Tawny Menster belted a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday to snap a 5-5 tie and give the Mount Mercy softball team a 9-5 victory over Culver-Stockton in the first game of their Heart of America Conference doubleheader at Busse Field.

Culver-Stockton won the second game, 9-4.

Mount Mercy trailed 5-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning of the opener. They tied the game, 5-5, then Menster delivered her walk-off homer with the bases loaded.

Menster was 2-for-4 in the ballgame and scored twice. Jessica Miller, Jess Heick and Morgan Braughton also had two hits. Jolona Shield drove in two runs. Miller scored twice. Jayna Witzany picked up the victory in relief of Menster.

Shield went 2-for-4 and scored twice in the 9-4 setback in Game 2. Payton Bruner scored twice.

The split left Mount Mercy at 11-7 overall and 4-2 in the conference. Culver-Stockton is 11-10 overall and 5-3 in the league.

GAME 1

Culver-Stockton     000 302 0 - 5 3 1
Mount Mercy         120 010 5 - 9 11 2

Staples, O'Donnell (3) and Burris. Menster, Witzany (6) and Miller. W - Witzany (5-3). L - O'Donnell (3-8). 2B - Heick. 3B - Bruner, Oler. HR - Menster. SB - Heick, Miller.

GAME 2

Culver-Stockton     006 010 2 - 9 15 2
Mount Mercy         100 030 0 - 4 5 2

Tibbetts and Burris. Irwin, Witzany (3) and Miller. W - Tibbetts (6-0). L - Irwin (2-1). 2B - Shield. SB - Bruner.