Some miscues in the field proved costly for the Southland softball team in an 11-8 loss to Planview-Elgin-Millville in Rose Creek Monday.

The Rebels (2-16 overall) scored three in the bottom of the sixth off of an RBI double by Megan Mullenbach and a two-out, two-run single by Ashley Holdgraffer to pull within 10-8, but Brooke Hanson had a line-drive hit caught by PEM’s Genna Holtorf in center field to end the rally with runners on first and third.

The Bulldogs (4-15 overall), who added a run in the seventh, built there lead with a total of four unearned runs off of Southland freshman pitcher Brandi Schammel, who took the loss.

“It’s been (a problem for us in the field) for awhile now so it’s tough to say it’s a learning lesson,” Rebel head coach Greg Schulte said. “We’ve been trying to learn all year long. We’ve just gotta not commit so many errors. We do just fine when we play good defense.”

In the first inning, Schammel got the first two runners out, but the Rebel defense committed two straight errors on ground balls that allowed the Bulldogs to take an early 2-0 advantage.

Southland responed by taking a 4-2 lead in the first inning when Chelsey Smith hit a two-run triple and Hanson came up with a two-out, run scoring single. But the Bulldogs took the lead back as they scored on two infield singles in a second inning that saw them score four.

Besides her triple, Chelsey Smith had an in-the-park home run for the Rebels to lead off the third inning.

“We’ve been hitting the ball very well now,” Schulte said. “Chelsey had two great hits. It’s just our defense that’s holding us back a little.”

PEM got a huge break in the fourth inning, when it scored two runs on a dropped pop fly with two outs.

The Bulldogs followed that by shutting down an opportunity for the Rebels in the bottom of the fourth, when Smith flew out with the bases loaded. After the catch, Southland’s Chelsea Miller was thrown out at home on the play to make it a double play to end the inning.

With its regular season complete, Southland will now focus on the postseason. The Rebels will most likely have to play in a play-in game Thursday on the road.

Schulte said his team has confidence in its offense after winning two of it’s last five games of the season.

“They know they can hit now and that’s gonna keep them in the game,” he said.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

P/E/M 2 4 0 3 1 0 1 11 12 2

Southland 4 0 1 0 0 3 0 8 7 6

Southland pitching: Brandi Schammel (L), 7 IP, 12 H, 3 BB, 11 R, 7 ER, 7 K

Southland hitting: Teryn Coffman, 1-of-4, 1 BB, 2 SB, 2 R; Heather Sheely, 0-of-1, 2 BBs, 1 R; Chelsey Smith, 2-of-4, HR, triple, 3 RBIs, 2 R; Megan Mullenbach, 1-of-4, double, RB I; Ashley Holdgraffer, 1-of-4, 2 RBIs; Hilary Johnson, 0-of-3, 1 BB; Brooke Hanson, 1-of-2, RBI; Shari Swenson, 0-of-3, 1 BB; Chelsea Miller, 1-of-2; Kari Anderson, 0-of-2; Emily Heimer, 1 BB

PEM pitching: Alise Holst, 7 IP, 7 H, 6 BB, 8 ER, 4 K

PEM hitting: Alise Holst, 2-of-5, HR, RBI; Amanda Hippe, 3-of-5, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs; Libby Hoekstra, 1-of-5; Genna Holtorf, 2-of-5, 2 RBIs; Ashley Bartsch, 2-of-3, RBI; Kylie Dykes, 0-of-2, RBI; Ashley Rollins, 1-of-3, RBI; Nicole Haley, 0-of-4; Kayla Albers, 1-of-4