Box Score South Alabama withstood a rally by FIU and held on to defeat the Panthers, 6-5, in the second game of the weekend series in Mobile, Alabama.

The Jaguars (24-8, 7-4 Sun Belt) built a 6-1 lead after three innings. However, the Panthers (17-14, 5-6 SBC) chipped away at the advantage with three runs in the fifth inning and one run in the seventh inning, but could not complete the comeback.

Right-hander Albert Cardenas, in relief of starter Ty Sullivan, pitched brilliantly. Cardenas pitched the longest outing of his FIU career going 5 1/3 shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out eight batters to help keep the Jaguars at bay while the Panthers rallied. Cardenas lowered his team-leading ERA to 0.65 and has now struck out 39 batters in 27 2/3 innings pitched this season.

Down 6-1 in the top of the fifth inning, FIU scored three runs. The Panthers scored on an RBI ground out by Oscar Aguirre, an RBI triple by Nathan Burns and an RBI single by Roche Woodard.

Freshman Edwin Rios led off the seventh inning with a solo home run to close the gap to 6-5 for FIU, but the Panthers would not score the rest of the way as the Jaguars took game two of the three-game series. Rios tied Aramis Garcia, Josh Anderson and T.J. Shantz for the team lead in home runs with five.

Rios was 4 for 5 on Saturday. Garcia and Burns each had two hits.

FIU and South Alabama play the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Mobile.