A Columbus youth baseball team will play in a tournament this weekend at Ceraland, but future events may be up in the air because of a lack of funds.
Shaun Berger, head coach of the Team Berger 12-and-under squad, said the team has separated from the Indiana Bombers organization after it was discovered that about $12,000 was missing from the team’s account.
The Brown County Sheriff Department confirmed Thursday that it is investigating the organization’s owner after a complaint was filed by Team Berger parents Lynsey Metz and Misty Proctor.
Berger said they became suspicious when the parent of a Bombers 8-and-under player made an accusation that money had been taken from a team account and used for a truck payment.
After that, the team owner handed over the bookkeeping duties to Metz, which led to the owner being confronted by six parents over allegations of misuse of the team’s funds, Berger said.
The Bombers’ 8-and-under and 13-and-under teams are based out of Brown County, where the owner lives, according to Berger.
The 12-and-under squad is based in Columbus and separated from the organization last week.
“About seven months ago, they (the Indiana Bombers organization) did a fundraiser,” Berger said. “Nobody got their merchandise or their money back. Last time, they said everything would be in on Feb. 9. We’re going into April, and still nothing. It’s just a mess.”
Team Berger is scheduled to play in the USSSA Spring Bash at 9 a.m. Saturday at Ceraland. The tournament concludes on Sunday.
