Cape Elizabeth seniors Grace Needleman and Alice Evans became media darlings last week, making headlines from Florida to California.

Media outlets tapped into the story of the two Cape Elizabeth girls who asked 32-year-old Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein to their prom.

After a flurry of media attention including a spot on ESPN2, a day with a local TV station, and a plethora of newspaper interviews and photo shoots, the girls discovered they were going to prom sans Theo.

“The girls are a little disappointed, but also a little glad to be returning to normal,” said Martha Palmer, the mother of Alice Evans. “I personally think it is too bad that the Red Sox couldn’t figure out how to capitalize on publicity through this, rather than just turning it down.”

Needleman and Evans grabbed Epstein’s and the media’s attention early last week during spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., where they were vacationing with Needleman’s family. They each held up posters. One read, “Will you go to prom with me?”

When approached by Epstein, they mistakenly told him their prom date was May 6, rather than May 12. He said he would try to stop by after his Boston game that same night, said Evans.

The media, especially the Maine media, played the story big, and at least one local business decided to get in on the fun.

Cape Elizabeth Inn By The Sea Manager Tom Petot saw the story explode and thought the Inn could help persuade Epstein to take a jaunt to Maine. “It was one of those cute feel good stories…we felt that we should jump in and help out,” he said.

So Petot called the Red Sox last Thursday and offered Epstein a free night at the Inn, including dinner, in an attempt to lure him to Cape Elizabeth. “It was to try and sweeten the pot…we were hoping that he’d come and give the girls a wonderful evening out,” said Rauni Kew, the spokeswoman for the Inn By the Sea.

Although Assistant Director of Baseball Operations Zack Scott assured Petot he’d relay the message to Epstein, it apparently wasn’t enough to convince Epstein, who later indicated, through a Red Sox spokesman, that he wouldn’t be coming to the Cape Elizabeth prom.

Though Needleman and Evans maintained hope that Epstein would come to prom, they said last week that if he didn’t come they would still have fun as each other’s dates.

Though Epstein won’t be attending the prom, The Inn By The Sea has extended their invitation of a free dinner to Needleman, Evans and their families.

“We’ll keep the fun going,” said Kew.

It looks like Cape Elizabeth seniors Grace Needleman, left, and Alice Evans, right, will need to look for oter prom dates after Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein declined their invitation to the Cape Elizabeth prom.