Theft hurts travel budget of South Portland team

SOUTH PORTLAND – A South Portland American Little League softball team is scrambling to pay for this weekend’s trip to the regional playoffs after last month’s vandalism and theft at a concession stand depleted its travel budget.

The girls’ Senior League team won the state championship Tuesday, qualifying for a berth in the Eastern Regional in West Haven, Conn.

Proceeds from the league’s concession stand help defray the estimated $3,500 to $5,000 cost of travel and expenses for the team’s 13 girls and their coaches.

But the bulk of the concessions at the South Portland stand were stolen when vandals broke into it on the night of July 15. The culprits also smashed several doors and damaged the league’s public address system, scoreboard controls and two riding mowers.

The team has been trying to raise money to get to the playoff series with teams from all over the Northeast. Several parents of team members have volunteered to car-pool and chip in for hotel costs.

“We’re going to go if we have to pitch tents,” said Wayne Wing, the league president.

Area businesses have been asked to help. On Wednesday, the team got a $1,000 donation from the Saco-Biddeford Savings Institution, Wing said.

The team will stay in West Haven from Saturday through at least Wednesday. If it continues winning games, it will be stay an additional three days.

Should the team advance to the national championships, Little League International will pay travel costs to Kentucky.

Police have no suspects in the vandalism incident, which Wing said reflects an ongoing problem for the league. A nonprofit organization that gets no city funds, it uses revenue from concessions to underwrite many of its expenses, such as travel.