SYCAMORE — Mohawk picked up its 790th softball win in school history on Thursday night.

The 10-0, six-inning Division IV sectional final victory over Norwalk St. Paul also advanced the Lady Warriors to next Tuesday’s district tournament. Under sunny skies and 88-degree temperatures, Mohawk gained a spot in the 4 p.m. opener against Monroeville, 7-2 winners over New London.

Head coach Mindy Walton said her team played well enough to get the win at Sycamore American Legion Ball Field.

“I knew they would be tough. They had nothing to lose coming in here,” Walton said. “Again, against slower pitches, our batting lineup is just struggling right now to make that adjustment.”

The hosts batted around in the second inning and put three runners home. Hits by Brooklen Helton, Lauren Moyer and Kendal Bailey were punctuated by an Aley Schock triple. Mohawk had five of its 13 hits in that inning.

Pitcher Bailey Sheets got the win, striking out eight Lady Flyers. Mohawk is now 18-4, 11-2 in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference.

“She is, as she progresses through varsity and gets a little bit older, she’s just getting more and more comfortable in there. We did a great job on defense tonight and she knows she has those girls behind her. She knows she can settle in and get the job done,” Walton said.

Sheets is 17-3 in the circle with 147 strikeouts.

“We put 10 runs on the board and got the run rule. And they (Norwalk St. Paul) had some amazing plays. They took that play away from Alysen Young out there in centerfield. That was a grand slam and she grabbed that,” Walton said, referring to a play at the fence by NSP’s Presley Stang in that second inning.

“Their centerfielder, shortstop and third basemen all made some great catches.”

It was close until the sixth, with Mohawk holding a 4-0 advantage. Eleven players went to the plate and thanks to a combination of hits by A.J. Chevalier, Josie Granata, Helton, Sheets and Young and a couple of fielding errors it became 10-0.

Catcher Lauren Moyer played a gutsy game, battling through some pain.

“She got a pretty good scrape on her elbow going after that pop fly and I think it bounced up off the ground and hit her. She’ll have a good bruise there,” Walton said.

The bottom of the Mohawk batting order contributed to the win.

“That really didn’t surprise me a whole lot because they tend to get themselves going if the top of the lineup isn’t getting them the runs we want. They tend to step up, most of the time,” Walton said.

“We have to step up our game if we’re going to make it to districts and beyond. I like to say I have an A team and a B team. Which one is coming to play tonight? Hopefully, my A team is there next week.”

Playing in the N10 has prepared Mohawk for the tourney journey. This was the school’s 19th straight sectional win.

“I am thankful for a conference like the N10 because we have had so much experience with tough competition. That really helps prepare us.

“Sometimes my sectional game is even more stressful than the districts because I don’t want to be the team that breaks the streak. I was a Mohawk player (1999 graduate) so to coach in a program like this is exciting.”

Norwalk St. Paul (3-19, 1-12) head coach Bill Wilhelm lamented a difficult season ending.

“We had four starters decided not to play this year. The (Amelia) Raspert girl is coming off two herniated discs and only throwing 50 percent. She pitched well,” he said.

Raspert gave up two walks and struck out one batter but battled the whole way until Josalyn Vazquez came in to finish the sixth.

“We hit the ball well. Their pitcher brings it, and she spins it well. We’re a weak team and rebuilding. I have five seniors, but I’ve got young kids coming back as freshmen,” Wilhelm said.

Klaire Hickey had a single and a double for the Lady Flyers.

Box score

St. Paul      000 000 X          0        4       2

Mohawk    031 006 X        10      13       3

WP: Bailey Sheets (9 SO, 1 W)

LP: Amelia Raspert (1 SO, 2 W)

HR: None.

Triples: (M) Aley Schock.

Doubles: (M) Klaire Hickey.

Multiple hits: (M) Aley Schock, Lauren Moyer, Bailey Sheets.

Records: Norwalk St. Paul 3-18; Mohawk 18-4.

Next: Mohawk vs. Monroeville, Tuesday, Division IV district semifinal at Galion, 4 p.m.