By SEAN JANSSEN

The Union Democrat

Softball players in the Ebbetts Pass League like the smiles, sweets and soft drinks offered at Court-right-Emerson Memorial Park during their weekday games.

Weekend thieves and vandals could take that away from everyone involved if further incidents like the ones that happened there last weekend continue.

"It's been pretty heartbreaking," said Candace Miller, a player and organizer for the league. "The couple that operates (the snack shack) don't have a lot of money. It's tough when we run (the league) all on volunteers and donations."

Burglars struck not once, but twice, doing lighter damage in a break-in Friday evening. They broke handles off the snack shack door, took a few bags of candy "and left the (stadium) lights on all night, racking up a pretty big PG&E bill," Miller said.

"On Saturday, that's when they really hit us," Steve Pitsford, a Murphys man who operates the stand with his wife, Theresa, said of the second break-in.

Although Pitsford replaced the lock on the stand's door, thieves made their way in anyway. This time, they left with about $280 in candy, chips, sports drinks and a newly-purchased cooler. Oddly, they left items like a microwave and crock pot alone.

Pitsford installed a more expensive, stronger lock after Saturday's break-in and plans to "bring what we think we need day-to-day" for the rest of the summer rather than leaving merchandise in the stand during weekends.

"It'd be hard to go through it again," he said, adding that future thefts could force him out of the hospitality business at the ballpark for financial reasons.

He said he hopes the strengthened security benefits "somebody else next year ... if it's not me."

In the meantime, Pitsford thinks someone involved in the burglary "will talk and get themselves caught."

Contact Sean Janssen at sjanssen@uniondemocrat.com or 736-8097.