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Southland’s Shannon Kiefer drives a pitch for a hit in Rose Creek Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Southland’s Laney Weis winds up against Hayfield. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Hayfield’s Kenna Selk trots home to a score a run against the Rebels in Rose Creek Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Hayfield’s Nora Bamlet makes solid contact. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Southland’s Abby Sorgatz makes a play at first base. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Hayfield’s Carrie Rutledge fouls off a pitch in Rose Creek Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Southland shortstop Jaida Sorenson scoops up a ground ball as Hayfield’s Nora Bamlet runs towards third base. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

ROSE CREEK – The Southland and Hayfield softball teams may just be forming a rivalry.

After splitting a pair of games last season, with Hayfield winning in the Section 1A Tournament, it was the Rebels who came through on Friday as they started fast and hung on to win 10-7.

Southland’s Shannon Kiefer helped get the offense going early on when she followed up Jaida Sorenson’s two-run single, with a two-out, two-run single to put Southland up 4-0 in the first inning.

“Overthinking can ruin a game for someone,” Kiefer said. “You just have to let your mind go. I struggled a lot last game, so coming out with a big hit right away helped out a lot.”

Southland led 10-4 after Grace Kresbach drove in two runs in the fifth, but Hayfield (5-5 overall) pulled to within 10-7 in the top of the sixth after Melody Walker singled in a pair of runs. Southland pitcher Laney Weis was able to strike out Betsy Gillette with two runners on base to preserve the lead.

Weis finished with 10 strikeouts on a cold day that saw temperatures dip into the 40s.

“It takes a little while to get warmed up (in the cold), but it’s kind of fun though,” Weis said. “I think everything’s coming together pretty well. We’ve just got to keep playing as a team.”

Kiefer did not agree with her pitcher’s take on the weather.

“I don’t think so,” she said after Weis said the cold was fun. “Your hands go numb a little bit and you’re shivering out there in the outfield. You have to make sure you’re ready.”

Southland’s offense is humming as the Rebels (10-2 overall) scored a total of 44 runs in three games this week. On the season, Southland has scored at least nine runs nine times.

“We’ve been stressing all season long that we can’t be intimidated and we have to be able to go after whoever is on the mound against us,” Southland head coach Tom Clements said. “We had great timely hitting today with people in scoring position.”

Hayfield co-head coach Travis Kauffman said that the Vikings feel they are close to a Rebel team that they could very well see again in the playoffs.

“It’s always good to test your team, win or lose,” Kaufman said. “You’re only as good as your competition. We let a couple of questionable things dictate our situation and they kind of capitalized and we didn’t. They made hits when it counted.”

Hayfield 0 0 2  0 2 3  0  –   7 10  2

Southland 4 0 1  1 4 0  X  –  10 9  1  

Southland pitching: Laney Weis (W) 7 IP, 10 H, 3 BB, 7 R, 6 ER, 10 K, HBP

Southland hitting: Weis, 1-for-4, RBI, R; Grace Kresbach, 2-for-3, 2 SB, 2 R, BB; Kiley Koenigs, 1-for-3, RBI, R, HBP; Clara Timm, 1-for-4, 2 R; Jaida Sorenson, 2-for-4, 3 RBIs, R; Abby Sorgatz, 0-for-1, BB; Shannon Kiefer, 1-for-4, 2 RBIs; Riana Ulven, 1-for-4, R; Haylee Lowe, 1-for-2, R, BB; Kaiya Hemann, 1-for-1, R, HBP

Hayfield pitching: Ella Bamlet (L) 6 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 10 ER, 3 HBP, 2 K

Hayfield hitting: Kenna Selk, 4-for-4, 2 R; Kenna Rutledge, 1-for-2, 3 R, 2 BBs; Nora Bamlet, 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs, R, BB; Jenna Christopherson, 1-for-3, 2 RBIs, R, BB; Melody Walker, 2-for-4, 2 RBIs; Betsy Gillette, 1-for-4, RBI; Jordyn Knudson, 0-for-3, HBP; Alexys Swygman, 0-for-4; Ella Bamlet, 0-for-4