It may be weeks before baseball season begins, but members of a softball league in Glace Bay, N.S., say they've already been thrown a curve ball.

According to witnesses, a couple in a car decided to go joyriding through the local baseball field Thursday, ripping up sods and sand in the process.

The damage is significant.

“I was at a loss for words,” said softball player Lee MacNeil. “I couldn't believe it. I was expecting an 18 or 19 year-old … but to see a mother, father and child being involved with this, it was an eye-opening experience.”

Cape Breton Regional Municipality councillor George MacDonald says the community is outraged.

“It is a field dedicated to one of our former principals,” said MacDonald. “It's widely used. It's used five or six times a week with tournaments, so it's devastating.”

The field was at one time abandoned. The backstop was worn down and the grass grown in. The diamond is privately owned, but is maintained by the municipality.

Over the past several years, members of the women’s league have committed a lot time to bring the playing surface back up to par.

“It was 24/7 most days,” said MacNeil. “The girls would be up here and the guys would be helping with the rakes and stuff. It was a team effort to get it in shape, prior to what happen here this week.”

MacNeil says the vehilce ended up getting stuck and that neighbours witnessed the family leave the area. The car was eventually towed away.

Cape Breton Regional Police confirm they received calls about the incident and the matter is under investigation.

“We're trying to see if the car owner has insurance and they made be able to help out with the cost, but I have no doubt CBRM and the women’s softball team will find a way to get the field back in shape,” said MacDonald.

There's no final price tag on how much it will cost to fix the field, but it's a task the team was not expecting.

Despite the damage, the team says they'll have the field ready for baseball season and hope by speaking out, it will keep vandals away.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.