Vandalism forces cancellation of fundraising tournament at Arena Park

A softball tournament designed as a fundraiser for a traveling girls team was canceled because of overnight vandalism at Arena Park, organizers said Saturday.

The Orange Crush, a team for girls ages 10 to 12, would have been the beneficiaries of the tournament, which was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and continue today.

Three fields prepared for the tournament were flooded when high-pressure hoses used to dampen dust in the infield were wedged into the fences and directed at home plate, said John Hedrick, team sponsor. Only fields being used for the tournament were vandalized, he said, and no other fields were available because of prior bookings.

"This was our big deal to help girls with uniforms and tournaments and insurance and keep expenses away from the parents," Hedrick said.