OLYMPIC SOFTBALL: REPRIEVE MAY BE ON THE WAY FOR SOFTBALL IOC MEETING WILL BE KEY FOR SPORT'S REINSTATEMENT.

Byline: Ramona Shelburne Staff Writer

Jessica Mendoza remembers that day last July very clearly. There was little warning her career and the future of her sport was about to be turned upside down.

She'd heard some talk that the International Olympic Committee would be voting on whether to add or drop sports from the Olympic program, but all indications were that softball was safe.

Then she heard the news that the IOC had voted to eliminate softball and baseball from the 2012 Olympics.

``It was a total shock,'' said the former Camarillo High outfielder, who won a gold medal in Athens. ``None of us even thought we'd been in danger or we would've been rallying support and fighting for our sport before the vote. We couldn't believe it happened.''

Later, it was revealed that softball had fallen one vote short of the number of votes needed to remain in the Olympic program, with the one abstention being United States delegate Jim Easton, who recused himself from the vote because of a potential conflict of interest with his company, Easton Sports. Baseball had fallen three votes short.

This week, softball might get a second chance.

The IOC general assembly begins a three-day meeting in Turin, Italy and some have postulated that there will be a re-vote on the decision to drop softball and baseball.

It will not be an easy process. First, a motion to place a re-vote on the agenda must be supported by one third of the 100-plus members. Then, at least 51 percent of the members must agree to put it to a vote. Each sport must then get a majority of the members to support its reinstatement.

Mendoza and other local softball stars will be watching intently from afar. Since the vote, Mendoza has spent months trying to rally support for her sport. She met with IOC member Anita DeFrantz and Women's Sports Foundation CEO Donna Lopiano to discuss the best course of action. Then she called softball federations across the Americas and Asia to ask them to lobby their IOC members.

``I couldn't sit back and let this happen without trying to fight for my sport,'' she said. ``I hope they do the right thing and bring the sport back.

``A lot of what I do now is speak to young girls and it breaks my heart to talk to them about following your dreams when I know that this dream is being taken away from them.''

Natasha Watley, team USA's starting shortstop and a former UCLA star, said the decision has done irreparable damage to the sport.

``It felt like we were going in the right direction in building the sport,'' she said. ``And then this. I just hope we get another shot.''

Ramona Shelburne, [phone]

ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com