven hits and reached base 10 times during the Best of the West Invitational, posting a gaudy .556 on-base percentage. For her efforts, she was named to the Best of the West All-Tournament team.
In Chico State’s season opener Saturday against Dominican University, Wright went over and above what a successful leadoff hitter is asked to do – she went 3-for-3, reached base four times, scored twice, notched an RBI and stole a base in the Wildcats’ 7-0 victory over the Penguins.
Wright had one hit in two at-bats in Chico State’s 9-0 loss to Cal State San Marcos Saturday afternoon, then later in the day went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases as the Wildcats downed San Francisco State 2-0. Wright was quiet offensively in Sunday’s 4-1 win over Sonoma State, but not so in the final game of the weekend tournament, going 1-for-3 while scoring a run and swiping a pair of bases in a 2-1 loss to Cal State Stanislaus.
Wright already is among the early California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) conference leaders in batting (eighth), hits (tied for seventh), stolen bases (second) and on-base percentage (tied for seventh).
Wright and the Wildcats will play their first home games of the season and kick off CCAA play Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18-19, hosting Cal State East Bay at University Softball Field.
