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Just hours before players were set to take the field on national television at the Junior League World Series, the Atlee Little League softball team was disqualified from the tournament because of a social media post.

Atlee, which had been undefeated all week in the tournament in Kirkland, Wash., prevailed 1-0 on Friday in a feisty semifinal game against the host team from Kirkland. The event is for the best 12-to-15-year-old girls teams in the world.

After Friday’s game, a member of the Atlee team posted a picture on Snapchat showing six members of the team showing their middle fingers. The caption made it clear the gesture was intended for the Kirkland team.

Atlee manager Scott Currie said after the post was called to his attention, it was deleted immediately. He arranged for his team to deliver an apology in person that night to the Kirkland players. He said after the apologies, a Kirkland coach lauded the effort.

However, on Saturday morning, the head office of the Little League World Series disqualified Atlee from the tournament, and awarded Kirkland the berth in the title game.

In response to a request from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Little League spokesman Kevin Fountain issued the following statement: