What people have ‘wrong’ about St. John’s, Alabama’s super regional opponent
St. John's is no Cinderella. Alabama baseball certainly can't view the Red Storm as such. Other teams have already made that mistake.
Olivia Bennett 
Forget the fairy tales. When St. John’s arrives in Tuscaloosa, they aren't pulling up in a pumpkin or wearing glass slippers. Alabama baseball head coach Rob Vaughn is making one thing clear: the Red Storm are no Cinderella story, and treating them like one is a mistake the Crimson Tide refuses to make.
A Battle-Tested Opponent
St. John’s secured its spot as Alabama's opponent for this weekend’s Tuscaloosa Super Regional by shaking up the Tallahassee Regional. Entering as a No. 4 seed, they defied expectations with a string of upsets, but Vaughn insists their presence is earned, not accidental.
"People billing St. John’s as a Cinderella story is just wrong," Vaughn said following Friday’s practice at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. "They’re not going to be afraid. They’re not going to be intimidated. We’ve got to come in and make sure we’re the tougher group tomorrow. They’re a good team. They deserve to be here, and it’s our job to get after them."
The Road to the Super Regional
Alabama, the No. 7 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, hosts the series starting Saturday at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Game two is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. CT, with a decisive third game Monday if necessary.
The Red Storm enter the series riding an eight-game winning streak—a remarkable turnaround after a dismal 1-10 start to their season. "Awful," Vaughn remarked on their early record. "And they’re sitting here playing in a super regional. That tells you about the dynamic in that group."
Beyond their Big East tournament title, they proved their resilience in regionals with key wins over Florida State and Northern Illinois.
Key Players to Watch
Pitcher Liam O’Leary leads the St. John’s rotation with a 3.25 ERA over 105.1 innings, tallying 74 strikeouts. "O’Leary is just a dog on the mound, man," Vaughn noted. "That’s just a dude who is setting up for his boys... It’s a battle-tested group that is playing with confidence."
Offensively, the Red Storm feature a balanced attack led by Jayder Raifstanger’s .336 batting average. Adam Agresti provides the pop with 19 home runs, supported by Shaun McMillan, who has added 10 homers.
"Got a dynamic dude at the top, got some dangerous hitters there in the middle," Vaughn said of the New York-based squad. "Agresti is a really good player. He has power and can really catch behind the plate. They’re tough, man. They’ve always been a tough, gritty group of New York kids."
