TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Interstat) — The Alabama Crimson Tide (40-19) host the Saint John’s Red Storm (36-24) on Saturday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in a nonconference matchup with postseason implications.

Alabama enters the game a heavy favorite. Interstat’s ELO system projects a 75.20 percent probability of a Crimson Tide victory, and the betting line has Alabama as a -3.5 favorite.

The Crimson Tide are coming off an 11-inning, 9-7 win at Oklahoma State on May 31. Pitcher Myles Upchurch, a key player to watch, threw six scoreless innings, allowing zero hits and four earned runs with nine strikeouts. In his previous two starts, Upchurch (May 16 vs. Mississippi) worked seven innings, gave up four hits and two earned runs with six strikeouts; and (May 10 at South Carolina) tossed six shutout innings, allowing one earned run and striking out five. Alabama’s offense was led in the Oklahoma State game by catcher Brady Neal, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs.

Saint John’s, meanwhile, arrives after a 5-4 win over Florida State on June 1. Catcher Adam Agresti, the Red Storm’s featured player, went 1-for-2 with a home run and four RBIs. Over his last 10 games, Agresti has been productive: he homered and drove in one run against Florida State on May 29; had an RBI against Northern Illinois on May 31; and collected multiple hits with an RBI against Butler on May 16. He went 0-for-3 in a loss to Butler on May 14 and 0-for-4 in a loss at Villanova on May 10.

Saint John’s has won nine of its last 10 contests, including a 21-8 rout of Northern Illinois on May 31 and a 6-5 win at Florida State on May 29. The Red Storm’s pitching was solid in the Florida State win: Evan Hoeckele (5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 K) and Jack Nestler (1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER) combined to hold the Seminoles.

Alabama has won six of its last seven, including a 21-3 blowout of Alabama State on May 29 and a 7-6 win at South Carolina on May 10. The Crimson Tide’s only recent stumble was an 8-inning, 13-3 loss to Florida on May 21.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT. The game marks the first meeting between the programs since 2019. Saint John’s will look to ride Agresti’s hot bat, while Alabama counters with Upchurch’s dominant arm.