Jill Cafferty is 6’2” high school senior with a fastball that consistently clocks over 90 mph when she becomes the first woman drafted by a major league baseball team after the Pittsburgh Pirates pick her in the third round. On the Pirates’ minor league team in Pomeroy, New York, some players and others are openly welcoming, some are openly hostile, and some seem to be waiting to see what she can do. How all of these responses play out, and how Jill herself responds, is at the center of this compelling story. Off the field Jill meets sexism that ranges from subtle and stupid to vicious with remarkable presence of mind. On the field, the stress shows. Author White’s knowledge of baseball is clearly vast and these details add veracity, as does the way she balances the sexism Jill faces with support in many forms, from Jill’s family and friends back home to her steadfast catcher to the team manager who treats her like everyone else, even when it makes Jill mad. If Jill is a little too poised for an 18-year-old just out of high school dealing with incredible pressure, small glimpses of her life before show what has grounded and prepared her for this moment. Jill’s triumph is in being able to take her place on the field and know it’s where she belongs. (Age 12 and older)