Softball spirit takes bronze
CPL Tracey Mosley is off the the 2008 Olympics

Volume 48, No. 12, July 13, 2006

HOMER: CPL Tracey Mosley squares off against Venezuela in the 2006 International Softball Federation women’s world championship series in Beijing.

By Andrew Stackpool

AIR Force Olympic softball medallist CPL Tracey Mosley from RAAF Base Amberley is preparing to return to Beijing in 2008.

The silver medallist in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and her team-mates in the ‘Aussie Spirit’ women’s softball team won selection to the 2008 Olympic Games after taking the bronze in the recent 2006 International Softball Federation women’s world championship series, which was played in hot and humid conditions in China from August 27 to September 5.

This followed their success in America when they won the 2006 Canada Cup and then placed fourth in the US World Cup.

Aussie Spirit led Pool B undefeated until the second-last round of the seven round-robin games, when they went down to Japan 2-1 and then the Netherlands 4-2.

In the play-offs, the team advanced to the medal rounds by defeating Canada 7-2 and China 1-0 but lost to USA 5-1 in the bronze medal game to come away with the bronze.

CPL Mosley said it was a hard competition “all the way through”.

“We were very happy with the opposition, although we were a bit disappointed as we felt we could have gone further,” she said.

“China had improved considerably and also had the home country advantage. It [their team] will be more of a challenge for the Olympics.”

Despite being struck by pitchers in three games, CPL Mosley put in a strong showing with a homer in the first innings against Venezuela and strong hitting in each game.

In the game against Greece, she put in strong play in the first two innings before fast Australian play after her single in the sixth had her to home shortly afterwards.

This was to become the feature of most of her games. In the game against Chinese Taipei, her single to the centre was followed by strong supporting play, which had CPL Mosley and Natalie Ward home in four plays in the first innings. She followed this with a single in the second and then hammered home after Natalie Ward hit a homer.

Australia led 1-0 in the game with Japan, before Japan levelled in the eighth and then went on to win in the ninth. Despite being hit by the pitcher and being struck out in the fourth, CPL Mosley came back in the seventh with a single and could have made it home, until Natalie Titcume and Amanda Doman were out.

“We could have done better because we expected more from ourselves,” CPL Mosley said. “We had a great game against Japan and should have beaten them to put us in the box seat. We know we can beat Japan and aren’t far off beating USA. It puts us in good stead for the Olympics and we’ll just have to concentrate on how to do it.”
CPL Mosley said that qualifying for the bronze was both a high and a low point for the team.

“It was a high because we have qualified and are the third best team in the world. It was a low because we felt we could have done better,” she said.

“For me, I am excited at the prospect at going to the next Olympics, but that is tempered with the disappointment that this will be my last world series and also the last time softball will be played at the Olympics.”

She paid tribute to 382ECSS personnel for their support.

“382 and my bosses have been absolutely fantastic in their support,” she said. “I don’t know any other company that would support someone like they have supported me. I can’t thank them enough.”

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