The Farmingdale Police Activity League (PAL) girls softball junior division season came to an exciting end when the championship play-off game was played last Monday night at Allen Park.

In this tight, well-played game, the regular season champions, the Dynamite, came out on the winning end of a 1-0 game against the Blue team.

This game was a rematch of the first place play-off game won by the Dynamite a few weeks ago. It was highlighted by outstanding field play by players on both teams. The pitchers, Meghan Fanning for the Dynamite, and Katie Quinn for the Blue, did not walk a single player. Fanning struck out eight of the twenty-four players she faced in six innings, while making three put-outs in the field. Quinn countered in this pitching duel, striking out five batters and making two put-outs. Each team's first base player, the Dynamite' s Lorraine Quinn, and the Blue's Diana Beltrani, made three unassisted put-outs while handling all throws to first without an error. As usual, the Dynamite shortstop, Krista Daniello, was dominating in the field as she was involved in three put-outs, two coming in the last inning with the game on the line.

The Blue team left-center-fielder, Jessica Cohen, kept the game close for her team with some outstanding outfield play. She made two spectacular catches of two well hit fly balls deep in the outfield off of the bats of Fanning and Quinn in the first and fourth innings, which probably saved up to four runs from scoring.

The only run in the game came in the Dynamite's half of the second inning, when Daniello led off the inning with her first of two doubles in the game. Lorraine Quinn then followed with a sharply hit single, driving in Daniello for the only RBI of the game.

Both teams' exceptional fielding and pitching resulted in only 15 hits in the entire game - eight for the Dynamite in five times at bat, and seven for the Blue in six times at bat. Jill Kandora went two for two for the Blue team, while Daniello did the same for the Dynamite.

All four coaches, Mary Ann Daniello and Joe Fanning for the Dynamite, along with Dennis Cohen and Terry Quinn for the Blue team, saluted yet another exciting and well-played game between these two outstanding, well-matched teams. Coaches and fans alike agreed it was probably the best played game of the year and certainly the closest one. "In such a closely played, intense game, it was extremely gratifying to see the sportsmanship and comaraderie between these two teams," said Coach Fanning. At the conclusion of the game, all the parents, friends and fans in attendance stood and applauded both teams as they received their championship and second place trophies.

The Dynamite finished the season with a record of 10 wins and two losses, capturing both the regular season championship and the play-offs. Those members of the 1998 PAL Junior Division champion Dynamite team not already mentioned are: Lauren Greiner, Christina Tuzzolo, Celia Gorski, Tiffany Radford, Nicole Napolitano, Sarah Kantharia, Katie Littell, Kim Meyers, Lindsey Conklin and Jessica Carvo.