Hanford West High graduate Morgan Facchini is bound for Oklahoma City, Okla., this week as her travel softball team competes in the Ama-teur Softball Association Nationals.

Facchini, who was a four-year varsity starter for Hanford West before graduating last May, plays for the Jets Gold, a club based in Southern California.

The Jets Gold qualified for nationals by placing third in a 64-team regional tournament in Sacramento early last month. The Gold division is highest for ASA girls softball.

While perhaps best known for defensive prowess at the catcher position, Facchini is a skilled hitter as well. She hit her first home run this summer in a tournament at Colorado.

Facchini will play college ball at Biola University, an NAIA school in La Mirada.

But first, she'll compete in the ASA Nationals at the Hall of Fame Stadium, where the Jets Gold squad will be one of 64 teams. The championship game will be televised by ESPN.

The Jets Gold team includes several college signees, as well as others who are already competing for NCAA teams.

One of Facchini's teammates is Bianca Castillo, whose North High squad played against Facchini's Hanford West team in the last two Central Section Division II championship games.

(August 1, 2006)