TUCSON, Ariz. – In the bottom of the seventh inning Celestino Rodriguez was up to bat, but with the scoreboard off he was unsure of the situation he was in. The score was tied 4-4 and the Minot State University baseball team had already scored one run against Hastings College in the inning.

Rodriguez, who goes by Sal, was down early in his at bat with one ball and two strikes. And when he walked up to the plate to see the next pitch he hit a two-run double to spark a big inning for the Beavers and put his team up 6-4.

"Falling down in the count early was a little nerve-racking so I stepped out and took a breath," Rodriguez said. "Once I calmed myself down I was able to get some of the handle a little bit and it happened to put us over the edge."

MSU went on to score three more runs that inning, including a run recorded by Rodriguez. It was the only hit the Crystal Lake, Ill. native hit in the day, but it may have been the most important hit of his freshman season so far at Minot State. Batting fourth in the lineup, a spot reserved for players with his skill set, Rodriguez knows what he is being asked to do and is happy to have that responsibility.

"It's just added confidence. He has the confidence in me to stick me in that spot. I know why I'm here. I will definitely try to do the best for my team; these guys are like brothers so I try to do everything I can to help us win."

Minot State was not only down at the bottom of the seventh inning, but they had been trailing coming up to bat three times throughout the game, each time tying the score before the other team could record three outs.

"It was great," head coach Brock Weppler said. "It took a little while for our bats to get going, but the important thing was every time they scored, we scored back. We weren't playing from a four-run deficit or something, we responded each time.

"As good as our bats are it's a matter of time before they come through. I was important for our pitchers, Kendal [Daniels] and Lane [Biggs] to keep their guys at bay and give us a chance. That was good to see, good to end the trip on that note."

Jordan Schulz (OF, Jr., Strasbourg, Saskatchewan) and Paul Vogelsang (C, Jr., Regina, Saskatchewan) led the Beavers hitting with three hits and two, respectively. They both scored two runs for the team as well.

On the mound Kendal Daniels (Jr., Regina, Saskatchewan) and Lane Biggs (So., Salem, Ore.) pitched the majority of the game and allowed three runs apiece. Daniels pitched for six innings in his first start of the season while Biggs pitched three and earned his second win of the year. Wyatt Moore (So., Aurora, Ore.) came in to close the game and earned the first MSU save of 2016.

With the 9-6 win over Hastings the Beavers will be heading home with a two-game win streak under their belts before going to play Upper Iowa in less than a week's time.

"[Winning those games was] definitely fun and something we needed to do," Rodriguez said. "Now we can roll in with a full head of steam into Upper Iowa and hopefully keep the momentum rolling."

Minot State will travel to Upper Iowa to play a four-game series starting Friday, March 25, at 12 p.m.