TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Interstat) – Oklahoma State (37-21) meets Alabama State (34-22) on Saturday in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, with the winner advancing in the playoff bracket.

The Cowboys and Hornets square off in an afternoon game at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Oklahoma State comes in after a 8-5 loss to South Carolina Upstate on Friday, while Alabama State dropped a 21-3 decision at Alabama.

Oklahoma State will look to right-hander Stormy Rhodes, who took the loss Friday despite a solid start: 6⅓ innings, four hits, two earned runs and six strikeouts. In his previous outing, a 7-5 win over Arizona on May 16, Rhodes worked seven innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs with six strikeouts. He also threw five scoreless innings at Arizona State on May 9, yielding no hits but three runs (two earned) with two strikeouts.

For Alabama State, outfielder Miguel Oropeza has been the offensive catalyst. In Friday’s loss to Alabama, he went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Over his last 10 games, Oropeza has hit safely in nine, posting four home runs and 22 RBIs, including a 3-for-4, five-RBI effort against Grambling on May 20 and a 2-for-3, three-RBI game against Bethune-Cookman on May 10.

The Cowboys have won four of their last six, including a series win at Arizona State (May 8-10) and a 12-7 victory at Oral Roberts on May 12. Their other recent results: a 2-9 loss at Kansas on May 22, a 12-6 win at UCF on May 21, and a 7-4 loss to Arizona on May 14.

Alabama State has been on a roll, winning eight of its last nine before Friday’s blowout loss. That stretch included a 10-0 win over Grambling, a series sweep at Alcorn State, and a 14-11 victory over Bethune-Cookman. The Hornets also swept Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a three-game set May 22-23.

Key players for Oklahoma State in Friday’s loss included right fielder Remo Indomenico (2-for-5, home run, three RBIs) and designated hitter Garrett Shull (2-for-3, RBI). Alabama State got contributions from pitcher Caleb Sanders (one scoreless inning, two strikeouts) and catcher Trey Callaway (2-for-4, home run, RBI).

The game is the second meeting between the programs this season; Oklahoma State won the first 8-3 on March 14. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CDT.