PERU, Neb. - Some college softball teams would have ducked for cover  after losing straight games in the middle of the season, but not the  Mount Mercy Mustangs.

The Mustangs have followed their seven-game skid with an eight-game  winning streak to resurrect their promising campaign.

Coach Larry Yoder's team swept Peru State, 7-0 and 7-1, in a Heart of  America Conference doubleheader Thursday in Nebraska.

Mount Mercy is now 28-18 overall and 19-13 in the conference. Peru  State fell to 7-37 overall and 6-28 in the league.

Tawny Menster (11-3) pitched a three-hit shutout in the 7-0 victory in  Game 1, with 10 strikeouts and no walks. Emily Oler went 2-for-3 with  two RBIs and socked her eighth homer of the season. Payton Bruner was  3-for-4 with three stolen bases. Oler and Bruner scored twice.

Madelyn Irwin (7-4) allowed one run on three hits during her five  innings in the circle in the nightcap. Jayna Witzany pitched two  spotless innings with three strikeouts in relief.

Jessica Miller hit her first homer of the season for Mount Mercy and  was 4-for-4 with two RBIs. Michelle Mack and Audrey Grove were both  3-for-4 in the 15-hit attack. Mack drove in two runs. Morgan Braughton  was 2-for-4 and scored twice.

GAME 1

Mount Mercy      100 200 4 - 7 10 1
Peru State       000 000 0 - 0 3 2

Menster and Miller. Krieser, Moya (5) and Hazen. W - Menster (11-3). L  - Krieser. HR - Oler. SB - Bruner 3, Menster 2, Oler 1. SH - Miller,  Stenberg.

GAME 2

Mount Mercy      002 310 1 - 7 15 0
Peru State       000 001 0 - 1 3 2

Irwin, Witzany (6) and Miller. Ritchie and Audsley. W - Irwin (7-4).  2B - Oler. HR - Miller. SB - Miller, Robertson, Braughton.