Despite a competitive start with the ball, the Redbacks were well beaten on the final run tally, going down by 79 runs.
The Cats won the toss and elected to bat first, with Charlie Nicholson and Ava Wood stepping up to the crease.
It was a dream start for Ky, as an Eliza Linehan gem sent Nicholson back to the sheds with the first delivery of the match.
Mooroopna’s quality up and down the order was a key factor in its success in 2023-24 and that continued in round one.
Gemma Boyd joined Wood at the crease and the two set about accumulating a useful total.
Boyd took on the Ky bowling attack, finding the boundary on three occasions in her 17-ball 25, before eventually falling to Becky Bruce.
Wood and Boyd had progressed the total to 40, but when Wood also departed just five balls later, Ky had the Cats 3-44.
Useful knocks from Kelsey McDonald (13) and Ebony Sleeth (10) kept the run rate ticking over, but after Amani Issell joined Lauren Hall at the crease at 5-86, Mooroopna really started to make its move.
As Issell warmed into her innings, Hall played with purpose, her run-a-ball 30 pushing the total well past 100 before her retirement in the 19th over.
Now the set batter, Issell went to work, belting 20 from her last seven deliveries, including 17 from five in the final over to help the Cats post a mammoth 5-150 from their 20 overs.
Issell’s (33 not out) late explosion led her to the top of the run-scorers list for Mooroopna, while Hall (30) and Boyd (25) also grabbed important runs.
The Redbacks spread the wickets around in an innings that saw 10 players have a tilt with the ball, Becky Bruce and Lacy Parsons (both 1-12) the most economical of the wicket-takers.
In reply, Kyabram rarely looked like making the required runs.
After losing Melissa Parsons in the opening over, the Redbacks’ chances became entwined with the efforts of number three Hope Irvine.
Irvine’s purposeful strokeplay saw her keep the run rate at a respectable level, and as teammates tumbled for single-figure scores, she continued to find the boundary.
She retired with 38 from her 30 deliveries, but as wickets continued to fall was soon recalled to make a final stand with number 10 Charmaine Parsons.
With more than 80 runs still required, Irvine was only able to add another three before she ran out of partners, Kyabram all out for 71.
Irvine’s unbeaten 41 was the only innings of note for Kyabram, as no other Redback made it past 5, while Bella Woods (2-13) was the pick of the bowlers for Mooroopna.
In other round-one results, Rochester held off Bamawm-Lockington United by 22 runs, defending champions Echuca cruised past Katamatite by 10 wickets and Shepparton Youth Club United defeated Nagambie by six wickets.
Cooma forfeited its tie with Nathalia, and Moama had the bye.
Round two will see Kyabram host competition newbies Moama.
BLU will visit Cooma, Echuca will travel to Nathalia, Katamatite will be at home against Shepparton and Mooroopna will be away to Nagambie.
Rochester has the bye.
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