The Mount Mercy Mustangs got off to a slow start in the Heart of  America Conference softball tournament at Busse Field Wednesday  morning, but they rebounded nicely Wednesday night to stay alive.

Mount Mercy lost to Culver-Stockton, 8-0, in the first game of the  tournament Wednesday morning in just five innings, but the Mustangs  bounced back with a 2-0 victory over William Penn in the losers  bracket on a three-hit shutout by Jayna Witzany.

Mount Mercy (31-21) will face Grand View or Central Methodist in an  elimination game Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Jess Heick went 2-for-3 for the Mustangs in the 2-0 victory over  William Penn. Payton Bruner collected a double and an RBI.

Olivia Brees of Baker pitched a perfect game with 14 strikeouts in a  5-0 victory over William Penn in the first round.

GAME 1

Mount Mercy       000 00 - 0 3 1
Culver-Stockton   012 23 - 8 11 1

Menster, Irwin (3) and Miller. O'Donnell and Burris. W - O'Donnell. L  - Menster (12-5). 2B - Menster.

GAME 2

William Penn      000 000 0 - 0 3 1
Mount Mercy       001 001 x - 2 6 1

Springer, Perry (4) and Brown. Witzany and Miller. W - Witzany (12-7).  L - Springer. 2B - Bruner, Heick. SB - Robertson.

Wednesday's Results

Culver-Stockton 8, Mount Mercy 0 (5)
Baker 5, William Penn 0
Grand View 10, MidAmerica Nazarene 5
Central Methodist 12, Benedictine 6
Mount Mercy 2, William Penn 0 (Penn eliminated)

Thursday's Schedule

9:30 a.m. - No. 7 MidAmerica Nazarene (0-1) vs No. 6 Benedictine (0-1)
Noon - No. 1 Baker (1-0) vs No. 4 Culver-Stockton (1-0)
2:30 p.m. - No. 2 Grand View (1-0) vs No. 3 Central Methodist (1-0)
5 p.m. - MidAmerica Nazarene/Benedictine winner vs Culver-Stockton/Baker loser
7:30 p.m. - No. 5 Mount Mercy vs Grand View/Central Methodist loser