Carine Cats take 4-1 win over Bayswater Monarchs in a seven-inning stunner

In a clash that had all the makings of a finals preview, the AutoOne Midland Carine Cats proved too strong under pressure, defeating fellow contenders Bayswater Monarchs 4-1 in a tightly contested State League thriller under lights.

With both teams entering the round near the top of the ladder, the matchup promised fireworks – but instead delivered a pitching duel of the highest quality, with Ash Harwood putting in a dominant, surgical performance in the circle.

The opening two innings were a battle of control, as both sides went three-up, three-down twice. Harwood was clinical, while her Monarchs counterpart also kept the Cats’ early offence in check.

Bayswater blinked first in the third, sneaking a run home via a razor-close pick-off attempt at second base – but the Cats didn’t waste time responding.

A spirited rally in the bottom of the third saw Dempsey Henderson execute a gutsy steal home, part of a two-run inning that flipped the momentum squarely in Carine’s favour.

From that moment on, it was the Harwood Show.

In a complete-game outing that left the Monarchs’ bats frozen, Harwood allowed just four hits, walked none, and struck out an incredible 13 of 25 batters faced. Only two Monarchs would reach base in the final four innings, as Carine’s defence took full control of the game.

Behind the dish, Annaliese Daley was in top form – not only managing the game with composure but also throwing out a runner at second base with a sharp pick-off that snuffed out any thought of a late Bayswater surge.

The Cats tacked on another two runs in the sixth, thanks to a crushing triple to left field from Daley, backed by strong contact hitting from Lauren Brown and Sara Riou.

There was also a proud moment for the club with Under 16s player Scarlett Kelly making her maiden plate and field appearance. Kelly showed impressive composure at the plate and kept things tidy at second base — a promising sign of things to come from the junior ranks.

With no second fixture this round, the Cats earned an early finish and a well-deserved breather. But next week the pressure ramps up again, with a huge double-header against the Royals and the Fremantle Mariners — two sides the Cats already have tight wins over this season.