Molly williams has always had a thing for baseball. She often played softball, but it wasn't quite the same. It isn't just the thrill of the game because baseball was something special she shared with her father. In fact, he helped her master the knuckleball.

Her dad had been an editor for one of the local papers in Buffalo. He had always had dreams of being a sports journalist, but that just didn't pan out, and his dream was not quite achieved. That was one of the reasons why people questioned what really happened when he was killed in a one-car accident six months earlier. Most people said it was an accident, but some couldn't help but question....

Molly and her mother are still a bit stunned over what happened. Rather than being drawn closer together by their loss, they grow apart. Molly finds a respite in baseball as her mom keeps thinking of moving on and starting over.

It is because of the connection between baseball and her dad that Molly decides to try out for the school baseball team. There is no shortage of people who doubt whether a girl should play for the boys team, but she does find some encouragement in Coach V, an older coach who helps out.

The book is finely written and full of rich detail, particularly during the baseball game, which fans of sports novels will like. Unfortunately, the book seems to plod along through the two entwined plots. The tale moves very slowly, mostly because I think it skips over so much of the baseball element. There is almost no coverage of the practices and there is only one game included.

With that said, this is definitely a feel-good read that carries the tale to the predictable end in both story lines and even a bit of light romance for Molly and a teammate. For those looking for stronger titles in the genre, I would suggest taking a look at the young adult novels of Mike Lupica and Tim Green. Both craft more interesting and exciting sports tales. If you are looking for a similar book about a teen girl breaking through (think Girl Power!)into a boy's team, I would suggest Dairy Queen and its sequel The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, which also have a more balanced pacing for the storyline.