South Williamsport, Pa. – The summer that wouldn't end finally did for the Coon Rapids-Andover Little League baseball team.
The Minnesota team lost 10-0 in four innings to River Ridge, La., on Monday night in an elimination game at the Little League World Series.
One of eight U.S. teams to reach Williamsport, the Midwest champions lost two straight after opening the tournament with a victory on Friday.
Minnesota was outscored 21-0 in its two losses. After being no-hit Sunday by South Riding, Va., it managed only two hits against Louisiana, the Southeast champion.
Following Monday's game, players could be seen on ESPN2 collecting dirt in paper cups from the fabled field.
Minnesota had two of the more compelling story lines of the tournament. One was Maddy Freking, the starting second baseman who became the 19th girl to play in Williamsport and just the sixth girl to pitch. The other was Jenn Bloom, wife of coach Greg and mother of player Dylan. Jenn has leukemia but was cleared to travel just in time to watch her husband and son win their opening game.
This was the seventh time a Minnesota team made an appearance in the Little League World Series and the first since 2010. No Minnesota team has ever won the championship.
Monday's game began with a nice sliding catch in left field by Dylan Bloom, but starting pitcher Drew Law lasted only four more batters because of an apparent elbow injury.
