LOWELL, Mass. – Despite a late rally in the ninth, the UMass Lowell baseball team fell 5-3 to Fairfield in non-conference action Saturday night at LeLacheur Park.
 
Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) drove in a pair for the River Hawks (20-25), including one in the final frame on his second hit of the contest.
 
The Stags (21-25) took the game's first lead on a heads up play as Jeff Gethings scored during a run down. After Mark Tumosa (Willington, Conn.) walked, stole second and advanced on an error, Passatempo doubled to the gap in right center to quickly tie the score in the bottom half.
 
Fairfield scored the next four runs of the night, scoring two in each the fifth and eight innings, as starter John Signore kept the hosts at bay, striking out 11 in seven innings.
 
Passatempo came within inches of tying the game with one swing in the sixth, but his shot died at the warning track to end the frame.
 
Trailing 5-1, the first three batters reached in the ninth, including Passatempo's RBI single. With runners on the corners, Cam Climo (Billerica, Mass.) cut the deficit to two with a sacrifice fly.
 
With the results around the league, the River Hawks clinched a berth in the America East tournament for the first time in program history.
 
Both teams take the field tomorrow at noon to wrap up the series with a doubleheader.