SPRINGFIELD, Mass. The American International baseball team added a run in the ninth, but still fell to the College of Saint Rose Wednesday afternoon in a Northeast-10 tilt at AIC par, 10-8.

With the loss AIC falls to 6-11 overall and 1-1 in the NE-10 Southwest Division, while with the win Saint Rose improves to 6-13 and 2-0 in the Southwest.

Down 10-7 in the home half of the ninth, the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with no one out. Senior Dan Asselin (Chicopee, Mass.) singled back to the pitcher, sending freshman shortstop Eddie Ritch (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) home, but Saint Rose forced three straight outs to follow and survived the late scare from AIC.

Keeping American International in the game was a big five-run fifth. Asselin came to the plate, again with the bases loaded, and sent Ritch home with a single to center field.

Designated hitter Lucas Vallas (East Northport, N.Y.) followed suit, sending one back to center, but hard enough to plate Dan Fenton (Agawam, Mass.) and Cam MacDonald (Weymouth, Mass.). Tyler Geffert (Hopedale, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice to second, scoring Asselin from third and proceeded to steal second. At bat was Mike Coyne (El Cajon, Calif.) whose double to deep right field scored Geffert from second putting AIC up 7-4 after five.

Despite all that, the Golden Knights recorded their own five run sixth inning to regain the lead and added another in eighth.

Asselin finished 3-for-5 from the plate with the run and two RBI's. Junior David Kerlejza (Uinionville, Conn.) struck out two and did not factor in the decision.

The Yellow Jackets outhit St. Rose 11-9, but made three costly errors.

AIC returns to action tomorrow, Thursday, April 3 at Adelphi for a makeup doubleheader. First game is slated to begin at 1 p.m.