Just over a week ago, the United States Department of Justice officially got involved in an investigation into the Minnesota State girls’ high school softball championship.
Yes, you read that right. Stick with me.
Back in February, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) launched Title IX investigations into the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), which had publicly announced plans to permit male athletes to compete in women’s sports and allow them access to women’s facilities.
On April 4, the Department of Education and the Justice Department formed the national Title IX Special Investigations Team to expedite key Title IX probes. Prior to that, such cases were handled solely by the DOE’s OCR.
On May 26, Minnesota’s Champlin Park High School’s undefeated girls’ softball team took a 15-minute drive to face Rogers High School for the first game of a double-elimination Section 5 semi-final, with a 6’0” tall junior as Champlin Park’s starting pitcher.
17-year-old Marissa Rothenberger threw a complete game shutout for the Rebels, recording five strikes and only four hits over seven innings, leading Champlin Park to a 2-0 victory.
Three days later, Champlin Park hosted the Rogers HS Royals for game 2, again with Rothenberger as its starting pitcher. And, once again, Marissa tossed a seven-inning shutout, this time racking up nine strikeouts and allowing only seven hits.
On June 3, the Department of Education’s OCR initiated a separate investigation into the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) after it received a formal complaint alleging that MDE maintained policies that allowed biological males to participate in female-only sports and to access female facilities like restrooms and showers.
While this complaint was similar to the first, the response expanded the scope of the investigation to the entire state education establishment, raising questions about its policies beyond just sports.
That afternoon, Champlin Park faced off against Eagan HS at Caswell Park in North Mankato for the state quarterfinal.
Champlin Park’s starting pitcher?
You guessed it — Rothenberger.
That day, Marissa again threw a complete game, giving up zero runs and seven hits, while tallying four strikeouts, leading the team to a 5-0 win.
The next day, Rothenberg took the mound again (though it’s not a mound in softball). Champlin Park’s opponent that day, White Bear Lake HS, managed to score just two runs (only one earned) in its 3-2 loss.
Next, it was off to the finals, to be played a Jane Sage Cowles Stadium, the home field of the University of Minnesota.
Yeah, on June 6, Rothenberger would once again be starting for the Rebels and would, once again, record a complete game shutout, striking out six and allowing just three hits and no walks.
So, Marissa threw all 35 innings of Champlin Park’s five-game postseason, allowing a total of two runs (one earned) and 17 hits, while recording 27 strikeouts.
Wow, what I would give to have an ace like that throwing for my team.