ZANBOOMER

Knudson's omni-athlete is back again, this time as shortstop and power hitter for the Robert E. Lee Generals. Zan Hagen is looking ahead to the Virginia state series when a pile-up at home plate separates her shoulder and puts her in the dugout for the rest of the season. Prodded by her best friend-cum-coach, egghead Arthur Rinehart, Zan reluctantly trades in her spikes for Nikes and ultimately discovers--via a victory at the Tri-State Marathon--a new kind of sports high. Understandably, lesser mortals will have some trouble connecting with the ""Boomer's"" monomaniacal drive, yet the pace here is brisk (ditto the dialogue), and Knudson has enough to say on the psychology of sports to keep you going to the finish line.