Ridge Baseball Starts Fall Play Under The Lights

Basking Ridge, NJ—Baseball is back in Basking Ridge. After a long shutdown, the Ridge Baseball Club received permission last week to use Fortenbacher Field on Valley Road—and its lights—until November.

"I just want to say thanks," said Committeeperson Joan Bannan Harris, at last week's committee meeting, to a Ridge Baseball Club representative, "for bringing joy to kids lives on the baseball field, and for their families, because we really need that right now."

The township-owned complex is leased to the baseball club through May 2024. It specifies that light usage begin no earlier than April 24 stop by Aug. 8 every summer. But, as this was no ordinary season, the club requested an exception.

Ridge Baseball received a one-time authorization to use the lights at the complex this fall from September 1, 2020– November 15, 2020.

"The town committee was very helpful," said Ridge Baseball Club Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Kevin Larner. "They were very cooperative and passed the resolution quickly so we could get started."

After being shut down since mid-March, Ridge baseball teams began practicing in the evenings last week. Larner said the abrupt cancellation of the spring and summer season made this fall even more necessary, and special.

"This is a good thing," he said, "and it's not only about the baseball. It's about the boys and girls in the community who can play baseball now."