GREENVILLE, N.C. – Preseason Big East favorite St. John's held the UNCG baseball team's offense in check Sunday morning as the Red Storm downed the Spartans 4-0 in game four of the Keith LeClair Classic inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. UNCG falls to 2-3 overall with the loss while St. John's moves to 3-2 after its second-straight victory.

The Spartans out-hit the Red Storm 8-7, but left nine men on base. SJU also took advantage of six walks by the Spartan pitching staff.

Freshman RHP Michael Bates (0-1) took a loss in his first career start, throwing three innings and allowing one run on three hits. He walked four and struck out two. Cody Stashak tallied the victory for SJU as he tossed six scoreless innings and struck out five against just one walk.

Freshman designated hitter Devin Ruiz notched a team-high two hits while Alex Caruso and Zach Lauricella picked up two hits apiece to lead the Red Storm.

St. John's put up the first run of the game in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly to center and threatened to score again in the bottom of the fourth. With no outs and runners at first and second, senior LHP Blair Betts came on and worked brilliantly out of the jam. After a sac bunt accounted for the first out, Betts induced a pop up and a fly ball out to end the frame.

UNCG put up its own threat in the top of the fifth. Senior outfielder Eric Kalbfleisch led off with an infield single and stole second before senior infielder Aaron Wright drew a walk. After Ruiz struck out, sophomore catcher Jake Kusz flied out to the warning track in left to terminate the half inning.

The Spartans ran into some two-out trouble in the sixth as consecutive infield singles and a bases-loaded walk by Betts made the score 3-0 in favor of the Red Storm. Freshman RHP Daniel Dulaney came on and recorded the final out to keep the UNCG deficit at three. St. John's added a run in the bottom of the seventh off of a wild pitch to extend its advantage to 4-0.

For the second-straight contest, the Spartans mounted a late rally. With two away in the top of the eighth, Senior outfielder Zac MacAneney drew a walk before consecutive infield singles by senior outfielder Tyler Long and senior infielder Hunter King loaded the bases for Kalbfleisch. He poked a dribbler in front of the mound, but a nice throw by the SJU pitcher Thomas Hackimer nabbed him at first to end the threat. UNCG produced two more two-out hits in the top of the ninth, but a fielder's choice play ended the contest and preserved the shutout for the Red Storm.

The Spartans return to the field Tuesday, traveling to Durham for the first of two meetings with Atlantic Coast Conference member Duke. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Jack Coombs Field.

Follow the UNCG baseball team all season by logging on to www.uncgspartans.com and following the Spartans' official Twitter accounts @uncgbaseball/@uncgsports.