Cleveland, Tenn. --- The University of Rio Grande RedStorm baseball team, ranked No. 25 in the NAIA preseason Top 25 poll, could not repeat last year's feat of knocking off highly rated Lee University, ranked No. 2 in the NAIA preseason Top 25 poll. Lee edged Rio, 4-1 in a nine-inning affair on Monday afternoon.

Rio Grande (3-8) managed only three hits against some stellar Lee pitching. 

Lee (11-3) scored all the runs it would need in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three times against Rio starter and loser Ryan Robertson (Waverly, OH). Robertson (1-3), perhaps on any other day, pitched well enough to win. He went seven innings, allowing seven hits and three runs with four strikeouts and one walk. 

Senior right-hander Desmond Sullivan (Scarborough, Ontario) was touched up for the other run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Rio would score its lone run in the top of the fifth on an RBI double from sophomore designated Shane Spies (Polk, OH). Spies would go 1-for-3 on the day. Sophomore second baseman Kyle Perez (Casselberry, FL) and freshman leftfielder Michael Shroyer (Pataskala, OH) also went 1-for-3 at the plate and that was the extent of the RedStorm offense.

Curtis Camilli (1-0) kept the RedStorm bats quiet as he picked up the victory for Lee. Camilli went seven innings, giving up three hits and one run with six strikeouts and two walks. Joe Fabre fired two scoreless frames to collect the save. 

The schedule will lighten up considerably for the RedStorm as they open up the home portion of the schedule on Saturday (Feb. 26) versus NCAA Division III foe Franciscan University. The first game will begin at 1 p.m. Rio will host Miami-Hamilton in a double dip on Sunday afternoon, also beginning at 1 p.m. 

Stretch Internet will provide play-by-play coverage all four games.