Minnesota's first-ever girls baseball tournament scheduled for June

(FOX 9) - The Minnesota Twins have announced what is believed to be the state’s first-ever girls baseball tournament.

In partnership with Baseball For All and the Triple-A affiliate St. Paul Saints, the Twins announced Tuesday the "Baseball For All Toni Stone Invitational Powered by the Minnesota Twins" – set for June 11-12 at the Dunning Sports Complex in St. Paul

"We are thrilled to partner with Baseball For All to deliver an opportunity for girls in the region – both baseball and softball players alike – to play in Minnesota’s first-ever girls baseball tournament," Nancy O’Brien, the Twins’ vice president of community engagement, said in an announcement. "Providing girls with a chance to play and excel in the same game as their favorite Twins players is a wonderful way to continue the legacy of Toni Stone; to do so in the same month that Title IX turns 50 is truly inspirational for us and parallels our goal of removing barriers and providing equity in access."

All month FOX 9 has celebrated the 50th anniversary of Title IX by telling different stories of women who have impacted sports.

All tournaments affiliated with Baseball For All – a nonprofit aimed at increasing the presence and participation of women and girls in baseball – are named after famous women in baseball. The Twins’ event honors Stone, a St. Paul native and the first woman to play in the Negro Leagues, now recognized by MLB as a major league on the same level as the American and National Leagues. Registration is open now for girls aged 7-14.

The tournament also coincides with MLB’s annual Play Ball Weekend. Launched in 2015, Play Ball is a collaboration between MLB, USA Baseball, USA Softball and other organizations that host and support youth sports, aimed at supporting and growing diamond sports across all areas of the amateur and grassroots levels.