NEW RICHLAND &045; As you looked at the schedule in the preseason, it might have been billed as a game that could help determine the Gopher Conference softball championship.

Instead, it was a meeting of two familiar opponents trying to gather momentum for the postseason.

United South Central, a favorite to contend in the Gopher after moving from the larger South Central Conference, defeated perennial conference contender NRHEG 10-4 at New Richland Thursday.

Both squads had hoped for better records this spring, but the Rebels have won six of nine after starting 0-5 and are now 5-5 in the conference and 6-8 overall. The Panthers, 8-8, have been plagued by defensive miscues, and that was again the case Thursday.

&uot;We did not play well defensively,&uot; said Panthers coach Wendy Schultz, whose team surrendered seven unearned runs. &uot;We need to get more aggressive and play much better defense.&uot;

USC Senior catcher Beth Yokiel was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, junior shortstop Shannon Schrader 2-for-4 with one RBI. Megan Huston had a hit and drove in two runs.

Betsy Waldhauser, Steph Burshem, Emily Hagen, Chelsy Quiram and Erin Anderson had one hit apiece for the Panthers. Quiram knocked in two runs, Hagen one.

Andrea Schultz, a sophomore right-hander, pitched all seven innings for the Rebels, striking out three while walking five.

Anderson went the route for NRHEG. She struck out nine and walked one.

Burshem led the Panthers defensively, making three nice catches in center field.

The Rebels face Alden-Conger at Wells Monday while the Panthers host Blooming Prairie.