MIAMI, Fla. - The University of the Incarnate Word softball team advanced to Sunday's Panther Invitational championship game with a semifinal victory over Florida A&M, a 10-3 win in UIW's second game of the day. 
 
The Cardinals fell to tournament host Florida International in their final game of round robin play earlier on Saturday. UIW's record moved to 10-5 on the season. 
 
FIU 3, UIW 2
 
The Panthers struck in the bottom of the first inning, scoring the first run of the game on a single and taking a 1-0 lead. The Cardinals tied the score in the top of the third. Madison Dorrow led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ayla Gonzales. Dorrow crossed the plate on an RBI single to center field by Sydney Zenon, which made it 1-1.
 
A three-single rally in the bottom of the third put FIU ahead again, 2-1. UIW put a runner on base in the fourth courtesy of a one-out single by Dominique Guerra, but she was stranded. The Panthers made it 3-1 in the fifth with a lead off single followed by a run-scoring double.
 
The Cardinals managed to get two on in the sixth. Erin Perez and Guerra singled with two outs, but they were stranded. UIW built another rally in the top of the seventh. Prisais Quintero began the frame with a single. She came around to score on a single by Dorrow later in the inning, cutting the Cardinals deficit to 3-2.
 
Carmen Uribe pinch ran for Dorrow at first, but UIW could not get her around and the Cardinals ultimately fell 3-2.
 
UIW 10, Florida A&M
 
The Cardinals entered the semifinal round as the number three seed while the Rattlers were number two thanks to Florida A&M's victory over UIW on Friday. However, despite being the lower seed, the Cardinals controlled the game from the beginning.
 
UIW plated three runs in the top of the first inning. Zenon led off with a single and scored when the next batter, Victoria Altamirano, doubled. Jaisy Caceres followed with an RBI double of her own and later crossed the plate on a throwing error. It was Altamirano's team-leading 21st RBI of the year while Caceres picked up her 14th, the second most on the squad.
 
Altamirano made it 22 RBI in the top of the second when she drove in Gonzales, who reached on a single and made her way to third on a wild pitch and a ground out, on a sacrifice fly, giving UIW a 4-0 lead. Quintero made it 5-0 in the third with a run-scoring base hit.
 
The Rattlers got back in the game by scratching out two runs in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth while holding the Cardinals scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings.
 
UIW broke the game open in the sixth. The Cardinals loaded the bases with nobody out on a walk by Zenon and singles by Altamirano and Caceres. Kennedy Hill was sent up to pinch hit, and she launched a grand slam to left-center field, putting her team ahead 9-3. It was the sophomore's first home run of the season in just her fifth at bat and her second career long ball.
 
Quintero singled home Guerra later in the frame, ballooning UIW's advantage to 10-3. The Rattlers put two runners on in the bottom of the sixth, but did not offer a significant threat the rest of the way, as the Cardinals closed out the victory and punched their ticket to the Panther Invitational championship game.
 
Jenny Robledo starred in the circle for UIW, pitching three scoreless innings and allowing just two hits while striking out five and walking none. Robledo earned her first save of the season while Ava Hernandez picked up her first win of the year.
 
UIW (10-5, 0-0) returns to action on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as it closes out the Panther Invitational. The Cardinals will take on either FIU or Eastern Illinois with the tournament title on the line.