Nick Rodriguez remembers sitting at his host family's house over the summer when he watched Missouri State baseball for the first time.
The then-Charleston Southern standout watched the Bears play in an NCAA Tournament thriller against Grand Canyon. Trailing by four heading into the top of the ninth, Rodriguez watched future teammates Spencer Nivens and Mason Hull hit home runs that led MSU to a come-from-behind 8-7 win. Rodriguez saw what the Bears were capable of and, for whatever reason, thought of how fun it would be to be a Bear.
In the transfer portal, Rodriguez later reached out to Missouri State coaches.