To say that Rachel Failla has been a fixture at first base during her Chico State softball career is certainly putting it mildly – since her freshman year, Failla has started at first in 198 of the Wildcats’ 207 games. Her everyday presence in the lineup has resulted in plenty of big hits, including 10 career home runs. With her Wildcat career winding down, Failla has been a major factor in Chico State winning seven of its last eight regular season games, and she wrapped up the regular season by single-handedly beating Cal State East Bay in Saturday’s doubleheader finale to help the ’Cats complete a four-game series sweep of the Pioneers. Failla’s fantastic efforts make the San Diego native the latest Wildcat of the Week.
On a week that saw the Wildcats play six games in four games, Failla hit a hefty .409, with nine hits in 22 at-bats against Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State East Bay. Only Jackie Munoz (.438) had a higher batting average among Chico State hitters, as the ’Cats split two games with the Otters before taking four straight from the Pioneers.
Against Monterey Bay, Failla collected five hits, going 4-for-5 game with an RBI in the nightcap. After a fairly quiet Friday versus East Bay, Failla heated up in Saturday’s series-closing twinbill, notching two hits and knocking in a run in the opener, and then providing the lone score of game two by blasting her third home run of the year over the left field fence, leading Chico State to the 1-0 win.
Heading into the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament, Failla is also a fixture in the Wildcat record books, ranking fourth on Chico State’s all-time home runs list, and is eighth in career RBI, ninth in extra-base hits, fifth in walks, and 10th in total bases.
Failla and the Wildcats will be at Arnaiz Stadium in Stockton this weekend to compete in the team’s third straight CCAA Championship Tournament. Chico State and Cal State Monterey Bay will square off in first round action Friday at 7 p.m.
