Newtown-Edgmont Banana Fall Ball

Specifically Designed for Minors and Farm Divisions

Building off of feedback from the past few fall seasons, Newtown Edgmont Little League is taking a creative approach to the fall season.  Inspired by the reimagined brand of baseball played by The Savannah Bananas that is taking the baseball world by storm, Newtown-Edgmont Little League is hosting our very own Banana Ball themed Fall Baseball League. The guiding principles of NELL Fall Ball still apply; provide an opportunity to play baseball in the off-season, build player skill sets, and deepen players’ love of the game. 

Always striving to provide a great experience for all, we’ve developed a radically different approach to anything that has been attempted in our history. Newtown-Edgmont Little League and its Board of Directors believe in this creative leap into the unknown. This version of NELL Fall Ball will keep kids engaged, create a lot of opportunity for action, and be very fast-paced and fun. 

Please take a look at some of the rules below.  We will break players into two different age groups; all based on Little League 2025 ages

●     Rising 9’s and 10’s will compete in our Minors Banana Ball League.

●     Rising 8’s will compete in our Farm Banana Ball League.

Banana Fall Ball Highlights

●     Free Weekends: NELL Fall Ball is Monday - Thursday.  Each team will be scheduled at least one game per week.  NELL Fall Ball will run from Monday September 9th through Thursday October 24th.  

●     Machine Pitch: In an attempt to speed the game up and help guarantee quality pitches to hit, we will use Hack Attack pitching machines.  Respective age groups will have their machines set to 43 and 40 mph.  *Important to note that since there is no actual pitching, this should open the door to those players who wouldn’t normally play due to Tournament Team commitments.

●     Win the Inning, Get a Point: If your team has the most runs scored in an inning, they receive a point.  Whoever has the most points at the end of regulation time is the winner.  This rule ensures that teams are never out of it. 

●     Three Run Max: in an attempt to speed the innings up, we are limiting the max runs scored per inning to three.

●     Drop-Dead Innings: If the home team scores more runs than the away team in any inning, that inning is over immediately.  That team wins the point for that inning and the next inning begins right away.  (Example: top of the first inning, away team does not score.  Bottom of the first inning, as soon as the home team scores a run, the inning is over and that team is awarded one point.  They are winning 1-0.)

●     Alternating Home Team: Each inning will have a different team bat last.  Strategically this levels the advantage of being the home team and allows the game to move at a faster pace.  A team who bats last in the first inning will then bat first in the second inning.  That team will bat for six-straight outs.

●     Must play three different positions: No player can play the same position in the first three innings of the game.  This is strategic for coaches and also forces players to learn and play multiple positions.

●     Limited Bench Time: Players can only sit the bench for one inning.  The only way a player can sit the bench for more than one inning is after all of their teammates have sat the bench for one inning also.  The rule then moves to two innings on the bench max for players.

●     NO BUNTING: Swing the bat! If you attempt to bunt, you’re out!

●     Time Limits:There is no restriction on the max innings you can play. Instead, all games have a strict time limit at each level. No new inning can start after 1 hour of game play. This will be 6:55 pm for 5:30 game start times and 8:55 pm for 7:30 start times.  Both coaches must agree which inning will be the last.  All runs scored in the last inning will count towards the total score!  No team is ever out of it! 

MINORS BANANA BALL RULES

(Rising 9’s & 10’s)

●      Free Weekends: NELL Fall Ball is Monday - Thursday.  Each team will be scheduled at least one game per week.  NELL Fall Ball will run from Monday September 9th through Thursday October 24th.  Times will be 5:30-7:15 PM or  7:30-9:15 PM.  Teams will be scheduled for an 8 game season schedule.  Playoffs will be a double elimination round robin tournament beginning the week of October 14th.

●      Fundamentals: Each team will be provided 10 minutes in the infield and 10 minutes in the outfield for a pre-game / baseball fundamentals session.  This 20 minute session runs from 5:30-5:50 PM or 7:30-7:50 PM.  Games start promptly at 5:55 PM and 7:55 PM.  This is a great opportunity for players to guarantee reps at multiple positions.  Coaches will coordinate who has which field first.  It is suggested that teams arrive between 5:00-5:15 PM or 7:00-7:15 PM to ensure proper warmup and throwing progression prior to pre-game routine.  

●      Machine Pitch: In an attempt to speed the game up and help guarantee quality pitches to hit, we will use Hack Attack pitching machines.  MINORS will have machines set to 43 MPH.  A player in the field will be positioned on either side of the machine with one foot in the dirt.  Player is not allowed to be positioned in front of the machine.  A coach of the hitting team will feed the machine.  This coach will also serve as the umpire and make all the calls in the field as well as balls and strikes.   

●      Win the Inning, Get a Point: If your team has the most runs scored in an inning, they receive a point.  Whoever has the most points at the end of regulation time is the winner.  This rule ensures that teams are never out of it. 

●      Three Run Max: in an attempt to speed the innings up, we are limiting the max runs scored per inning to three.

●      Drop-Dead Innings: If the home team scores more runs than the away team in any inning, that inning is over immediately.  That team wins the point for that inning and the next inning begins right away.  (Example: top of the first inning, away team does not score.  Bottom of the first inning, as soon as the home team scores a run, the inning is over and that team is awarded one point.  They are winning 1-0.)

●      Alternating Home Team: Each inning will have a different team bat last.  Strategically this levels the advantage of being the home team and allows the game to move at a faster pace.  A team who bats last in the first inning will then bat first in the second inning.  That team will bat for six-straight outs.

●      Must play three different positions: No player can play the same position in the first three innings of the game.  This is strategic for coaches and also forces players to learn and play multiple positions.

●      Limited Bench Time: Players can only sit the bench for one inning.  The only way a player can sit the bench for more than one inning is after all of their teammates have sat the bench for one inning also.  The rule then moves to two innings on the bench max for players.

●      Three Steals Per Inning: Maximum stolen bases per inning is three. 

●      NO BUNTING: Swing the bat! If you attempt to bunt, you’re out!

●     Time Limits: There is no restriction on the max innings you can play. Instead, all games have a strict time limit at each level. No new inning can start after 1 hour of game play. This will be 6:55 pm for 5:30 game start times and 8:55 pm for 7:30 start times.  Both coaches must agree which inning will be the last.  All runs scored in the last inning will count towards the total score!  No team is ever out of it! 

●      One-On-One Showdown for Tie Games (Minors Only): If the game is tied after regulation, the format switches to a 1 vs 1 scenario where there is a pitcher, catcher, and one fielder vs the hitter. If the hitter gets a hit, he either scores or is thrown out at home.  Coaches can choose their players who bat and who play the field.  This tie breaker will work in an alternating fashion.  Each team will get one opportunity.  Should there be a need for multiple chances to break the tie, coaches must put different players in the field and at bat.  This continues until one team scores and the other does not.

FARM BANANA BALL RULES

(Rising 8’s)

●      Free Weekends: NELL Fall Ball is Monday - Thursday.  Each team will be scheduled at least one game per week.  NELL Fall Ball will run from Monday September 9th through Thursday October 24th.  Times will be 5:30-7:15 PM.  Games will start promptly at 5:55 PM.

●      Fundamentals: Each team will be provided 10 minutes in the infield and 10 minutes in the outfield for a pre-game / baseball fundamentals session.  This 20 minute session runs from 5:30-5:50 PM.  Games start promptly at 5:55 PM.  This is a great opportunity for players to guarantee reps at multiple positions.  Coaches will coordinate who has which field first.  It is suggested that teams arrive between 5:00 and 5:15 PM to ensure proper warmup and throwing progression prior to pre-game routine. 

●      Machine Pitch: In an attempt to speed the game up and help guarantee quality pitches to hit, we will use Hack Attack pitching machines. Farm will have machines set to 40 MPH.  A player in the field will be positioned on either side of the machine with one foot in the dirt.  Player is not allowed to be positioned in front of the machine.  A coach of the hitting team will feed the machine.  This coach will also serve as the umpire and make all the calls in the field as well as balls and strikes.   

●      Four Outfielders: Please play four outfielders (LF, LC, RC, and RF).  Outfielders may not tag a runner or a base. 

●      Win the Inning, Get a Point: If your team has the most runs scored in an inning, they receive a point.  Whoever has the most points at the end of regulation time is the winner.  This rule ensures that teams are never out of it. 

●      Three Run Max: in an attempt to speed the innings up, we are limiting the max runs scored per inning to three.

●      Drop-Dead Innings: If the home team scores more runs than the away team in any inning, that inning is over immediately.  That team wins the point for that inning and the next inning begins right away.  (Example: top of the first inning, away team does not score.  Bottom of the first inning, as soon as the home team scores a run, the inning is over and that team is awarded one point.  They are winning 1-0.)

●      Alternating Home Team: Each inning will have a different team bat last.  Strategically this levels the advantage of being the home team and allows the game to move at a faster pace.  A team who bats last in the first inning will then bat first in the second inning.  That team will bat for six-straight outs.

●      Must play three different positions: No player can play the same position in the first three innings of the game.  This is strategic for coaches and also forces players to learn and play multiple positions.

●      Limited Bench Time: Players can only sit the bench for one inning.  The only way a player can sit the bench for more than one inning is after all of their teammates have sat the bench for one inning also.  The rule then moves to two innings on the bench max for players.

●      Two Steals Per Inning: Maximum stolen bases per inning is two. 

●      NO BUNTING: Swing the bat! If you attempt to bunt, you’re out!

●     Time Limits: There is no restriction on the max innings you can play. Instead, all games have a strict time limit at each level. No new inning can start after 1 hour of game play. This will be 6:55 pm for 5:30 game start times and 8:55 pm for 7:30 start times.  Both coaches must agree which inning will be the last.  All runs scored in the last inning will count towards the total score!  No team is ever out of it!