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The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Women's Softball State Championship is officially underway – so is the controversy surrounding Champlin Park's starting pitcher.
Cross-identification male athlete Marissa Rothenberger played a full game Wednesday morning as the second seed Champlin Park defeated No. 7 Eagan 5-0 in the AAAA quarterfinals. Rothenberger won seven hits and hit four in the win.
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Champlin Park shook hands with Egan players after the quarterfinals of the Minnesota Women’s Softball State game. (Amber Harding/Outkick)
Rothenberger, who played in women's sports, highlighted the trends throughout the state and the country, threw 14 innings in the back-to-back matches of the division finals to help Champlin Park compete in the state.
On Wednesday, not everyone in the stands applauded.
Two Eagan's parents asked for anonymity for their daughter, and they were frustrated and disappointed after the game. A mother wearing a “Save Girls Sports” T-shirt said the result was inevitable.
“I'm very disappointed and frustrated,” she told Outkick. “I think we've seen this happening to our girls again and again. You're watching online, you see women transitioning to men, and they don't rule any movements of men. You can't see that. But, on the woman's side, you've seen all over the country over and over.
Her frustration was more than just a scoreboard.
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“I think it's really unfair,” she said. “I'm really disappointed that all schools are not united and say, 'Enough.
The father of another Eagan player agreed, saying the situation was clearly in violation of federal law.
“Yes, I think it's totally unfair – a violation of federal title IX,” he said. “Minnesota State wants to ignore the fact that it's ridiculous. If they want to keep playing sports – I think it's great – you can play baseball. But it's very ridiculous to do it with the girls and keep everyone silent.”
Marissa Rothenberger played the full game in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota Women's Softball State Championship. (Amber Harding/Outkick)
He added that despite training for athletes in any case, he knew Rothenberger would add a bit of frustration to the mound.
“As an athlete, you get there and play with your hands, so you want to keep competing,” he said. “But, it’s frustrating.”
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Champlin Park will face No. 6 White Bear Lake in the semifinals Wednesday afternoon.
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