Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - Orchard Park Little Leaguers won't be able to take the new field in 2025, after police say someone drove on to the diamond, causing significant damage.
"Obviously, it appears that they were going through the parking lot and doing donuts in the area of our old parking lot, up into our new parking lot and then just kept going right over top of the field, did donuts on top of our new field, and then drove off the other side of the field, and then left through our other exit," said Joe Stallone with Orchard Park Little League.
Stallone says work had been done to get the new diamond in place for more than a decade. He says he's disappointed and angry.
"We were just grateful to have it completed by the time it was and it is complete, except for the fencing. And we were going to try to use it this coming season, but now, obviously, it's probably gonna be put back into 2026, season at this point," Stallone said. "To finally realize it was exciting for us, and then to have something like this happen is devastating, really, and it's to what to what reason. I mean, it's a field for children to play on."
Stallone says a timeframe for repairs can't be determined yet.
"The field really needs to be walked over by the gentleman who created the field for us, and that's something that's going to have to be done, probably closer to springtime," Stallone said. "At this point, there's no ground repair work that can be done, so it's going to have to winter the way it is at this point."
He hopes a snow fence can be put up to help prevent a repeat offense.
Stallone wants to know one thing:
"Who did it and why," he said. "It just doesn't make any sense to damage something like this for no reason. So if anyone knows anything, please reach out to us."
Orchard Park Police are investigating the incident. They say a person responsible was driving a large, dark SUV.